Eight Tips To Starting A Raw Food Diet

Starting a raw food diet involves some “eating raw” preparation. Here are eight tips to help you take the raw food challenge.

So you are thinking about eating more raw foods? Good for you! Here are eight tips to keep in mind, especially as you begin this new eating experience.

1. Know why you want to go raw.

Eating raw foods is a lifestyle— not necessarily a diet where you deprive yourself of quantities of foods. Clearly state the reasons to yourself and your loved ones as to exactly why  you are choosing to go raw. If you know exactly what you would like to accomplish by choosing this different way of eating and preparing your food, it will be far easier to be successful. And when you state your reasons to your loved ones, you will (hopefully!) gain their support.

2. Start slow.

Starting a raw food diet will be an adjustment. Give yourself time to adapt. You are just starting a raw food diet, you are not yet an accomplished raw food chef! I read somewhere that for some people it may take as long as three years to fully transition to being 100% raw! Personally I think that the above statement is a bit extreme but when I am having struggles to stay raw, it is a comfort.

Practice preparing simple raw foods such as green smoothies, other types of smoothies, and raw desserts. This is a guaranteed “yummy” way to begin your raw food diet.

After you are comfortable with making these foods, start to experiment with more complicated main dish foods. Check out some raw food cookbooks, make a grocery list of some foods you need and start experimenting. As with any types of cooking, all raw food cookbooks are not equal. Check out some raw cookbooks at your local library, then buy the ones that you find the most helpful.

3. Experiment.

You will not enjoy all the raw food that is out there.  Just because a well-known raw food chef totes a particular recipe as wonderful does not mean that you will like it. Try different raw food recipes and pick out your favorites. I have made recipes where the results went into the garbage!  Just like trying new recipes with your old diet habits...remember they will not all be successful!

4. Learn.

Learn as much as you can about raw foods diets. Going raw involves a learning curve. Think of starting a raw food diet as a chance to further your education. Educating yourself about raw foods will help you to become an expert in this area of health and wellness. Learn about different food and their nutritional impact on your health. Learn also about the medical properties of common herbs and spices and incorporate them into you raw recipes. The more you know the better you will be able to easily adapt to this new way of preparing food and enjoying it. Also, you will be better able to share your wealth of health knowledge with others.

5. Indulge in old favorites without guilt...Occasionally!

For special occasions or if you desire some traditional cooked food, go ahead and eat it without guilt. As long as the majority of your food is raw, you are on track with eating raw. When you are hungry, make it a habit to reach for raw food knowing that you can eat as much as you want as long as it is raw. You will find that the craving for cooked foods will start to disappear.  You will also find that some of your old favorite cooked comfort foods will actully make you feel sick after you have been mainly raw for awhile. This is not bad. It is reinforcement that what you were eating was making you ill before, you just didn't have anything to recognize the correlation. This will just encourage you to eat the good stuff more.

6. Pace yourself.

You are simply starting a raw food diet. At first, the whole world of raw food preparation may seem to be overwhelming and lots of work. Make an effort to prepare a new raw food dish every day or every other day or even once a week on your day off. If you make it a habit on a regular basis to prepare a single, raw food you may be surprised how quickly your raw food repertoire will grow. Soon you will find that you can quickly make tasty raw foods with a minimum of effort. Eventually you will develop your own raw food diet meal plans.

7. Enjoy!

There are raw food combinations and treats that are unknown to you at this point which you will find that you like and will start craving. The benefits of a raw foods diet will come not only in wellness, but also in culinary delights just waiting to excite your palate!

8. Go shopping!

You may want to buy yourself some new things for your kitchen to help you in preparing raw foods. Rewarding yourself with a new and different kitchen item may enhance you raw experience. But before you go and spend your money, consider carefully what exactly you will need. Most kitchens are already equipped with the basic utensils that will help you go raw. However, if a new gadget like a food slicer, or a dehydrator or a new blender will help you to prepare your raw foods, then it is a wise investment into your future health and wellness.

Following the above tips will help you to take the raw foods challenge and be successful. Whatever cooking skills you have now you did not learn overnight. This is true even with the tastes of foods that you love. Your food preferences are also an acquired taste. Soon you will start to desire raw foods over your former cooked favorites. Give yourself time, follow the tips above and watch yourself become a raw food chef.

More Information About Starting a Raw Food Diet:

Raw Food Cooking

Raw Eating While Traveling

Eating a Raw Food Diet	Carol Alt Raw Food Diet	Eating Raw Food	Raw Food Diet Meal Plans

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