Raw foods are fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds that have not been cooked, pasteurized, steamed, broiled, grilled, roasted, baked, fried, irradiated, or exposed to heat above 115 degrees F. The application of heat above this temperature denatures food and creates toxins.
Many of the valuable nutrients within food are heat sensitive. On average, the cooking process destroys:
50% of the minerals and fiber
75% of the protein and vitamins
100% of the hormones, oxygen, phytonutrients, and enzymes
A deficiency of these vital nutrients contributes to a weakened immunity, low energy, susceptibility to disease, and pre-mature aging. Cooked food also creates free radicals, twisted proteins, twisted carbohydrates, and Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs.) These by-products of excess heat are toxic and a burden to the bodys immune system. Free radicals are deficient in energy and act like energy vampires. Because they have an unstable electron pair they seek out and steal electrons from stable molecules to satisfy themselves.
Raw foods contain life-giving, sustaining, and healing nutrients critical to optimal human health. In their natural state fruits and vegetables are replete with bio-available vitamins A, B complex, C, D, E, K, and U. These vitamins boost immunity, brain function, are anti-cancer, reduce stress, and strengthen nerves. Vitamins also have a powerful antioxidant activity. These antioxidants act like energy givers and have spare electrons which are used to neutralize free radicals by sharing their spare electrons.
Minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and many more are the building blocks of cells, bones, and tissue. They are good for your brain, bones, hair, skin, teeth, nails, diabetes, sexual health, and are anti-aging. Your body is constantly repairing and rebuilding itself and an ample supply of minerals are necessary for healthy re-construction. Minerals are more bio-available in raw foods.
Hormones and oxygen are energy giving nutrients. Raw foods contain an abundant supply of bio-identical hormones such as Abscisic acid, Auxins, Cytokinins, Ethylene, Gibberellins, Brassinosteroids, Salicylic acid, Jasmonates, Polyamines and many others. When consuming a diet high in raw foods these bio-identical hormones contribute to increased vigor, vitality, stabilized mood, and sexual health. Raw foods are also rich in oxygen which increases energy and helps build & repair tissues and cells.
Enzymes such as amylase, protease, and lipase are necessary for digestion and critical for every metabolic function in your body. They are the catalyst for every single chemical reaction. Enzymes are required for every biological process, every action, every muscle movement, every sense, every thought, and every word spoken. The more enzymes you have inside of you the more energy you have and the more alive you become. Enzyme depletion has been associated with autism, arthritis, allergies, cancer, cardiovascular disease, old age and death.
People on the Standard American Diet (SAD) are chronically deficient in vital nutrients. Transitioning to a healthier diet consisting of at least 80% raw foods naturally replenishes these critical nutrients often resulting in astonishing recovery, good health, energy, dynamic vitality, and the harmonious integration of your body, mind, and spirit.