When most people think of “raw food” they think of the usual cut up veggies on a platter with a big bowl of fat laden ranch dip in the middle. However, what if you could imagine just about anything from the “cooked” world being made in a “raw version”? Imagine raw versions of foods like burgers, lasagna, pizza, cake, pies…the list goes on!

Raw food is the latest growing trend in healthy eating. Unlike many diets, this really isn’t a diet or a trend. It is a lifestyle in its purest form and it has been around forever. It is a vegan diet, which means no animal products (including dairy) taken one step further. Typically, “raw foodists” eat only naturally grown fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, uncooked! All of which are God’s given food.

So the question is… why should we not cook? The answer is really very simple. Enzymes! Whenever we cook foods above 110 degrees we are destroying the enzymes and “denaturing” the nutrition. Aside from cooked food being acidic, our bodies need these enzymes from the food to digest it, just as a banana would eventually digest itself if left on the counter.

When we continually eat cooked food devoid of enzymes our bodies must rely on metabolic enzymes to help digest the food. Our bodies only have a certain amount of these enzymes and the vital organs and tissues need these enzymes to operate smoothly. By continually robbing the organs and tissues of these enzymes, eventually weakness and illness occurs and we and are prone to disease and deterioration. This is why it is very important to eat raw foods and get away from cooking.

This may sound like a very drastic type of lifestyle. I assure you it is not. While it does require a certain amount of “re-training”, just as any new diet would, it really is worth the effort. The benefits most often reported by those who have adopted this lifestyle are weight loss, digestive disorders eliminated, sleeping better, alleviated depression, younger appearance, more energy and mental clarity. People typically have an overall better outlook and attitude on life.

Some people with extreme health challenges such as cancer, diabetes, and arthritis actually have cured themselves by adhering to this lifestyle. The body is really amazing. Given the right nutrition it has the ability in many situations to heal and regenerate itself. The key is eliminating the cooked food and replacing it with uncooked fresh ripe, organic fruits and veggies which are naturally bursting with viable nutrition the body needs.

Karen Clark is a raw food chef, instructor, and consultant. For more information, visit www.rawdelights.com.