Wed, 21 Apr 2010

2:18 AM - Add Goji Berries to your Rawfood Diet

raw foods
With a chewy texture and a pleasant taste somewhere in between a dried cherry and a cranberry, Navitas Naturals whole goji berries make a nutritious replacement for raisins or dried fruit. Delicious by the handful, dried goji berries are great in recipes like oatmeal, cookies, cereal, and trail mix. If you are planning to add goji berries to your raw foods diet, below are some suggestions for you which will surely make a difference and bring a change in your diet chart.

Breakfast: Goji berries can be had at any time during the day but its usually preferred most as a breakfast item. If you choose to have healthy fruits and berries as your breakfast item you can have them with any kind of hot and cold cereals and with milk. You can also include goji juice with your favorite juice and see the taste it brings to the general taste of your regular drink. Some other excellent options are blending it your smoothie or hot delicious soup, including it in all baked foods or serving it with salad. If you do not prefer your berries in any of these ways, you can always go for a handful of these berries just before your breakfast.

Mid day snack: Those who are on a strict raw foods diet regimen love to have these berries as a mid day snack. Goji berries are also perfect as an energizing drink or as a jam which is spread over your favorite cake. Try it out in any form and enjoy the healthy benefits of this lovely nutrient-rich berry. Goji berries are especially most tasty prepared with grated nuts, dates, nectar, honey and orange zest.

Lunch & Dinner: If you wish to have goji berries as a part of your lunch or dinner meal, it is best to include these berries in your regular soup or have it as a part of your salad. You can also add it to your vegetables, chicken and meat to give it an amazing taste. There is no suggested special recipe for this berry and depends on your creativity. One of the most popular ways of having this berry is mixing it up with various combinations of fruits and vegetables.

Many people love to add a handle full of these goji berries in a big glass which is made up of cold water or hot water, herbal tea or juice and let it hydrate for a few minutes. The mixture quickly becomes extremely delicious in its plump and juicy form making it a tasty delicacy. The taste of delicious chewy goji berries is the most delightful way in which you can use the berries. This makes one of the best meals with the use of goji berries and is very easy to prepare.


tags: berries raw goji foods

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Thu, 10 Jun 2010

3:31 AM - Organic foods -Going Organic its not that tough!

Organic Food is made in a way that limits or excludes the use of fertilizers during its production. A large supply of new synthetic chemicals was used in the food supply during the 20th century with the advent of Green Revolution and High Productivity standards. Under organic production the use of conventional non-organic pesticides, insecticides and herbicides are greatly restricted and used only as a last resort. In case of livestock, they must be raised without the routine use of antibiotics, of growth hormones and generally fed a healthy diet. Above all, Organic Foods shouldn't be genetically modified.

organic goji berries

 

 

 

Organic food production is a heavily regulated industry. Countries require producers to obtain special certification in order to be able to market their food products as "Organic".
A "Certified Organic" label is the only way for consumers to know that a processed product in indeed organic. Organic foods have lower levels of nutritionally undesirable compounds such as heavy metals, mycotoxins, pesticide residues and glyco-alkaloids.

Some examples of Organic Foods

Goji Berries are bright orange-red berries native to Southeastern Europe and Asia. They are also known as Tibetan Goji Berries. Goji berries are considered as super fruits expecting to be part of a multi billion dollar market. They are commercially produced in China, Tibet, Mongolia and other countries. These berries are cooked before consumption. They are consumed in Chinese soups, boiled as herbal tea and as packaged tea. Organic Goji berry products have strong anti-oxidant properties and can provide significant portions of a person's needed carbohydrates, dietary fiber, fat protein, minerals, essential vitamins and amino acids. As such, health food manufacturers have used them in their health supplement and weight loss products.

Switching over to Organic Foods is easy. Including a few strategic organic foods can make a big impact on a family's diet. Choosing organic milk can make a difference. As against conventional milk, organic milk avoids a lot of antibiotics, hormones and pesticides. Switching over to organic potatoes help avoid a lot of pesticide contamination. Organic Peanut Butter and Ketchup are highly recommendable. Organic Apples are always preferable. Thus by just including a few food products it's possible to reap the benefits of an organic diet.

With each passing day, more and more people ask for organic food. In the future, the demand for healthy organic food is bound to increase many fold!

tags: raw organic food

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Thu, 17 Jun 2010

3:38 AM - Raw foods : What is the Raw Food Diet?

rawfood
An organic raw food diet is a healthy and popular diet for those who want to boost their health and achieve a leaner body. Raw food diet is based on raw, uncooked and unprocessed fruits, seeds, raw nuts and vegetables. Raw foods can be cooked but must be kept under 118 degrees to avoid destroying enzymes in food.

Consuming raw food is an excellent way to provide your body with all of the essential vitamins and enzymes that are usually destroyed with high cooking temperatures. Cooking changes the chemical structure of foods and diminishes their nutritious as well.

Raw foodism, as it is also called, is based on the fact that raw, natural plants are extremely beneficial for the organism and the proper functioning of the body. Raw food dietitians claim that approximately 75% of your daily diet should be composed of unprocessed raw food. A Raw food diet is not all about weight loss but more about enjoying the health benefits the diet will provide. Although some people may feel restricted others feel better, healthier and more energetic.

The most important aspects of a raw food diet are: general health, detoxification and weight loss. Raw foods are simple and effective for boosting metabolic processes also with health and maintaining a lean body with a fresh mind.

Unprocessed food means fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that go straight from the plant to your plate. If you want to follow a raw food diet, below are examples of unprocessed raw foods.
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Beans
- Nuts Seeds ( raw cacao nibs, raw pistachios, raw almonds and etc)
- Seaweed
- Whole grains
- Spices and natural herbs
- Dried fruits ( organic goji berries, raw mulberries, raw golden berries and etc)
- Purified water

If you want to try out a raw food diet, you should get used to special techniques used for the preparation of raw food, such as: chopping, blending, dehydrating, straining, peeling or sprouting, in order to create delicious meals every day.

This way you can add some variety to your daily meals and make them more digestible for your stomach. Many raw foodists are raw vegans as well, although some people consume eggs and cheese made out of raw milk.

It's also important to pay attention to avoid nutritional deficiencies such as calcium, iron, B2 or proteins. Therefore, in similar cases, you will have to supplement your body with elementary vitamins and nutrients to maintain the healthy balance of your organism and feel energetic every day.


tags: organic raw nibs goji berries cacao

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Fri, 25 Jun 2010

2:14 AM - Raw foods: Can You Really Eat Raw & Work Out?

raw foods
If you've been thinking of starting up on a raw foods diet, it's important that you carefully plan out this diet approach in accordance with your workouts. Those who are very involved in their workout program have specific nutrient requirements and if these requirements are not met, problems can and will likely arise. Consequences can be high levels of fatigue, muscle mass loss, decreased strength and muscular endurance. You don't want to take a blind approach here as the consequences can be high levels of fatigue, muscle mass loss, decreased strength and muscular endurance, as well as poor sports performance if you happen to be involved in athletic events.

Here are some of the most important things to remember if you're planning on starting up a raw foods diet.

Get Complex Carbohydrates Before The Workout
The first thing that you must make sure you do is get enough complex carbohydrates in your diet before you head out to do your workout. These complex carbohydrates are what will provide the fuel your body needs to get through those gruelling workout sessions, so without them, you're going to sputter out quickly.One of the simplest complex carbohydrates to have before a workout is raw unprocessed oats. Mix these with a small amount of dried fruit, organic raw nuts and some honey for added sweetness. Then form into tiny balls that can easily be consumed before you head off to the gym.

Finish The Workout With Fast-Acting Carbohydrates
Second, you also must make sure you get a head start on proper recovery by including a fast acting carbohydrate source immediately following your workout. This is when the muscles are most likely to suck this glucose up instantly, helping to regenerate the muscle glycogen that powers you through your exercise session. Sugars will be broken down faster in the body than a grain source which requires more reactions to take place. Fresh fruit or dried fruit works great in this case as the sugars will be broken down faster in the body than a grain source which requires more reactions to take place.
Juice also works well so if you're not in the mood to consume solid foods after a hard workout, that's a good option to turn to.

Do Not Neglect Protein
Protein is a nutrient that is often quite low in those practicing a raw food diet because unlike typical diets, you will not consume any cooked meat. Instead, turn to raw hemp seeds, nuts, as well as beans to get as much dietary protein in as possible. Beans, also mentioned as a good pre-workout carb, are really ideal for before your workout as long as you don't find them so heavy that you cannot workout.

You should aim to get one gram per pound of body weight if you can, however you may find this increasingly difficult, especially if you choose not to incorporate a form of protein powder in with your diet. Just be sure you don't go below half a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight or you may risk losing muscle mass while exercising. Being sure to get in enough carbohydrates will also help to eliminate the risk of this occurring as well since that will help prevent incoming protein being utilized as a primary fuel source.

Take In Enough Calories Total
Finally, the last thing that you must be sure to be on the lookout for is total calorie intake. If you're meal plan on your raw food diet contains mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, your calorie intake is going to end up being very low and this can make it incredibly hard to get enough energy in to get you through your activities. Active individuals who exercise three to five times a week should aim to eat at fourteen calories per pound of body weight, so do a quick calculation for yourself.

If you're aiming to lose weight you will want to eat slightly less than this but do remember that there is definitely a limit as to how low you can take your calories. If you bring them too low you risk your metabolism slowing down, preventing further fat loss from taking place.So be sure you keep these tips in mind if you're starting up on a raw food diet and are an active individual. You want to be extra sure you're getting the right foods at the right times of the day because this is what will help you see optimal results from your workout plan

tags: raw foods super

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Sat, 10 Jul 2010

3:55 AM - raw foods : Discovering the Raw Foods Lifestyle!

organic goji berries On a mindful journey toward self discovery and a deep passion for health and vitality, two sisters came together and created Virgin Raw Foods.

They wanted to share their knowledge and passion for the raw foods lifestyle, and make it fully accessible to those who already know its miracles. For those who have yet to discover the power of this life-changing movement, they wanted to make it possible.

They share a story of an emotional connection during their childhood together in Poland, and a joy of newfound sisterhood here in the United States.

Growing up in Poland, the sisters had frequent access to a forest and a garden, and a lot of raw cacao nibs, fruits, organic goji berries, vegetables and other the things they ate were straight from it. They didn't have foods unatural to their climate, such as bananas and oranges. These raw food nuts and others foods were always fresh, and the sisters pride themselves on growing up with organic products. Because food was sometimes scarce, they always grew up sharing. This is part the reason Virgin Raw came about. Their kitchen was always full of people, even when food was so exclusive.

The sisters developed a passionate relationship with food, even taking part in the growing process, including planting the seeds. They would spend hours in the hot summer sun harvesting such foods like potatoes and beets. Food was a way of life for the two, and such began bonds that would spark whole new relationships.

Through their separate journeys, they had visited health spas around the world and expanded their education of nutrition and health. They then reconnected in 2008, and realized they had been together all along and united through a common goal.

Along the way they discovered the raw food lifestyle. Their sisterhood was reborn again through the self discovery of their mutual passion of helping others to live a better life by having a healthier relationship with food.

Step by step, they tried new and exciting raw foods and raw foods recipes and found great pleasure in sharing them with friends and family. In every aspect of their lives, they noticed a newfound and positive change.

Innovation and You

What's innovative today is to make a contribution to your health. If that's your new path, we feel privileged that you've chosen organic foods as part of your own personal journey of self discovery.

You're that much closer to being at your best in Wellness and Health.

By adopting a raw foods lifestyle, you may meet yourself for the very first time.

 

tags: foods raw

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Fri, 20 Aug 2010

8:04 AM - Simple Steps To A Raw Food Diet

Raw food

Why Raw Food?

Raw food experts typically believe that the greater thepercentage of raw food in the diet, the greater the health benefits. A raw food diet is usually equated with only eating raw plant foods. Depending on the type of lifestyle and results desired, raw food diets may include a selection of raw fruits, goji berries, pomegranate, vegetables, nuts, seeds (including sprouted whole grains such as gaba rice), eggs, fish (such as sashimi), meat (such as Carpaccio), and non pasteurized non-homogenized dairy products (such as raw milk cheese, and raw milk yogurt).

We have a limited supply of enzymes in our body and the only way to get more is via the food we eat. Without enough enzymes to run our body as well as digest our food, the body starts to degenerate and symptoms such as arthritis and other diseases occur.

There is also the fact that organic food tastes incredible. You need less food to be satisfied because the food is very high in the nutrients you need, so you don't need to eat as much to get what your body needs. This results in your body reaching the weight it was designed to be and it also causes your body to eliminate all the toxins it's been holding on to for most of your life.

Another advantage of buying raw food is that while the preparation time is slightly longer, once the food is prepared, it's ready to be eaten! There's no cooking time and usually very little cleaning up time either.

Simple Steps To Going Raw
Raw food is food that hasn't been cooked over 105F, although some foods can be cooked to slightly higher temperatures before the enzymes are destroyed.

Step 1: Make a commitment to having a go with raw food for at least 30 days. This will help you over any sticky patches in your first attempt. If you can get some support from your friends or family and support them in turn, this will help you enormously!

Step 2: One of the first things you need to do is read up about raw food. Find out exactly what you need to do to ensure the food you're eating is raw. There are loads of raw food books you can buy and there's even a list below for Amazon's top results to help your search.

Step 3: Get your kitchen kitted out with a blender, a sprouter and some receipe books. If you've got the money a dehydrator, a spiralizer and a top of the line juicer are well worth investing in. The juicer that most people love is by Greenstar because it juices very slowly so it keeps the heat down and makes sure the enzymes survive.

Step 4: Buy organic food. You'll be amazed at the difference!
Step 5: Start eating raw. To keep your interests up, try different recipes from your raw food books.

tags: berries food goji organic raw

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Mon, 14 Mar 2011

12:14 AM - Benefits of a Healthy Raw Food Diet

 

Raw food diets are a hot trend right now, but many people wonder if there is more to them or not. In fact, eating raw and organic food is probably the best way to take care of your body. Vegetables, fruits, and other raw foods provide your body with long-lasting energy and nutrition that you won't get from processed foods and caffeine products. There are many types of diets to choose from when you are only eating raw food , and it will ultimately be up to you to make sure that you are getting all of the nutrients that you need.

 

There are so many different foods to choose from when you decide to try a raw dried fruits , raw food diet of any kind. Whether you choose to become completely vegan or find dairy and meat products to consume in the raw, you have to research the options and make sure that your body is still getting the nutrition that it needs. Veganism is by far the most common raw food diet simply because it consists of nothing more than fruits vegetables, nuts and related items. Vegans eat absolutely NO animal products whatsoever. Vegetarians are another popular type of raw food eaters, and eat no meat, but will eat other animal products like dairy.

 

Organic food is the best option for your body because it is pure, natural, and easily digested. It is also completely nutritious and there are no fillers or chemical products that you have to worry about. Goji berries are one of the most popular organic foods discussed right now. These berries are told to have antioxidant and weight loss properties, and are sold in many popular supplements and drinks for people who are looking for the key to health, youth, and longevity.

 

Of course, the exact helpful properties of any raw food are going to be questionable at best. The better that you feed your body, the better it will respond and the healthier it will be. Therefore, while some people claim that there are some 'superfoods' out there that are better than others, basically eating healthier and sticking with raw food is going to give you better results in the long run rather than relying on one simple element like Goji berries. There is a lot to learn before you embark on a raw food diet, but it can be a great way to support your body and give it what it needs.

tags: organic berries raw food goji

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