NUTRITION
Beginner’s Guide to the Raw Diet Eating a raw, whole-foods, plant-based diet has a multitude of benefits
BY DANIELLE ARSENAULT BRETT CHERRY; FOOD PYRAMID: PACHAVEGA LIVING FOODS EDUCATION Internationally renowned raw-food chef, plant-based nutrition educator, award-winning vegan influencer, author of seven cookbooks, outdoor enthusiast, mama and founder of Pachavega Living Foods Education and The Raw Food Chef Alliance from Ometepe, Nicaragua.
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ating exclusively raw-food may seem like another diet trend that people have recently adopted. However, the practice of eating raw food has been around for millennia. We could call today’s raw-food diet a cultural, nutritional and culinary renaissance. People are growing more aware of the impact their food choices make on their overall health. They see their grandparents, parents, people their age or even younger succumbing to the ever-evolving illnesses that plague even the most developed countries, in which poor diets play a big role. There is no better time than right now to
82 I Summer Outdoor & Travel Issue I IMPACT MAGAZINE
change our eating habits. It's the small, permanent changes that will make all the difference in our health and longevity.
WHY CONSUME A RAW-FOOD DIET? Reasons for consuming a raw, plant-based, whole-foods diet is mainly for its health benefits. Studies have shown that cooking food diminishes the quality and quantity of the enzymes and nutrients of the food. Although cooked food is still loaded with proteins and minerals, by keeping produce as unprocessed as possible, it is ensured that enzymes and
