When you want to start a raw food diet, you often don’t know where to start, what to eat and what tools to use.
To save you some time and make that process as easy as possible for you, you’ll find here a detailed plan that will show you everything you must know to get started with the raw food diet.
1. Don’t think just of foods that you must avoid
When you begin any dietary transition, it’s tempting to focus on what you’re eliminating. Instead, focus on how this shift will expand your options. Consuming more plant-based foods may encourage you to experiment with global cuisines, along with new spices and herbs. Eating more raw foods will introduce you to innovative new preparation methods. Don’t think about foods you’ll need to give up right now, instead think about what you’re gaining.
2. Whole grains
When I think of grains, the first thing that comes to mind is always rice. I love brown rice and eat it very often. But it is good to mix some new foods for some variety. If you’re stuck in a rice rut, search for the different grains available, such as quinoa, millet, barley, or buckwheat. There are many different grain types out there to explore and prepare, making cooking quite the adventure.
3. Nuts and seeds
Your body needs healthy fats in order to function properly. And some of the best foods for healthy fats are nuts and seeds, which you should try to eat every day, not just because they are tasty, but because they that will provide you the most well-rounded healthy fats.
4. Choose oil carefully and use sparingly
There’s a bit of an epidemic lately because people tend to eat way too much of the oils that can cause damage in their body. And while, for example, extra-virgin olive oil might not necessarily be considered to have a health benefit to any diet, this oil is actually more neutral than some might have you believe and not even closely damaging as animal-based fats.
5. Opt for whole foods
Preparing and eating whole foods really helps you to just completely take out the guesswork of the proper vegan nutrition. Each time you choose whole foods over pre-packaged ones you’re ahead of the game. Most of your time in the supermarket store should be spent in the bulk section.
6. Vegetables
Most people love vegetables. There’s so many to choose from. But if you are one of those people who just doesn’t like veggies, we recommend you give it another try with different cooking techniques, find new vegetables you’ve never eaten before, use different flavorings. We cannot tell you enough how important it is to make vegetables your number one priority as they’re packed with so many nutrients we need, including protein, carbs, minerals, and vitamins.
7. Beans
Beans are a great source of the whole-food protein we need. Canned beans are not the best variant, but there is an easy and cheap way to just make your own beans from scratch. Beans should be a part of your weekly vegan menu planning. Why make your own instead of buying canned? It’s cheap and you control the amount of sodium (canned foods are typically packed with sodium). You can prepare your beans in quantity to get you through the week, and even freeze your beans for future use.