Today, much is said about vegetarianism, in particular about one of its most radical trends - raw food diet. How is it different from regular nutrition? A raw food diet involves the use of foods that are not subjected to heat treatment. Therefore, the diet of people who adhere to this trend in nutrition are raw foods. Today we have prepared for you material in which we will tell you about the basic rules for preparing raw food salads, the pros and cons of such food, we will offer recipes for the most interesting salads.
Helpful information
Regardless of the type of food, a salad made from fresh vegetables and fruits should be included in the menu daily. Such a dish brings invaluable benefits to well-being and human health. This is due to the fact that vegetables, herbs and fruits were not subjected to heat treatment, and therefore have retained all the necessary vitamins, antioxidants, nutrients and trace elements. Raw food salads can be prepared with berries, grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, mushrooms, as well as raw food cheeses and bread rolls to fruits and vegetables. Salads can be prepared both hearty and dietary, sweet or sour, with various dressings, sauces and oils.
The right combination of products
Raw food salads will be able to benefit the body only if the basic rules for product compatibility were observed during their preparation. What are these rules? Let's figure it out together!
First rule
In order to prevent fermentation and rotting of foods in the body, to normalize digestion, in no case do not mix sugar and fat. Please note: sugar is not meant here as a food product, but as a natural sugar found in all fruits. The same can be said about fat, for a raw foodist it is coconut, nuts, avocados. Consider which products should never be mixed:
- sweet fruits with avocado;
- fruits with coconut;
- dates with nuts;
- dried fruits with avocado.
All of the above combinations of products provoke fermentation processes in the human body.
Second rule
It should be noted that various raw foods can be completely digested only under the influence of specific enzymes. In the event that you combine the wrong foods, the body slows down the process of digestion and digestibility of food. This is due to the fact that enzymes have the ability to neutralize each other.
When preparing raw food salads, starch and acids cannot be combined. In this case, by starch we mean potatoes, corn and bananas. The following vegetables and fruits act as acids: tomato, orange, lemon, etc. You can not combine:
- tomatoes and corn;
- oranges and bananas;
- tomatoes and potatoes.
Third rule
It is scientifically proven that foods of the same composition significantly impair digestion and further assimilation of foods. In raw food diet it is strictly forbidden to mix different types of fats. In no case can you cook a raw food salad based on any nuts with the addition of avocado and season it with vegetable-based oil. Fats are very heavy food for the stomach. Mixing them in various proportions is a strong blow to the raw food system's digestive system. Avoid combining the following products:
- avocados and nuts;
- coconut and avocado;
- rast. butter and nuts;
- nuts and coconut.
Raw food diet: pros and cons
Raw food diet from vegetarianism has more stringent requirements. The basis of nutrition is raw foods of plant origin. Studies that have continued over the years have shown that this diet has its advantages. But still too much to get carried away with products that have not undergone thermal processing, including raw food salads, is far from all and not always possible.
Pros: weight loss, body cleansing, normalization of blood pressure, general recovery
Raw food has a lot of advantages. First of all, it should be noted that it attracts those who want to reduce and maintain weight, while not reducing the amount of servings. Such a diet is considered a good way to cleanse the body of harmful accumulations and toxins. Raw food adherents have fewer problems with the cardiovascular system, cancer, and diseases that are associated with cholesterol deposits. Due to the fact that the food consumed by raw foodists contains a lot of coarse fiber, a feeling of hunger is rare. You can eat such food in any size and at any time. But at the same time there are no problems with excess weight and overeating.
For people suffering from high blood pressure (especially those who are overweight), a raw food diet will be a real panacea. From the studies, it becomes obvious that almost 80% of people involved in raw food diet, after a year normalization of blood pressure and heart rate is observed. There are no diseases such as constipation, hemorrhoids, lethargy of the intestine. It is noted that if you eat an optimally selected complex of fruits and vegetables, the energy level increases significantly, and your well-being improves. By the way, nutrition for this type of patients with urolithiasis, with joint diseases and neurosis significantly improves their condition.
The main disadvantage: nutrient imbalance
There are also enough negative aspects in raw food diet. Let us dwell on them in more detail. The main disadvantage is the lack of balance in fats, proteins and carbohydrates. From childhood, we know that we must get these three main components from food, and besides them also minerals, vitamins, etc. It is very difficult to get protein in plant food in the right amount. Therefore, almost immediately after you switch to a raw food diet, muscle mass will begin to decrease. It should be noted that physical activity will be tolerated much more difficult.
Allergy as a minus raw food diet
When eating raw salads and other foods, allergies can occur or worsen. Therefore, you must enter raw food diet with extreme caution, especially if you have already had allergic reactions. Substances contained, for example, in wheat or legumes, can cause exacerbation of diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract. In the event that you are familiar with pancreatitis and gastritis, a raw food diet can be very dangerous for you. Always at hand should be the necessary medicines prescribed for the treatment of allergies.
Raw food and nervous system
There is another negative point, which can be called psychological. Agree that it is very difficult for those who are used to eating tasty and wholesome food to switch to raw plants. Most often, 2-3 days after the start of a raw food diet, a nervous breakdown occurs, which provokes eating large amounts of ordinary food. Please note that such a breakdown can cause severe damage to health. That is why when choosing this type of food you need to prepare for it gradually and with caution. For example, start with fasting days and light dinners.
Contraindications to raw food diet
We must say right away that even delicious raw food salads may not always favorably affect the human body. This type of nutrition has a number of contraindications. A raw food diet is not recommended for children and adolescents, because it is during this period of time that a young growing body needs the most complete nutrition. At this age, a lack of certain nutrients contributes to growth retardation, disturbances in the formation of various organs and systems.
For the same reasons, a raw food diet is also prohibited for pregnant women. In order for the fetus to fully grow and develop, it is necessary to include a sufficient amount of protein in the diet. Raw plant foods cannot give this. Women bearing a child need to introduce meat and dairy products into the diet. Please note: women who are just planning to have a baby are strictly forbidden to engage in raw food diet. It can not only negatively affect the healthy conception - it may not happen at all.
There is another category of people who are not recommended to get involved in raw food diet. It can be attributed to people after the age of 60-70 years. After this age, the activity of enzyme systems is significantly reduced, so it is better to give preference to boiled vegetables. You can not engage in raw food diet for people with gastrointestinal diseases: coarse fiber will only aggravate the disease.
The subtleties of cooking
When preparing raw food salads according to the recipe, the following nuances must be taken into account:
- The salad should not include more than five components: sour or sweet taste, healthy protein, crispy pieces, spicy taste, green vegetables. As the latter, cabbage, fresh salad, broccoli, herbs, spinach are suitable. Crispy ingredients are cucumber, carrots, dried vegetable chips. Pears, mangoes, apples, grapefruit, lemon, cranberries can betray piquant sweets or sourness to the salad. The salad will be saturated with protein filling: eggplant, legumes, green peas, artichokes.
- Spicy herbs, if stored in the refrigerator, should be rinsed with warm water so that they regain their original aroma.
- For a raw-food salad, vegetables are finely chopped or grated, leafy vegetables and greens can simply be torn with your hands.
- Crackers or small bread crisps intended for raw food (have a special cooking technology that does not require heat treatment) are spread on top of the salad and mixed only before use, otherwise they will get wet.
- Dress salads with sauces and dressings just before serving, so that they do not get sour.
- Fresh salads must be seasoned with any unrefined oil. All fat-soluble vitamins contained in vegetables without oil are simply not absorbed by the body.
- In order to give the salad additional benefits and aroma, it is recommended to add a few herbs: parsley, basil, dill.
- We recommend adding bright vegetables of different colors, berries and fruits to the salad. It can be pomegranate, carrots, strawberries, colorful peppers, raspberries, apples, pineapple, cranberries. By adding different ingredients each time, you can cook the same salads that will have different tastes.
- It is recommended to use various raw food dressings and salad dressings.
Raw food salads: recipes
Now that we have learned so much about raw food, it's time to familiarize yourself with the most interesting recipes. Such salads are the basis of nutrition for all followers of "live food". Please note that we have prepared for you winter and summer versions of salads. Summer ones include the most diverse gifts of nature, while winter ones include those ingredients that can be stored for a long time.
Winter salad with carrots
For the preparation of raw carrot salad, we need a small amount of components. All vegetables must first be washed and peeled. For work, we need:
- one large carrot;
- 3 walnut kernels;
- ½ large celery;
- one clove of garlic;
- rast. oil (any) with lemon juice;
- parsley (chopped) to taste.
Cut the vegetables into thin strips. Soak the nuts for 2 hours, then cut into large pieces. You can skip them in a blender with butter and lemon sauce. Grind the garlic very finely and add it to the sauce. We combine all components, season with sauce and sprinkle with chopped herbs.
Coleslaw with Carrots and Apple
This recipe is pretty easy to make. Please note: apple is part of the salad. For raw salad with cabbage, we need a solid sweet and sour apple. Components:
- 250 g of red cabbage;
- ½ apples (medium fruit);
- 1 medium-sized carrot.
For refueling:
- chopped dill greens;
- 15 ml of lemon juice and rast. oils.
All vegetables are thoroughly washed and dried well. We remove the peel from apples and carrots. Finely chop the cabbage, in a similar way we prepare carrots and an apple. We combine everything and season the salad, add dill or parsley leaves.
Beetroot Salad
We advise you to cook sweet and sour raw beetroot salad. The peculiarity of this dish is that the vegetable is used entirely with the tops. It is believed that this is one of the most delicious raw salads. We will need:
- one beetroot;
- a bunch of beet tops;
- coriander;
- 5 pieces. walnut;
- 30 ml of olive oil;
- salt;
- ½ tsp vinegar (wine or table.);
- a bunch of any greenery;
- ½ honey (nat.).
First, prepare a dressing, which consists of honey, nuts, olive oil, spices, vinegar. To do this, peel and chop the nuts, grind the coriander in a mortar. We cut the beets into small strips, the tops into wide strips. We combine everything, mix, put it on a beautiful dish and decorate with greens.
"Raw-food coat" or "Under a fur coat"
We offer another interesting and unusual raw beetroot salad. It is prepared on the principle of a herring under a fur coat, only without herring.
Ingredients:
- beets, apple, avocado - 1 pc.;
- some ginger (fresh);
- a pinch of curry;
- pepper, salt;
- lemon juice;
- ¼ Art. water;
- 5-6 small salted cucumbers (cold harvested);
- 8 washers of eggplant marinated in vinegar.
Peel the apple and beets from the peel and rub on a coarse grater. Dice the avocado. Ginger should be grated. We spread all the components in a salad bowl. Cut the cucumbers with thin washers, eggplant in the form of cubes. Add them to the rest of the products. Using a blender, prepare a sauce of water, curry and lemon juice. We season the salad and let it brew for at least a quarter of an hour. Raw food salad "Under the fur coat" is ready to eat.
Prune Avocado
We offer you to cook a very mouth-watering, effective, fast, unusually healthy avocado salad with prunes.
We will need:
- lettuce - 30 g;
- avocado - 1 pc.;
- iceberg salad - 50 g;
- poppy - 1 tsp;
- prunes - 50 g;
- salt pepper;
- rast. oil - 30 g.
To decorate:
- nuts
- sprigs of coriander;
- almond petals;
- greenery.
Grind lettuce and iceberg, cut the avocado in half rings and lay on top of the salad. We spread on a raw food salad with avocado and finely chopped prunes. Add salt, poppy seeds, oil, pepper. Mix everything carefully and decorate as desired.
Pumpkin, turnip and carrot salad
Amazingly delicious and easy raw food salad of pumpkin with the addition of turnips and carrots will surely find its fans. Due to the fact that it looks bright and elegant, it can be served at the table not only for every day, but also for a festive feast.
It is necessary to prepare:
- 170 g turnip (can be radish);
- 65 g of carrots;
- 90 g pumpkin;
- 15 ml of lemon juice;
- 20 ml under oils;
- salt and pepper to taste;
- greenery.
We thoroughly wash and peel all the vegetables, remove the peel. Cut into long strips, for this purpose you can use a grater for Korean carrots. We transfer pumpkin, turnips and carrots into a beautiful salad bowl, sprinkle with lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Fill with oil and mix. You can sprinkle chopped herbs on top.
Interesting combination: broccoli + lentils
Crispy, delicious, juicy raw broccoli salad. It is good in itself, it will become indispensable for beginning raw foodists, because lentils make it more satisfying. Take:
- ½ head of broccoli, green salad (any);
- one bunch of arugula;
- cucumber;
- Red pepper;
- sprouted lentil seeds (handful);
- for decoration: white cumin, sesame;
- for refueling: olive oil + lemon juice.
We remove hard legs from broccoli inflorescences. We cut the green salad coarsely or tear with our hands, slightly crush. We cut the pepper very finely, grate the cucumber on a coarse grater, just such a cut of this ingredient will give the salad a juiciness and tenderness. Mix all the ingredients, season and sprinkle beautifully with lentils and sesame seeds.