What about the nutrients?

[hilarya_m]

I just made a pizza with a sprouted buckwheat crust and flax meal, topped with marinara, olive meat, and basil, yum! But, after grinding up my lil sprouties in the blender, and then putting the pizza crust in the D for 14 hours, I'm wondering what heck happens to the nutrients and enzymes?

When I was juicing at a Hippocrates-esque Institute (based on Ann Wigmore's methods), they said you should consume your smoothies and juice within 20 minutes or else risk losing vits and enzymes exponentially after that.

With all this blending, chopping, and then dehydrating how do we know the nutrients are enzymes are still there? I'm confused how this is different from say lightly cooking or steaming whole vegan foods.

[Veganforlife]

Sounds like a yum-oh meal.

Dehydrating is done at a LOWER temp, which does NOT destroy nutrients and enzymes. Chopping food does NOT destroy enzymes. Blending does NOT destroy nutrients and enzymes.

"Slight" heating or steaming DOES destroy nutrients and enzymes...

[hilarya_m]

Well, I know that's the accepted truth and the principle I am operating on now, but how do we KNOW? I did an enzyme test for dehydrating but that was for whole foods. Why all the fuss over drinking your smoothies and juice within 20mins then?

What about the food that is nearly 24 hours 'old' since being in its whole form prior to chop, blend and D? :/

[Veganforlife]

I look at it this way. I didn't question anything when I was cramming SAD/CRAP food into my mouth. I'm surely not going to question it all now. Back in the day this is how folks ate and they were not as heavy and surely were so much healthier. There are studies out there that have proven that these foods are still "living" and not void of nutrients and enzymes. I'll see if I can dig these up.

To me this is wasting a lot of quality time "fussing" (to use your terminology) over how do we know...?

I know how I've healed. I know how good I feel. I know this is the right thing for my body. I know this is how humans were designed to eat.

All I need to know... ;)

[Aleesha Sattva]

if you read this thread... it may assist you a bit:

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=50489

[hilarya_m]

Awesome, thank you!

[anniez]

Hilyarya, I suspect you are fairly new to raw. My reason is that when you have been raw for a month or so you will really feel a difference. Then your questions will be irrelevant!

Annie

[EZ rider]

Does oxidation harm the food or does it enhance the food by adding oxygen to the food ?
Opinions appreciated.

[rawlight]

Rawfood eating/lifestyle is not an exact science. New information comes out everyday or new interpretation on old info comes out everyday.

Questioning, obsessing is good, especially when you've never thought about why and what you eat before. I would suggest stop obsessing over why people obsess! (I've noticed several threads where people are judged/criticized for asking questions).

Just let everyone find their way and don't read what you're not interested in. We all start this journey at different times and there is such a wide range of experience on this site, There are bound to be a lot of people who are comfortable with the life and who find newbie questioning a 'yawn.'

[RawSar]

Does oxidation harm the food or does it enhance the food by adding oxygen to the food ?
Opinions appreciated.

I've only heard that it harms the food. Why I dont know, I dont remember them explaining why or how. I've never looked into this but since you asked I'm curious and excited to read what others say. What do you think/know about this?

[T-Bird]

Hilarya,

I've wondered the same thing. And I'm not quite a noob either.....

For example, we know cooking lessens the nutrition in greens - but it doesn't make them worthless. Those who eat steamed or sauted greens are healthier than those who eat no greens at all. Can't remember this study - something down south with the soul food thing - particularly the collard greens they were discussing.

Of course we can all agree that barring e coli the best nutrient delivery would be on all 4's nibbling the plant as it sits in the dirt growing......

I would LOVE to see some real scientific documentation on the nutrients of the veggie in the ground, grocery shelf purchase, frozen, dehydrated, frozen then dehydrated, dehydrated then frozen then thawed, lightly steamed, lightly sauteed, baked, broiled, fried.

I mean - I REALLY want to know!!! Inquiring minds....:cool: I'm a psychometrician, so I really get into numbers! **nerd alert**

But....Who will conduct such research? Nobody. No money in it.

On another note - maybe we don't want to know.....

We ate the cooked food our mothers' gave us not knowing......then we KNEW - and gave it up.

Perhaps some are afraid they'd have to put dehydrated or froozen food on the "do not eat list" so rather than have to do that - they'd just prefer not to know?

It all depends on how far you want to go with it......be a "freak" eating raw in the urban environment....

or meditating in tibet on a diet of fresh air and rain water????

If it's dehydrated goodies or french fries, you know what to do......

[T-Bird]

Questioning, obsessing is good, especially when you've never thought about why and what you eat before. I would suggest stop obsessing over why people obsess! (I've noticed several threads where people are judged/criticized for asking questions).

Just let everyone find their way and don't read what you're not interested in. We all start this journey at different times and there is such a wide range of experience on this site, There are bound to be a lot of people who are comfortable with the life and who find newbie questioning a 'yawn.'

Excellent observations and insight.

Party on Rawlight!

[rawlight]

It is so frustrating when someone deletes a post that others have responded to. It sure makes for confusion....:mad:

[Veganforlife]

It is so frustrating when someone deletes a post that others have responded to. It sure makes for confusion....:mad:

I've reinstated my posts. I also want folks to realize I am NOT judging or criticizing ANYONE...merely stating my viewpoint and how I feel...

What each of us chooses to eat, drink, listen to, look at, etc. is totally our own choices...I'm just amazed as to all the dissecting of such a healthy way of eating. That's all..plain and simple...

[snoops]

Your post made perfect sense to me even if I missed a post or two that may have been deleted:)

[DopeRawAbundance]

To (try to) answer your question as straight as possible, the fresher the better. The farther the plant is from its natural state, the less nutritious it will be. I've heard it described as some'n like the plants energy to cling to its nutrition fades over time, all explanations aside this seems like a simple sensical concept. Here's a little most-nutritious-to-least-nutritious chart to put it in perspective.

Most Nutritious

Fresh picked food
Food picked yesterday
Food picked 2 days ago
Food picked 3 days ago
...
Food picked a month ago, now sitting in the produce section
Food picked a year ago, processed into a can

... at this point its kinda hard for me to try to sort out whats worse than what so I'm done trying to organize them. What I'm trying to get at though is that dehydrating has 2 purposes: storage, and snacking. Its not really about the nutrition. Only kinda. Its better than cooking because the temps arent so high, but if you were really dedicated to nutrition you would eat your food as fresh as possible, never dehydrating. Dehydrated snacks are a nutritious, "no-guilt" alternative to cooked, heavily processed snacks, their soul purpose is to satisfy the taste buds, when you dehydrate some chocodate muffins you may be considering your nutrition but what you're really trying to satisfy is your tastebuds, and I'm not trying to say theres anything wrong with that. If I was concerned solely about nutrition and nothing else I wouldn't even own a dehydrator (and I don't but that's only cuz monies).

So in conclusion, if you're craving a Snickers bar grab for a dehydrated snack or perhaps a fresh fruit, if its nutrition you're craving then just go for the fruit.

[Aleesha Sattva]

this may assist you as well:


Living Foods are uncooked, free from animal products, organic, easy to digest, rich in enzymes, and highly nutritious. They include home-grown sprouted grains and beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, fermented preparations, dehydrated snacks and delicious deserts such as fruit and nut pies and fruit ice cream.
~ Ann Wigmore Foundation

http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/vegetarian.htm

and don't forget to click here (http://www.excaliburdehydrator.com/testing_for_enzymatic_activity.htm) to test for enzyme activity in your dehydrated foods!

[rawlight]

I've reinstated my posts. I also want folks to realize I am NOT judging or criticizing ANYONE...merely stating my viewpoint and how I feel...

What each of us chooses to eat, drink, listen to, look at, etc. is totally our own choices...I'm just amazed as to all the dissecting of such a healthy way of eating. That's all..plain and simple...

Thank you....and yes, it IS all about people's points of view. For a newbie, it can be good to hear more seasoned folks give their perspective. It's very validating, so a variety of perspectives is a good thing, in my opinion.

[rawlight]

Well, I know that's the accepted truth and the principle I am operating on now, but how do we KNOW? I did an enzyme test for dehydrating but that was for whole foods. Why all the fuss over drinking your smoothies and juice within 20mins then?

What about the food that is nearly 24 hours 'old' since being in its whole form prior to chop, blend and D? :/

I think your points are well-taken. It's easy to hear someone say something you like and just repeat it. Most of us don't have labs to do the real research! I like to know how someone comes to their opinions. I think it's important to be informed, not a parrot. I totally respect personal experience, as well, though, and there are plenty of long time raw foodists who know what works for them from their own experience. Of course, what works for one person may not.....:cool: :D

So that's why some of us like/need to ask questions.

[hilarya_m]

Hilyarya, I suspect you are fairly new to raw. My reason is that when you have been raw for a month or so you will really feel a difference. Then your questions will be irrelevant!

Annie

I'm 3 months raw, yesterday was my anniversary! I definitely feel the difference, I just also happen to be a person who prefers to support that inner proof with scientific reasoning or research. Pure faith, religious, physical or otherwise is just not my style.

If I didn't ask questions and constantly seek further knowledge, I would not where I am today and on this raw path so puh-lease with the "just accept" comments.

There is a ton of confusing and sometimes contradictory information out there and I agree with rawlight, new information and views are constantly emerging which can only better inform us and information is power :)

Thank you Rawlight and T-Bird, words of wisdom. Thanks Aleesha for providing some substantive links.

[RawSar]

To (try to) answer your question as straight as possible, the fresher the better. The farther the plant is from its natural state, the less nutritious it will be. I've heard it described as some'n like the plants energy to cling to its nutrition fades over time, all explanations aside this seems like a simple sensical concept. Here's a little most-nutritious-to-least-nutritious chart to put it in perspective.

Most Nutritious

Fresh picked food
Food picked yesterday
Food picked 2 days ago
Food picked 3 days ago
...
Food picked a month ago, now sitting in the produce section
Food picked a year ago, processed into a can

... at this point its kinda hard for me to try to sort out whats worse than what so I'm done trying to organize them. What I'm trying to get at though is that dehydrating has 2 purposes: storage, and snacking. Its not really about the nutrition. Only kinda. Its better than cooking because the temps arent so high, but if you were really dedicated to nutrition you would eat your food as fresh as possible, never dehydrating. Dehydrated snacks are a nutritious, "no-guilt" alternative to cooked, heavily processed snacks, their soul purpose is to satisfy the taste buds, when you dehydrate some chocodate muffins you may be considering your nutrition but what you're really trying to satisfy is your tastebuds, and I'm not trying to say theres anything wrong with that. If I was concerned solely about nutrition and nothing else I wouldn't even own a dehydrator (and I don't but that's only cuz monies).

So in conclusion, if you're craving a Snickers bar grab for a dehydrated snack or perhaps a fresh fruit, if its nutrition you're craving then just go for the fruit.

My boyfriend's mom went to see Dr Brian Clement speak awhile ago and one of the first things she told us that shocked her about what he said was how much of the nutrients you lose the sec the food has been picked. Of course the longer its been picked and not eaten the more nutrients it loses.
Kinda made me feel like its impossible to get as healthy as I would like to be.. until our greenhouse is up and running.

[rawintexas]

I look at it this way. I didn't question anything when I was cramming SAD/CRAP food into my mouth. I'm surely not going to question it all now. Back in the day this is how folks ate and they were not as heavy and surely were so much healthier. There are studies out there that have proven that these foods are still "living" and not void of nutrients and enzymes. I'll see if I can dig these up.

To me this is wasting a lot of quality time "fussing" (to use your terminology) over how do we know...?

I know how I've healed. I know how good I feel. I know this is the right thing for my body. I know this is how humans were designed to eat.

All I need to know... ;)

I hear you! I think some people gravitate toward the nuances and complexities of anything and others like to keep it simple. I am a keep it simple type: watermelon, yum. Peach, yum. Tomato, yum. Organic? GREAT. I figure if I'm eating all fresh, raw fruits and veggies with the occasional nut and seed, I'm ok. For others, that might not be enough and it can be taken to a whole other level.

[Veganforlife]

Questioning is good. Trust me. I questioned (still do) authority back in the day (old Hippie here), and that's how we learn, BUT (to me - and NOT meant to criticize or belittle or whatever terminology one wants to use), but micro-scoping EVERYTHING gets to be a little too much.

This is how us humans were designed and built to eat. We pluck and pick. Dehydrating is a wise choice if one wants to "mimic" SAD/CRAP food. Freezing is good in times of abundance and to get through the winter months.

I am eating a lot healthier than I have in my almost 40 years being Vegetarian and then Vegan.

I don't want to spend my time microscoping and disecting everything. But that's me. If others want to learn and question by biology class means, that's okay. Have at it...:rolleyes:

[Aleesha Sattva]

I have to say this post and then this post (http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthread.php?t=52853) are so contrary to each other. In this one we are trying to discover the absolutely best way to get as many nutrients as possible. In the other post, it's all about ease and time-saved.

That's what I love about this community... we don't all have to agree, we don't all have to have the same motivation to be raw, stay raw or go raw.

(((hugs))) to all!!!