100 Percent Raw Vegan
vs High-Raw Vegan Diets

What’s the deal with raw food? Is it really better to eat ONLY 100 percent raw vegan food? Is there any wiggle room for a veggie burger, steamed broccoli, or rice? Simple answers: it’s the best, yes, and yes.

Photo Credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

I love raw fruits and veggies. I notice a significant improvement in my body, energy levels, and happiness when I eat only raw food.

However, I don’t eat 100% raw nearly as often as I would like to. In fact, most ‘raw’ vegans are not 100% raw and only a small portion of the raw food community eats raw food exclusively.

100% Raw

Eating 100% raw means you only consume food that has not been cooked at all – like picking an apple right off a tree.

OR

You heat your food to no higher than 118 degrees Fahrenheit. 118 has become an industry standard to classify foods as raw or cooked.

“Raw and Living Foods are foods that contain enzymes. In general, the act of heating food over 118 degrees F destroys enzymes in food. (Enzymes start to degrade in as little as 106 degrees F). All cooked food is devoid of enzymes, furthermore cooking food changes the molecular structure of the food and renders it toxic. Living and raw foods also have enormously higher nutrient values than the foods that have been cooked.”

– www.living-foods.com

High-Raw

A high-raw diet is generally classified as eating more raw food than cooked food. This could be as little as 51% raw, up to 99%.

I consider myself a high-raw vegan with aspirations of sticking to a 100% raw diet in the near future.

The Bottom Line

There are many arguments that go back and forth as to whether is it actually healthier to be 100% vs. 70% or 80%, but the consensus tends to be that more raw is better.

So, What about Veggie Burgers or Steamed Broccoli?

There is no “raw police” that will track you down if you want to eat a grilled veggie burger or a rice burrito. When it comes to your diet, your needs, your desires, YOU should make the decision as to how much of anything you want to put in your body.

I know from personal experience over the last few years that it is very challenging on a practical level to get access to fresh, ripe, organic, raw produce all the time.

Social situations, traveling, stress, cravings, seasonal changes, peer pressure, and lack of available supplies are all possible scenarios that could significantly affect what you eat.

My Recommendation

Buy as much fresh produce as you can reasonably afford and take it with you everywhere you go. Keep a food journal and write down everything you eat. Look for your tendencies to ‘fall off the raw wagon’ and try to find practical solutions.

When I head off to work each morning I carry a large reusable grocery bag filled with fruits, veggies, kombucha, and water. This ensures I have a large supply of healthy food all day long.

The best scenario includes one where you are happy and healthy with the food you eat. “100% raw” sits on a pretty pedestal for many people and may seem out of reach. So, stop beating yourself up.

Pick a goal that makes you strive for improvement without breaking your will to continue.

Question: How raw are you?

Resources

1. Getting Started as a Raw Vegan
2. Raw Vegan Running Recipes
3. 7 Intoxicating Reasons to Drink Green Smoothies