100% raw foodism?

[hellicat]

I've searched on this forum and I understand that "100% raw" can mean different things to different people. I like this idea, it's very liberating for someone like me who's very "all-or-nothing". I use non-raw vinegar, tamari, and vegemite. About 1-2 tablespoons of each in a week.

I haven't received Alissa's book yet (3 weeks away... sigh...) but I've heard that she recommends people go 100% raw for 30 days to see the full benefits.

What does this ACTUALLY mean? Does she provide guidelines in the book? Recently I've been reading steve pavlina's 30 day raw food experiment, and he doesn't include any sort of vinegar, onions, garlic, or spices. No dehydrating either. He seemed to gain a lot of benefits from this way of eating. I'm sure it's attainable, but is it necessary? Is this what Alissa refers to when she says "100% raw"?

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this!

[RawHemp]

Whatever u do get rid of that vinegar, very toxic stuff. I don't get the point of no onions, garlic and spices but i can see what he's saying about the dehydrated stuff. Also pick up a copy of David Wolfe's book "Sunfood Diet Success System", this is the only book I've read that has actually helped me balance my raw food diet. Alissa Cohen's book has a lot of great recipes but not very informative, David Wolfe is very knowledgeable about what to eat and how to eat it.

[pixie_333]

I've searched on this forum and I understand that "100% raw" can mean different things to different people. I like this idea, it's very liberating for someone like me who's very "all-or-nothing". I use non-raw vinegar, tamari, and vegemite. About 1-2 tablespoons of each in a week.

I haven't received Alissa's book yet (3 weeks away... sigh...) but I've heard that she recommends people go 100% raw for 30 days to see the full benefits.

What does this ACTUALLY mean? Does she provide guidelines in the book? Recently I've been reading steve pavlina's 30 day raw food experiment, and he doesn't include any sort of vinegar, onions, garlic, or spices. No dehydrating either. He seemed to gain a lot of benefits from this way of eating. I'm sure it's attainable, but is it necessary? Is this what Alissa refers to when she says "100% raw"?

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this!

100% raw is not consuming anything cooked including tamari, cooked vinegar etc. claiming 100% raw while adding cooked foods and drinks etc is just being dishonest on status. it's as simple as abc's.


i haven't read alissa book yet. but not every raw foodist eats the same things as others. there are many debates on what is healthy etc and also some may feel something raw may not be the most beneficial but are accepting to eat while in transition, time to time or just chosen to allow extra room for more things to eat. through time you'll discover what works best for you.

[RaeVynn]

Actually, depending on the vinegar, it is not so bad.

Naturally fermented vinegar, like Braggs', which contains the "mother", has real health benefits when used in small amounts.

If you have Alissa's book, she lays out an eating plan for the first four weeks, I believe, which may be of real help.

[RawHemp]

Actually, depending on the vinegar, it is not so bad.

Naturally fermented vinegar, like Braggs', which contains the "mother", has real health benefits when used in small amounts.



Vinegar is very acidic, sorry but no health benefits outway acidifying your body

[Revvell]

Alissa Cohen's book has a lot of great recipes but not very informative, David Wolfe is very knowledgeable about what to eat and how to eat it.

On the contrary, Alissa's is VERY informative.

[RawKnitster]

I agree with Revvell. Alissa's book is very informative and a great place to start. I like David Wolfe and a lot of other raw authors, too. The ones that I don't listen to are the "raw experts" that tell you what you can't do. Their negative, restrictive approach is not for me. I like Alissa's positive approach to becoming raw.

Sorry you have to wait 3 weeks for the book. It will be worth it. Good luck on the 30 day challenge. :)

[juliew]

Whatever u do get rid of that vinegar, very toxic stuff. I don't get the point of no onions, garlic and spices but i can see what he's saying about the dehydrated stuff. Also pick up a copy of David Wolfe's book "Sunfood Diet Success System", this is the only book I've read that has actually helped me balance my raw food diet. Alissa Cohen's book has a lot of great recipes but not very informative, David Wolfe is very knowledgeable about what to eat and how to eat it.

I second this! His book is AMAZING! I was taught by other raw food "gurus" to really limit the nuts to like once a week and I did this for a year and fell apart, but then I read his book and he focuses on balancing three areas (I think its fruits, veggies and fats/nuts) and I was sooo much better in like 2 weeks. His book is extremely informative, even talks about karma of foods.

[Revvell]

I'm not looking to start THIS controversy all over again yet, let's be clear on something. David didn't write the Sunfood Diet Success System. He took a book that was out of copyright, added some of his stuff to it, put his name to it. No, it's not plagiarism and it's not illegal ~ BUT, he didn't write it; it did not come from his own experience. Alissa's did and she also does not talk about limiting anything.

Do the research.


I second this! His book is AMAZING! I was taught by other raw food "gurus" to really limit the nuts to like once a week and I did this for a year and fell apart, but then I read his book and he focuses on balancing three areas (I think its fruits, veggies and fats/nuts) and I was sooo much better in like 2 weeks. His book is extremely informative, even talks about karma of foods.

[pixie_333]

I'm not looking to start THIS controversy all over again yet, let's be clear on something. David didn't write the Sunfood Diet Success System. He took a book that was out of copyright, added some of his stuff to it, put his name to it. No, it's not plagiarism and it's not illegal ~ BUT, he didn't write it; it did not come from his own experience. Alissa's did and she also does not talk about limiting anything.

Do the research.

i thought it was natures first law that was "stolen". i know there were 3 guys with their names on that book and i met all of them. so i've heard 2 different books have been "stolen". is it both of them or have i been misinformed?

and revvell.. do you know the name of the book the info was taken from? i didn't save the link. i think it was written in the 50's perhaps if i remember correctly. or 1800's. ??

[Revvell]

Hmph! My bad. You may be correct. No, don't know the name and it wasn't "stolen". It's out of print and perfectly legal as I stated.

Don't know the name or the author. I just remember it was a middle eastern gent who wrote the original ~ whichever one it is.


i thought it was natures first law that was "stolen". i know there were 3 guys with their names on that book and i met all of them. so i've heard 2 different books have been "stolen". is it both of them or have i been misinformed?

and revvell.. do you know the name of the book the info was taken from? i didn't save the link. i think it was written in the 50's perhaps if i remember correctly. or 1800's. ??

[pixie_333]

Hmph! My bad. You may be correct. No, don't know the name and it wasn't "stolen". It's out of print and perfectly legal as I stated.

Don't know the name or the author. I just remember it was a middle eastern gent who wrote the original ~ whichever one it is.

i call it "stolen". i feel that anyone who copies anothers book and basicaly claims it their own is theft. i would not appreciate it if someone did that to me with a song i wrote or written material. but i don't know all of the details... i know personal things revolving around the book etc between those 3 but i'm not revealing it because it's personal. but i didn't know then before that it was copied... and it's been so many years but i think david mentioned his father in it as well? or maybe his father isn't a doctor...pfft.

i don't know... is there anywhere in the book that mentions it was originaly written by someone else and is out of print? i remember some referances... i wish i still had a copy.

[RawKnitster]

I'm not looking to start THIS controversy all over again yet, let's be clear on something. David didn't write the Sunfood Diet Success System. He took a book that was out of copyright, added some of his stuff to it, put his name to it. No, it's not plagiarism and it's not illegal ~ BUT, he didn't write it; it did not come from his own experience. Alissa's did and she also does not talk about limiting anything.

Do the research.

Revvell, admit it, you love the controversy! ;)

I have to say, I don't care if Wolfe wrote it or not. I'm grateful he does what he does. Without his books "Nature's First Law", "Eating for Beauty", and "Sunfood Diet Success System" I would not have discovered the raw food diet. I feel at my strongest when my diet is balanced as he describes in the Sunfood Triangle. As with many raw food marketers, his hype is over the top, and his services and products are overpriced. I will continue to forgive him the snake oil salesmanship, even when it pops up on this forum (as I'm sure it did in a blog posted recently). Why? Because I am grateful, and nothing is going to diminish that.

I don't think saying that diminishes Alissa Cohen in any way. Her book is wonderful. And this forum has given me the help I needed to stay raw for the past 12 months, for which I am extremely grateful.

One of these years I hope to be able to take her classes.

[SekhemNefer]

Vinegar is very acidic, sorry but no health benefits outway acidifying your body

There are a lot of acidic foods out there. And most people don't drink Vinegar but use it in small amounts.

Vinegar is not bad in small amounts.

[SekhemNefer]

I've searched on this forum and I understand that "100% raw" can mean different things to different people. I like this idea, it's very liberating for someone like me who's very "all-or-nothing". I use non-raw vinegar, tamari, and vegemite. About 1-2 tablespoons of each in a week.

I haven't received Alissa's book yet (3 weeks away... sigh...) but I've heard that she recommends people go 100% raw for 30 days to see the full benefits.

What does this ACTUALLY mean? Does she provide guidelines in the book? Recently I've been reading steve pavlina's 30 day raw food experiment, and he doesn't include any sort of vinegar, onions, garlic, or spices. No dehydrating either. He seemed to gain a lot of benefits from this way of eating. I'm sure it's attainable, but is it necessary? Is this what Alissa refers to when she says "100% raw"?

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this!

100% Raw to me is food only. I don't include herbs, spices, teas, or elixers like miso....however, I just found out that you can use miso more ways than making hot miso "soup". So...I will try my miso paste unheated to make salad dressing.

[RawKnitster]

100% Raw to me is food only. I don't include herbs, spices, teas, or elixers like miso.....

Good answer, Sek. That is where I'm at, too.

[RawHemp]

There are a lot of acidic foods out there. And most people don't drink Vinegar but use it in small amounts.

Vinegar is not bad in small amounts.

Arn't u the poster who also claims rice is harmless? lol. Vinegar is horrible it has a ph of like 3, most raw foods are actually alkaline for the most part with acouple slightly acidic stuff thrown in but nothing like vinegar. Vinegar isn't healthy and theres tons of replacements(lemon comes to mind), if u eat raw food and u continue to eat vinegar your a moron plain and simple. I'm sure our raw ancestors ate vinegar..... not :D

[RawHemp]

100% Raw to me is food only. I don't include herbs, spices

Last time i checked herbs and spices came from natural plant sources...

[RaeVynn]

Allow me to quote DIRECTLY from Alissa Cohen's Living on Live Foods book, concerning Apple cider vinegar, under "Additional foods to enjoy":


Apple Cider Vinegar. Used for years to improve health and create a balanced metabolism, apple cider vinegar is a powerful antioxidand. It contains amino acids, along with essential vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. It's been known to help break down cholesterol formations in the blood vessels and to reduce high blood pressure.

Now, since this IS Alissa's site, I believe her book trumps other viewpoints. If you have a different opinion, please refrain from calling people who follow Alissa's guidelines "morons'.

Remember, Your Mileage May Vary.

[Veganelle]

Every chart that I have seen places Apple Cider Vinegar into the "alkalizing" column, unlike all other types of vinegar, which have an acidifying effect on the body.

I cut out all vinegar from my diet many years ago, and only recently discovered that ACV was different and have started using it, with no ill effects whatsoever.

[Veganelle]

Well, I haven't read Alissa's book... I am just going on everything I have ever read in every OTHER raw food book I have read and other sources, including the Genuine Health (makers of Greens+) acid/alkaline brochure and chart, which says that Apple Cider Vinegar, although acidic, has an alkalizing effect on the body. Some acidic foods, like lemons and grapefruits, have alkalizing effects on the body, and ACV is one of those foods.

From a website I found just now by googling apple cider vinegar:

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is an exception: unlike almost every other vinegar, it has an alkaline ash and improves pH by making the body less acidic.

For that reason alone, it is recommended to replace any vinegar in salad dressings and other recipes with apple cider vinegar, if lemon juice doesn’t provide enough bite.

[Queen Bean]

"There has lately been circulating a rumour in the raw community that the
book "Nature's First Law" by Stephen Arlin, Fouad Dini & David Wolfe is
nothing but a plagiarized version of "Raw Food Eating" an out of print book
by the Iranian author Arshavir Ter Hovannessian written almost 40 years
ago. With a little help from my friends I got the chance to compare the two
books, and I can now conclude that the rumour is true. From glancing
through "Raw Eating" it seems that virtually each chapter has been lifted
with some re-wordings or added paragraphs dispersed in between and
transcribed into what is now "Nature's First Law."

The above paragraph is all my work.

Honestly.

(Nah...I'll cite my source...http://www.vegsource.com/talk/raw/messages/20056.html)

[RawTruth]

I've searched on this forum and I understand that "100% raw" can mean different things to different people. I like this idea, it's very liberating for someone like me who's very "all-or-nothing".

Being "all-or-nothing" can be to your advantage. That's how I went 100% raw six years ago. Once you know how, you can do it. And that's where the 30-day challenge comes in.


I use non-raw vinegar, tamari, and vegemite. About 1-2 tablespoons of each in a week.

I haven't received Alissa's book yet (3 weeks away... sigh...) but I've heard that she recommends people go 100% raw for 30 days to see the full benefits.Yes, she suggests that people go completely raw for 30 days in order to experience what eating only raw vegan foods is like.

Not such a radical concept, right? You'd be surprised how many people read the books, go online, debate the merits of this food or that approach, yet still haven't gone 100% raw. Others talk about what doesn't work for them or how they haven't lost weight/healed their illness/felt better. But, they haven't yet gone 100% raw.


What does this ACTUALLY mean?It means you eat only raw and living foods. That includes dehydrated foods if you have access to them. It means you eat as much of whatever you want whenever you want during that time. It does include "transitional" raw foods. By that I mean Nama Shoyu, agave, and other foods that aren't actually raw but can be helpful when you're transitioning off of a cooked, processed food lifestyle.


Does she provide guidelines in the book?Yes, she does. She also has 30 days of recipes -- weekly -- along with shopping lists.


Recently I've been reading steve pavlina's 30 day raw food experiment, and he doesn't include any sort of vinegar, onions, garlic, or spices. No dehydrating either. He seemed to gain a lot of benefits from this way of eating. I'm sure it's attainable, but is it necessary?No.


Is this what Alissa refers to when she says "100% raw"?No. See above.


I'd appreciate any thoughts on this!

[Seedy]

Being 100% raw does sometimes get to be a little confusing depending on the particular slant of the raw 'guru'. You can be 100% raw and eat foods that are both raw and living, i.e. fresh fruits, vegetables, sprouts, seeds and nuts. You can be 100% raw and eat foods that are still raw, but no longer alive, such as pates, flax crackers, and dehydrated raw recipes. You can't plant a raw brownie and expect it to grow - so its no longer alive, but its still raw and retains its enzymes, vitamins and antioxidants. I also put spices which have the highest antioxidant levels of any food, in this category. Then there are fermented foods that aren't raw anymore, but are still alive with good bacteria such as raw apple cider vinegar and miso. Everyone has to find their own spot in the 100% raw spectrum. Don't let anyone else tell you how to eat. Eat whatever raw foods you enjoy and make you meals palatable to you.
Seedy
P.S. For myself, anyone who tells me onion and garlic aren't food has lost my respect immediately <grin>.

[Veronica01]

vinegar is typically acetic acid in a 1/10 part ratio to water. Acetic acid straight up is pure poison to you. Just because you dilute it in water does not mean it is good for you. It just adds to any other harmful substances you put into your body as well. I think on the whole most people are eating little bits of many harmful things and they do add up even if you are mostly raw. It's a choice, but i wouldn't tell myself that poison diluted in water was not still poison.

[pixie_333]

"There has lately been circulating a rumour in the raw community that the
book "Nature's First Law" by Stephen Arlin, Fouad Dini & David Wolfe is
nothing but a plagiarized version of "Raw Food Eating" an out of print book
by the Iranian author Arshavir Ter Hovannessian written almost 40 years
ago. With a little help from my friends I got the chance to compare the two
books, and I can now conclude that the rumour is true. From glancing
through "Raw Eating" it seems that virtually each chapter has been lifted
with some re-wordings or added paragraphs dispersed in between and
transcribed into what is now "Nature's First Law."

The above paragraph is all my work.

Honestly.

(Nah...I'll cite my source...http://www.vegsource.com/talk/raw/messages/20056.html)

thanks queen bean for posting. i hope to find the book "raw food eating".

[veganman]

Hi RawTruth!

Glad to see you around again!

[RawTruth]

Hey! It's been a while, huh. Had a few extra minutes kicking around and I thought I'd do some visiting. How's the business going?

[veganman]

Hey! It's been a while, huh. Had a few extra minutes kicking around and I thought I'd do some visiting. How's the business going?

It is great! I get to talk with and e-mail other raw foodists all day!

I will contact you off-line so I don't hijack this thread anymore than I already have....