If the term raw food brings to mind cave men sinking their teeth into freshly caught prey, you may be in for a surprise. For starters, you're already consuming more raw food that you think. Uncooked and unprocessed foods are everywhere: from the thick strawberry smoothie you're still feeling guilty about to the handful of sunflower seeds you snacked on this morning.

Raw food cuisine (also known as the "living foods diet") is not just about eating your veggies, but also about finding creative ways of including natural foods in the diet. "If it's raw it contains all the living enzymes, the total mineral content and live nutrition that is destroyed by cooking," states Paul Benhaim, author of Living Food Recipes and presenter of Not The Cooking Show. The simple act of heating something over 118ºF destroys the enzymes that aid digestion and depletes vitamins and fiber. Cooked food is, simply put, dead food. Think I'm kidding? Simply compare the flavor and consistency of a fresh peach to the canned (cooked) variety and you will clearly see the difference.

In Case You Need a Better Reason to Start Eating Your Veggies...

Because raw foods are full of fiber and zest, you usually end up eating less of them, cutting down on calories and on condiments used to bring up flavors. The end result? You'll lose weight without even trying and get vibrant and beautiful skin in the process. How's that for a payback?

Raw food is also an excellent source of antioxidants, the organic substances that keep you young, put a stop to plaque formation (which can lead to heart attacks), and help prevent some kinds of skin cancer.

"Boundless energy, less sleep, clear thinking, better skin, shiny hair, no more colds or flu symptoms." are all the by-products of living foods according to Paul Benhaim.

So how do you get more raw foods in your diet?

Besides fruits and vegetables, you can try sea weeds such as nori and dulse, freshsprouts, nuts and seeds, sun-dried fruits, hummus and other bean-based products, mushrooms, andoat or rice milk.While the eating of raw meat is better left to your ancestors, you can certainly try fish. Sushi is low in fat and calories and offers a ton of protein. Why not just pick up some chop sticks for a boost of energy? It will even keep your high-blood pressure down and boost your energy level.