Going Raw: What do I need to eat each day to get all of my nutrients?

[dany06]

I really want to start a raw food diet and knowing myself the only way to do it is to go cold turkey. So 100% raw it is. I will be trying it for at least 30 days to see if it is right for me. I just need a sound meal plan to get started. I fear that green smoothies, a few salads and some random nuts and veggie aren't going to give me a well rounded/nutritious meal for the day. I know if anything that even if I randomly eat a few fruits and vegetables here and there that it will be healthier than what I eat now. I guess what I want to ask you guys is what fruits, veggies, greens, and nuts do I need to consume to give a balanced meal for a day? I'll figure out a way to combine them but any suggestions for combining them are welcomed too.

[DragonPearl]

If you're going to go cold turkey and eat 100% raw, you owe it to yourself to pick up a couple of books on raw foods and read up carefully. There is no such thing as a one size fit all when it comes to food, and you are going to determine through trial and error what works best for you.

Personally, I am not 100% raw, but I feel that having a juicer helps me get a lot of nutrients without having to eat tons of foods. For months now, my breakfast has mostly consisted of juicing 2 carrots (including the leafy top), 2 or 3 stalks of celery, 1 apple, 2 or 3 big leaves of greens (collard, or kale, or chard, dandelion, whatever greens I can get at the Farmers), perhaps some cucumber or sweet potatoe or yam. There is an INCREDIBLE amount of nutrients in these foods, many more nutrients than a traditional breakfast of eggs and bacon/muffin/toast/cereals. So, I'd say, include one juiced drink among your meals because it's one way to pack nutrients into your diet.

On the food combining issue, as far as I am concerned, if you eat a VARIETY of fruits and vegetables, that takes care of everything. Don't stick to 1 or 2 veggies or fruits. One more thing, get the freshest organic vegetables and fruits you can afford. Basically, the fresher your produce, the more nutrients in them, the older the produce the less nutrients. The benefits of eating a 20 days old inorganic broccoli that's been kept artificially alive in the fridge is not that great. If you eat a VARIETY of fresh organic vegetables and fruits, you are more likely to get ALL the nutrients you need.

[DragonPearl]

I had a juiced breakfast this morning around 8 am.

Now, I just made myself a green smoothie using tons of dark leaf lettuce, spinach, 1 avocado, coconut water, plus 2 ripe banana for flavor. :lick: I made enough for now and later when I'll be hungry. By the way, speaking of food combining, some people say when it comes to smoothies, you can combine greens leaves with fruits, but not with nuts and vegetables. I find that to be true for me, as I have a hard time digesting other kinds of smoothies.

For dinner, I may have a hot meal, or I may decide to make a raw pate of nuts, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, Shoyu or Tamari sauce, and use it to stuff the inside of rolled collard green leaves.

[LovinLocks]

I stumbled upon Chicoro (one of Nikko's cousins) and I believe before all is said and done I will view her as a godsend. In her Fotki she shared insight about the raw food lifestyle and Alissa Cohen's book. I ordered from Amazon day before yesterday; it arrived yesterday, and I've been devouring it since. A wealth of information there for raw foodists. I second Chicoro's motion and suggest you order her book:

Living On Live Food

I am actually excited about the possibilities. Weight Watchers . . . take a hike: raw food here I come!

LL

[Misshairdiva]

I went raw two years ago. The two best things that helped me was ONE: Get raw uncook books that are uncomplicated! There are some that are very complicated like Juliano's. Then there are some that aren't like Rawvolution by Matt Amsden.
The second was joining a raw food forum where I could talk to other people about everything I was experiencing.
At first most people do the raw gourmet, then after a while you will find that you will eat alot simpler.
I went months eat raw chocolate mouse for breakfast, a green smoothie and a salad.
now its raw flax crackers and almond butter for breakfast, big green salad with homemade dressing and a green smoothie. This is perfect for me cause I hate to cook!
The key to eating raw is making sure you eat alot of greens be it in smoothies or salads. Even in smoothies make sure your putting in more than one leaf! I didn't know this until I read Green For Life.
Feel free to PM me anytime if you have questions about being raw!

[DDTexlaxed]

I'm going to try 50/50 because I need to ease my way in. I'm hoping to become more of a raw food eater than cooked. If I do cook, I want to cook more healthier.

[gn1g]

I went raw two years ago. The two best things that helped me was ONE: Get raw uncook books that are uncomplicated! There are some that are very complicated like Juliano's. Then there are some that aren't like Rawvolution by Matt Amsden.
The second was joining a raw food forum where I could talk to other people about everything I was experiencing.
At first most people do the raw gourmet, then after a while you will find that you will eat alot simpler.
I went months eat raw chocolate mouse for breakfast, a green smoothie and a salad.
now its raw flax crackers and almond butter for breakfast, big green salad with homemade dressing and a green smoothie. This is perfect for me cause I hate to cook!
The key to eating raw is making sure you eat alot of greens be it in smoothies or salads. Even in smoothies make sure your putting in more than one leaf! I didn't know this until I read Green For Life.
Feel free to PM me anytime if you have questions about being raw!


Girl you give me hope! The hardest part for me is grocery shopping. I don't know what to purchase.

Can you tell me what exactly you eat for breakfast lunch and dinner. I know the smoothie but what else.

[mscolwhite]

I went raw two years ago. The two best things that helped me was ONE: Get raw uncook books that are uncomplicated! There are some that are very complicated like Juliano's. Then there are some that aren't like Rawvolution by Matt Amsden.
The second was joining a raw food forum where I could talk to other people about everything I was experiencing.
At first most people do the raw gourmet, then after a while you will find that you will eat alot simpler.
I went months eat raw chocolate mouse for breakfast, a green smoothie and a salad.
now its raw flax crackers and almond butter for breakfast, big green salad with homemade dressing and a green smoothie. This is perfect for me cause I hate to cook!
The key to eating raw is making sure you eat alot of greens be it in smoothies or salads. Even in smoothies make sure your putting in more than one leaf! I didn't know this until I read Green For Life.
Feel free to PM me anytime if you have questions about being raw!

I just brought this book today. It's great.

[sareca]

I don't know what your diet is like now, but mine was so bad that green smoothies alone were providing me with about a billion more nutrients than before. I'd say don't worry about that now.

[Iansan]

I'm going to try 50/50 because I need to ease my way in. I'm hoping to become more of a raw food eater than cooked. If I do cook, I want to cook more healthier.

That's what I will do after I finish up this master cleanse. 50% raw and 50% vegan...