Okay this is a really dumb question but....

[jenjenn]

I'm sorta new to this whole raw thing and am doing a 21 day fast and will see how I feel at the end of that time if I'm prepared to go raw. I've been reading other peoples post about drinking coffee and tea. My question is this okay to drink these things if you are raw, because I thought that going raw means you can't eat or consume anything that is heated over like 122 degrees or something? :o

[sport]

I would not drink coffee because it is not good for your body but I take herb tee and if I was asked I would still call myself 100% raw. I know that it is not raw but it is not bad for my body and if it helps me to stay raw then I intend to keep it. If someone gives me a good reason to discard it then I can do so. It is not as if I am hooked.
I think that it is like someone saying that having a nice hot bath warms them up and helps them to staw raw. I guess what I am saying is that I do not really see it as food. I use a water distiller for my water and therefore my water is boiled but because that is not food then it is OK. I see the tea the same way.

[SamuelWilson]

That is very encouraging. I really did enjoy my teas when I was a cooked vegan. I will take dried wild flowers and emerse them in water that is warmed to 118, and that is my tea for now.

[Revvell]

The question seems to be what one's definition of "raw" is. If one is 100% raw, then no, coffee or tea made w/ boiling water is not 100% raw. If one is 100% vegan, then the addition of honey or any animal product negates that.

More importantly to me than whether you boil your water or not is the type of food one is putting in their body. You mention coffee. There are many threads here on the negative effects of coffee. As far as tea, IF the tea naturally contains caffeine or is decaffeinated (check the methods of de-caffeinating ~ not good), then my feeling is, one is negating the purpose of a raw food program.

If, as Samuel pointed out, drinking an herbal tea that has been heated by the sun or in water not heated above a certain temperature is a different thing although, there is the question of drinking tea one makes oneself w/ dried flowers, or ginger, etc., because then one knows how high the temp was during the drying process.

For me, I don't drink caffeinated beverages OR de-caf beverages. Other than that, I don't get so darn picky that I'm not enjoying my foods. People have created obsessions over this which is worse, in my opinion, than eating cooked.

Revvell

[Colin]

Revvell wrote: "Other than that, I don't get so darn picky that I'm not enjoying my foods. People have created obsessions over this which is worse, in my opinion, than eating cooked."

yes yes yes It is quotes like this and others in Rawtalk that are so wise. I see this advice and experience of others is so helpful and valuable to assist my need to be reminded that raw is fine and perhaps the ideal, but that obsession can be a terrible bondage. It has caused me failure many times. I am aware of it now and try to be gentle and loving and somewhat flexible and even to pray at times for help. I have also had to look at my emotional triggers and to not use food to numb, mood alter, and to deal with stress and boredom, etc with food.
I could go on but I wanted to say for me it is the missing dimension in healthy eating--to be free of obsession and or lust around food and eating and the desire to be free of any unhealthy things dealing with food and eating. It's more than that too. I can obsess on exercise, the next meal, etc.. Raw is ideal, but there is more to it. Sometime I need to be flexible. I can't always get organic. Sometimes it's very cold where I live and so tea or some miso or occasional baked potato and lightly steamed brocolli etc. may be the most nuturing and sane answer for me at the time rather then a cold Raw salad.
Raw is not the cure for obsession in many cases, or at least in my own situation, and as I read in here, it (obsession) is also an issue for others. Thanks for your comments Revvell and others.
Colin

[karenisraw]

I wouldn't drink coffee because it is bad for you, as is all caffiene, but I sometimes steep herbal tea in the water that comes out of the water purifier as is at that temp like sun tea and drink it like that or add ice for ice tea.


k :p :p :p