Have you bought the idea that a raw food diet is the ultimate, the most logical, best diet for all people, regardless of where they live in the world? (Like eskimos eat Watermelon ...)
It seems to me that it is implicit the idea conveyed by many Raw-foodists, raw food website, books, and seminars.
The idea is:
Raw food is well cooked food is Evil and the world would be a better place if everyone Ate only Raw Foods
OK, I exaggerate, but often is the general tone of many of the raw food experts message.
Is it really true?
Would it be possible that the resources required for the transport of these foods would actually make the raw food diet rather unecological, consider eating a diet of bananas and mangoes in Northern Canada is not the most natural choice?
How much food you need as a 100% raw food eaters?
It is quite well known to anyone decide to eat only raw foods in a sustainable way (for health), eat a huge amount of fresh fruits and vegetables.
In order to get enough calories from fruit and vegetables, without using too much raw fat (to the detriment of health), is this the average amount of food needed:
For the 2000 calorie diet: 10 pounds per day (with the health food industry and all)
3000-calorie diet: 15 pounds per day (with the health food industry and all)
I on the basis of average consumption in most 100% Raw foodists go through in a typical day (those who are not on a detox program!) these figures.
So, in principle, 70 to over 100 kilos of food per week!
There is a lot.
Where does your food from?
If we want to get a more accurate picture of the ecological effects to eat a large quantity of imported fruits could be compared to a smaller quantity of local cooked, animals or grain foods, we would need to analyze a set of variables; I have not been able to get an accurate estimate of the data that is available.
But just to know that most of the imported fruit comes from quite far away, and that large quantities are necessary on diet completely raw food, I can draw the obvious conclusion that eating this way is not necessarily the most logical, natural and organic selections.
Consider that:
-Grapes from Chile trip at least 4000 miles can get you
Bananas from Costa Rica travel 200 miles or more to get you
-Mango from Mexico at least 1000 miles, you can download
-And so on ...
All the fossil fuels used to transport all of these food leaves a power, which can offset or even prevent the possible environmental benefits of choosing a raw vegan diet (which requires fewer resources when manufactured locally), compared with a local diet that would contain both raw, cooked, facility and possibly even animal foods.
It has always been obvious to me that a diet of all raw foods in Canada are less useful on many levels to a incorporating some cooked food, more local foods and fewer imported fruits.
There is also the fact that these fruits are picked unripe, in many cases, acidity is too high and nutrients for low level.
So is the solution for all raw food enthusiasts to move to the tropics? absolutely not!
My score is:
-There is no need to demonize pre-cooked meals-a diet containing both raw and cooked food makes much sense on many levels.You don't need to eat 100% raw; This is really a personal choice based on your health, your location and your wishes.
-A raw food diet can be unnatural-eating 100% raw foods of the North can be unnatural and unsustainable; And many more reasons I could expand in future articles, it is certainly not a solution that can be proposed to the whole world!
-If you live in the North, follow the seasons-many people, when summer is approaching, have a desire to include more raw foods in the diet; But in the winter, instead of to freeze to death, they choose to incorporate more raw, cooked foods. it is perfectly fine, natural and even desirable for most.
Here is a list of some additional tips for you to eat more organic and sustainable manner, while incorporating more raw fruits and vegetables in your diet, regardless of where you live:
1-Freezing Berries and other fruit in Season-berries are some of the most nutrient-rich antioxidant-packed foods you can eat. in order to avoid the consumption of too many imported food in the winter, I encourage you to freeze an enormous quantity of mature, locally, organically grown (or wild) berries in season. personally I freezes a lot of wild Blueberries, which are local; Use them during the winter in your recipe, you can Thaw them in advance to avoid the negative effects of consuming cold foods.
2 cultivation of cabbage, Grow some fresh, toxin-free sprouts such as clover and sunflower Greens, and delivery of cheap, fresh, local vegetables in winter!
3 Avoid of Season Fruits-some fruits can be available in your store, but may actually be the final season on your hemisphere in the world; if you live in North America, finishing the season for grapes, usually in september or October. Grapes during the winter of imported from the countries situated in the opposite hemisphere, Chile, where the seasons are reversed. avoid! learn seasons of different fruits and vegetables and choose to avoid food imported from distant places.
4 Make various salads and Vegetable Dishes in Winter-In one of my recipe books, I offer a variety of salads and dressings, depending on the season; in the winter, I recommend salads with cabbage, carrots and other root vegetables; in the summer I incorporate more lettuce, tomatoes and vegetables, you should do the same.
5 Shun exotic fruits-exotic fruits such as durian, Thai Coconuts and Lychees might want to try, but they inevitably come from distant countries like Thailand. in addition to leaving a significant ecological impact of imported from so far, they are also heavily sprayed with toxic chemicals; Durians are particularly notorious for this; try them in the game, but stick to fruits and vegetables as local as possible-at least from anywhere you could run into.
Finally, I would like to encourage you to continue to make the best choice for your health; Sometimes, it can sometimes mean:
-Eat fresher, locally grown commercially foods instead of less fresh, imported organic food
-Eat ripe, local commercial foods instead of immature, imported organic food
And eat some cooked, hot "local" food instead of just calling imported fruits
Lookt at the true impact of your own choices, and realize that there are not one size fits all.
Frederic Patenaude is the author of the book "The Raw Secrets" and offers a free subscription for their ezine "Outrageous Health & Success" can be found at http://www.fredericpatenaude.com
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