Understanding the purpose and philosophy behind the raw food diet is an essential part of becoming an advocate for and ensuring that you are enjoying it, as well as benefiting from it. There are some well-known advocates of the raw food diet you can begin by reading about, and there are numerous websites available to read.


Search online for relevant websites. Useful search terms include: "living foods", raw food diet, natural raw foods, raw, sprouting, dehydrator, juicing, blender, vita-mix, healing, enzymes, organic or raw food recipe, etc.;
, Either borrow or purchase quality raw food diet books to learn as much as you can. Many raw food recipe books will also include historical backgrounds, nutritional analysis, and philosophical underpinnings along with the recipes. Good books to begin with include:


Dr. Ruthann Russo's The Raw Food Lifestyle, which includes a practical diet plan and tips on how to make the switch to raw living.Dr. T. Colin Campbell's The China Study includes alternative sources of protein., Join a local potluck or start one of your own. It's wonderful to share food with others. Online forums provide a great resource to meet fellow raw foodists, exchange recipes and have questions answered. And there are a number of raw foodists using Twitter and Facebook to exchange messages, meeting events, and ideas that can spark your own knowledge and expand your group of raw food friends.


Look for raw food festivals, get-togethers, cafes, and un-cooking classes.
 If you're concerned that you don't necessarily agree with the rationale for eating raw food all the time, the best advice is to give it a good shot.You'll only know if eating raw food works for you if you try it and see how it makes you feel. Some suggestions for transitioning to a whole or partial raw food diet include:Don't agonize over the decision. Pondering the worth of raw foods from an intellectual point of view can be something you allow to bubble away at the back of your mind rather than serving as a hurdle to stop you from beginning at all. Moreover, what matters is how you feel on such a diet; you can gradually come to terms with the nutritional science as you proceed (subject to the warnings outlined below).
Be flexible. It might be that you prefer to eat a partially raw diet for a length of time before advancing to a completely raw diet. In some cases, you may never fully transition to a wholly raw food diet but might mix it with 60 percent raw food and 40 percent vegan cooked food, for example.The need for freshness, unprocessed foods, and organic sources remains pertinent however you choose to mix it.
Trust your taste buds. If your head is bothering you with the whys and wherefores, trust your taste buds first. They'll reassure you that raw foods are delicious.
Appreciate the ease of preparation. Many raw foods are easy to prepare provided you select the right recipes. Indeed, sometimes there is no need to bother with recipes at all, but just prepare the foods simply and enjoy them in their raw state as salads or in their own right as a snack.
Find recipes that don't ask for exotic ingredients that are hard to find. You'll give up easily if you feel that you have to trek across town or order online just to get hold of strange ingredients. An occasional use of these might be called for, but keep most of your daily eating requirements to the ingredients that you can easily source locally.
 Quality kitchen equipment makes following a raw food diet much easier and less time-consuming. Look for items that are simple, affordable, easy to clean, and will do the range of things needed. When preparing raw food, typical preparation techniques include cutting into chunks, chopping coarsely or finely, dicing, mincing, slivering, julienne, shredding, grating, tearing, and chiffonade. As a raw foodist, you'll benefit from using these helpful "must-haves":



Sharp knives are essential, along with good cutting boards (either the more easily sanitized plastic boards, well maintained wooden boards, or - preferably - sustainably-farmed bamboo boards).
A food processor can be very useful. A food processor is excellent for chopping and mixing various foods.
A dehydrator removes moisture from food and thus preserves it for longer term storage.
A blender. Ani Phyo also recommends a Vita-Mix.Juicers are an excellent and easy way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into a diet. Use sparingly with fruit, as it is better to eat fruit than to drink it.
Experiment with a solar oven.A solar oven uses minimal heat to preserve more nutrients. It can be used with a variety of dishes to make satisfying and delicious patties, hot and cold soup, dips, crackers, etc.
 When switching to a raw food diet, the source of your food is important. Organic food is unburdened by the chemicals used for conventional crops. Even though the scientific arguments continue to rage over the benefits of organic versus conventionally grown from a nutrient perspective, it's hard to argue with the fact that placing undue chemical burdens onto the environment is harming our environment, given that foods grown with excessive chemical loads are depleting soils, fouling up rivers and seas, and have questionable residues from pesticides on many of our foods. Ways to help yourself include:


Grow your own food. Experiment with sprouting seeds and herbs. A sunny window sill can be a good source of fresh food all year round.
Make your own compost. Your food will contain more nutrients. Try a compost bin or a worm composter.
Buy the most important organic produce when possible. If price is a factor for you, at least purchase the organic foods most recommended for eating organic as the basis of a healthy diet. Some crops are more heavily sprayed and intensively raised than others — this is where doing your own research comes in handy. Learn about the "Dirty Dozen," i.e. the foods that carry the highest load of pesticides and should be organic whenever possible, at this website., There is a wide range of food available to the raw foodist, contrary to scoffing by those who dismiss the diet. What you will be losing is processed food but that's a bonus, not a problem! At least 75 percent of food consumed should not be heated over 118ºF or 48ºC. What you can eat are unprocessed, preferably organic, whole foods such as:


Fresh fruits and vegetables – make sure it's the freshest and organic where possible. Always have a good variety of greens, root vegetables, and fresh herbs in your fridge.
Nuts and seeds – always have two jar-sprouted items in your fridge at any one time and always have sunflower sprouts available. Keep a jar of almonds soaking in the fridge for ready use (change the water every day, for up to 5 days).Seed and nut butters are also important in a raw food diet.

Beans, grains, and legumes. Make sure you are choosing sprouted beans and legumes — they are tough to digest otherwise.
Dried fruit such as dates, raisins, cranberries, goji berries, pineapple, coconut, apricot, mangoes, apples, etc., make a great selection. Dates make excellent sweeteners for raw food desserts.
Fresh and dried herbs and spices – these add the flavoring variety to your food.
Salts – these can bring mineral nutrients to your diet if you use sea salt, miso or nama shoyu, Bragg Liquid Aminos, or Himalayan salt.
Oils – be sure to source your oil from a reputable place, and choose virgin cold-pressed olive oil, refrigerated flax oil, and refrigerated hemp oil.
Vinegar – apple cider vinegar is considered to be the best because it is high in malic acid, aiding the digestion of proteins.Seaweed – this brings a wide range of minerals into your diet and lignans (anti-cancer properties). Look for hijiki, dulse flakes, nori sheets, and wakame.
Young coconut milk.
Cocoa and carob – choose both from quality sources, organic, and store in airtight containers for freshness.
Raw food pate – this is a great standby to always have on hand for immediate eating.

Sauerkraut – make your own from cabbage or other vegetables for a long-term, fridge item that is healthy and spices up many raw food meals.For raw omnivores and carnivores, eggs, fish (sushi, sashimi), meat, milk and dairy products (non-pasteurized/non-homogenized) may also be included.
Become informed about the raw food diet.
Read books on raw food diets.
Find community.
Try it.
Acquire the appropriate kitchen equipment.
Consider the source of your food.
Know which foods form part of a raw food diet.
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