Whenever I try to explain to someone what raw food is, they immediately conjure up a very restrictive diet. But raw food is much more than a diet, actually it’s a way of life, and more recently it’s turned into a very powerful movement.

The raw food movement is mainly about choosing a lifestyle that empowers the individual to make informed decisions about what they’re putting into their body. When you learn more about the benefits and the reasons for going raw, you understand that a lot of the research findings about nutrition are biased.

Take for example the dairy industry, which has been talking about healthy bones for many years. Unfortunately, a lot of their claims were funded by the dairy industry itself. Now I don’t want to dwell on negativity here, so let me just say that raw food is all about empowering the individual person to make choices based on how they feel when they eat something.

I know that I’ve personally increased my levels of energy, I sleep better, and I just have a much more optimistic outlook on life.

Sometimes changing your diet can really impact your whole life. That’s definitely been the case for me and raw food. At first I was just changing the food I was eating because I wanted to be healthier, now I am changing the things I buy, and the things I do, to reduce my carbon footprint and to make a positive impact on the planet.

Doing something healthy for yourself also means that you are doing something healthy for the planet. It might seem weird to have those two going hand-in-hand, but that’s really how these things seem to work in my experience.

What are the benefits that people who eat more raw food experience?

A lot of people find that they have an easier time maintaining their weight, or even losing weight if that is something that they need to do. They also report having much better digestion, because there are no longer as many irritants in the foods they eat.

Similarly, a lot of people have clearer skin, more energy, increased eyesight, and more self-confidence.

What is considered to be raw food?

Most raw foodists will agree that raw food consists of uncooked fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. The definition of uncooked varies, but it’s generally expected to be between 112 Fahrenheit and 118 Fahrenheit.

This means that raw food includes dried or dehydrated products, as well as warmed soups. All of these are great because they give people the flexibility that they need to eat raw without feeling deprived.

Raw food really offers a great variety of foods to pick from. With more and more raw food restaurants popping up all over the world, it’s just a matter of time before you’ll be able to get some truly "fast food" made raw.

I believe that raw food is just our way of returning to basics, and responding to the current pressures that we have been putting on the environment and on our bodies.