We’re going to look at one of the hottest trending diets right now- the raw food diet. I’ve tried a sampling of the raw food diet at diners in my area. They sometimes put together dishes consisting of raw pad Thai noodles, raw cashew cheese ravioli and fruit salads. Desserts include raw ice cream and raw cheesecake that are packed with nutrients. These kinds of foods can give your body a pleasant buzz from all the nutritional value you are experiencing. I always feel so energetic after I have a meal of raw food- nothing like the stuffed and sedated feeling I have after eating greasy food. I feel like running and skipping out of the café after I’m finished. It only took a single raw food meal for me to see the attraction to this kind of food, and I definitely see where this diet gets the moniker of “high vibe foods”. There is just so much energy packed in these foods, it is incredible.

According to raw food advocates, when you cook foods at temperatures exceeding 40 degrees, you kill enzymes that are good for your body. They also believe that you are robbing the food of its vitamins and nutrients. They are of the opinion that raw foods detoxify and energise the body, and this diet has become very popular among yogis. This kind of diet can calm the nerves and help people to feel more alert and connected to the things around them. They say they sleep better, experience fewer aches and feel refreshed when they wake up.

Raw foods have very little acid, and that helps to balance out the acidity levels in the body. Raw food has even been shown to reverse signs of aging for some. Many raw foodies look a lot younger than they should for their age.

In general, a raw foodie will eat about 75-100% uncooked, organic and living foods. They may use preparation methods like soaking, blending, dehydrating, juicing or fermenting. Some of them go by the name “raw vegans”, and others who have no problem consuming diary products may be called “raw vegetarians”. You also have raw paleo dieters, and they eat mostly meat, raw fish and vegetables. What most people do who enjoy the raw food diet, however, is just make sure that some of the food they eat is raw and not necessarily a large portion of their diet.

Now, you don’t have to go by the name raw foodie to enjoy raw foods. There are restaurants that are serving raw food all over the world now, and people who enjoy all types of food will stop in and try them out and see what the craze is about. You can enjoy fresh produce, wraps, salads, burgers and pizza in interesting ways you may not have tried before.

Most raw foodies will have a juicer, vegetable spiraliser, some nut milk bags, a blender and a dehydrator in their kitchen. You don’t have to have all of these to have some fun with raw food and make some on your own. If you start eating raw food, you are going to notice a difference right away. You can begin with a smoothie in the morning, and then add in some salads throughout the week and change out your snacks for something raw and healthy.

You will probably notice that your weekly grocery bill changes once you start on raw food. If you eat less meat, then you definitely save money there. The organic nuts, fruits and vegetable are all pretty expensive, though. You can cut back on some of the spending there by going to a farmer’s market or trying to grow some of the food on your own. You can’t find anything fresher than what you grow yourself from your own garden. You will also benefit from the therapeutic task of working in the garden and seeing the connection between nature and the food you eat. There are definite advantages to bringing more raw food into our diets, and if you experiment a little bit with it, you should find some foods that you like that are healthier for you than what you are currently eating. Everyone has their own preferences, so see how you feel after eating certain foods and change up the menu until you are happy with how it works for you.