More Benefits of Living Raw Food


by Roxanne Vick - Date: 2006-11-28 - Word Count: 700 Share This!

The great thing about raw food is that there are so many benefits. In my last article, I wrote specifically about the fiber and enzyme benefits. In this article, I will address the water benefit and the antioxidant benefits that raw foods so richly supply.

The water content of raw food, especially that of fruits and vegetables, especially is valuable, since their water is the purest available. It is comparable to distilled water, only better, because it has been "distilled" by plants, and is technically "living water", since fruits and vegetables are living, hence the term "living raw foods", or as in the title of my recipe book: Live Unfired Foods. Drinking this water (eating raw foods, or drinking their juice), is so beneficial because it not only hydrates us, but cleanses our bodies, is full of organic minerals , and it contains properties which many have claimed have brought healing. Organic minerals are simply minerals such as iron, that a plant has taken out of the earth, and made them organic, vs. inorganic. This is the best way our bodies can absorb minerals. Inorganic minerals can do us harm by hardening the arteries and harming our vital organs. I can personally to a great feeling of wellness that comes with even a relatively short period of time on a strict raw food diet, and I'm not saying that we don't need water, but I am simply saying that eating an abundance of fresh raw food will help greatly to keep us hydrated.

Before I get into why raw foods are the place to get your antioxidants, let me explain a little of what antioxidants do, and what they are, for a refresher. They protect us from heart disease, slow degeneration of our eyes, brain, and skin, and fight cancerous cells. An example of some antioxidants are Vitamins A,C, and E, lycopene, and beta carotene. Now, I must make a distinction here on the word degeneration. Some use the word "aging", instead of degeneration. From my personal study of this issue, degeneration happens when toxins are introduced, aging in itself is not toxic, if we are properly nourished. There are many studies (the Hunza people, or the China project) of people who live much longer, without the rapid degeneration Western people have due to the toxins in our diet. So, to put it another way, antioxidants help ensure our bodies keep working like they should. The other properties in raw foods help us to absorb these vital antioxidants, which over the counter pills do not provide. While red beans contain the highest amount of antioxidants per serving, raw fruits and nuts remain the easiest source for many to consume. You may want to refer to my antioxidant chart for a list of the raw foods highest known in antioxidants.

A study was done on the antioxidants found in more than 100 foods including cereals, breads, nuts, and spices, besides various other fresh, raw foods. The study appeared in the June 9 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, and was commented on by Researcher Ronald Prior, PhD, a chemist and nutritionist with the USDA's Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center in Little Rock, Ark: "A big factor in all of this is what happens in the digestion and absorption process. With some of these compounds, it appears that even though they have a high antioxidant capacity, they may not be absorbed." Here is where my opinion comes in: I suspect that many antioxidants are not absorbed, because the food is cooked, and devoid of enzymes present in the original raw food to help us to absorb it! You may want to refer to my last article, "The Benefits of Living Raw Food," to learn a little more about the role of enzymes, but basically, enzymes are present in raw foods, to help us digest those foods. So it makes sense to me that the enzymes in raw food will also help you absorb the antioxidants contained therein. Someday science may prove this exact point, but I don't want to wait, do you?

I encourage you to learn as much as you can, and enjoy the many benefits, known and unknown, contained in living raw food.


Related Tags: antioxidants, raw food, raw foods, water

Roxanne Vick is the mother of 9 children (yes, 9!), and has long been interested in healthy eating. For more info on antioxidants, check out the Antioxidant Chart at her site. To obtain a copy of Live Unfired Foods, go to http://www.myrawfooddietrecipes.com Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles

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