Raw food diet - a healthy lifestyle trend

In the USA and Europe, a raw food diet has long been a trend. More and more celebrities are choosing not even vegetarianism or veganism, but eating raw vegetables and fruits. In Ukraine, live cuisine is not yet so popular that it can be found at every step, however, in our country, fresh food products are confidently becoming fashionable.

I WANT to understand the basic principles of a raw food diet and decide where exactly to start getting acquainted with living (also called solar) cuisine. You will be surprised how varied a menu made exclusively from fresh ingredients can be. However, be prepared for the fact that it will not be so easy to find information on a raw food diet on the domestic market. You will have to turn to foreign sources for help. But this way there is a greater chance of being carried away, discovering something new and creating something unique, something of your own, capable of appearing on the pages of cookbooks of the future.

What is a raw food diet?

Many people incorrectly assume that the basis of raw food cooking is the use of exclusively raw foods. This is not entirely true. Of course, the main ingredients of “live” dishes do not undergo heat treatment. These are fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts and grains. However, some of them can be sprouted or, for example, dried in a dryer. The main condition is that the processing temperature should not exceed 38-40 degrees, which allows you to preserve not only most of the vitamins, but also enzymes that promote better absorption of nutrients.

The second myth associated with a raw food diet says that it is impossible to get enough of lean dishes, and even raw ones to boot. But do not forget that the live kitchen actively uses honey, nuts and oilseeds (say, flax and sesame), so if you wish, you can choose very high-calorie dishes. At the same time, you are guaranteed to avoid the feeling of heaviness in your stomach after a meal.

A raw food diet isn't just about salads. The sunny kitchen's arsenal includes first courses, side dishes, and desserts. It is impossible to find any products of animal origin in it, but when everything is tasty and satisfying, then why look for them? According to experienced raw foodists, the main thing that a live kitchen can give a person is not only physical but also spiritual health, good mood and a charge of vigor for every day. To experience the above benefits, it is important to choose the right products. After all, the fruits must be not only raw, but also fresh, and not have lost all their properties after long-term storage. So when choosing a diet, focus on the seasonal gifts of nature. It is also important to learn how to properly combine products with each other.

Capital masters

The sous chef of the Terracotta restaurant, Vladimir Stukotin, is promoting live cuisine in Kyiv. With his initiative, not only several business lunch items appeared on the restaurant’s menu, but also master classes on raw food nutrition were launched. One of them was visited by the famous food blogger Eduard Nasyrov and shared his impressions: “we were treated to Olivier salad.” Naturally, this salad contains no mayonnaise, no boiled eggs or sausage. But there is pear, shallots and flax chips. It’s incredibly tasty and really tastes like the salad you’ve known since childhood, it’s even tastier and there’s no heaviness after eating it! Next was cream of spinach soup with almond milk and sunflower seed bread. How would you describe the taste of this soup - it is sour, sweet, hot, tender, spicy - all the notes are combined into a single symphony.”

Stukotin himself recommends including borscht with dried prunes and bell peppers, as well as a mint-fruit smoothie, in the introductory menu.

Alas, there are not so many places where you can fully enjoy not only fresh juices and smoothies, but also full-fledged live cuisine. So those interested can either experiment on their own, using their own imagination, vegetables, fruits, a knife and a blender. Or