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A Case for Eating Raw Food

Susan Powers of RawmazingSusan Powers of RawmazingThis article was written by Susan Powers, owner of Rawmazing, a Twin Cities-based raw food business that teaches people to prepare and enjoy raw foods. (You can see Rawmazing's class schedule here.) We're thrilled to have Susan write this article for us.

Have you heard about the amazing “new” raw food diet? Well, it is amazing, but certainly not new. I bet you eat raw food all the time. Whether it be an apple, a salad, or a handful of nuts. Eating food in its most natural state is a great way to get the most nutrients from your food, and to give your body what it needs the most.
With industrialization, we have ventured far away from real food. It is processed and pasteurized, sprayed with pesticides and shipped all over the world - not to mention what has happened to our soil over the years. Overgrowing has left our soil nutrient bare and void of many of the natural minerals that used to be available to us.
Our health has been in a steady rate of decline. Obesity, cancer, diabetes and heart disease are rampant. People complain of low energy, aches and pains and general malaise. Considering that our body nourishes itself from the food we eat, and that we've done such a good job of stripping all the nutrients out of our food, it's no surprise that we, as a nation, are sick.
What is the best way to counteract our declining health? Eat nutrient dense food! Your body is a self-healing machine. Think of what happens when you cut your finger - it heals! If you don’t give your body the proper nutrients, it won’t heal efficiently. That's where chronic disease sets in. Give your body those wonderful nutrients, and you are giving yourself a head start.
Photo by Susan PowersPhoto by Susan PowersThat is where raw food comes in. (Local, organic or sustainable is the best choice. It is pesticide free, grown in healthier soils, and free of those nasty food miles.) Cooking destroys vital enzymes, nutrients, and vitamins. When you eat your food in its natural state, uncooked, your body will gain so much more from it. Raw food can also be easy to make! Learning to replace your favorite unhealthy cooked food with healthier raw versions is the key.
Do you have to eat 100% raw to benefit? Not in my world. If you can even get to 51%, you will see benefits and improvements. The best place to find this health giving food? Check out your local farmer’s markets. Gain health, support your wonderful local growers and help keep the planet green!