Raw food salads: basic cooking rules, vitamins and nutrients, cleansing the body, delicious recipes, pros, cons and contraindications

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Today there is a lot of talk about vegetarianism, in particular about one of its most radical directions - raw food diet. How is it different from regular food? A raw food diet involves the use of foods that are not subjected to heat treatment. Therefore, the diet of people who adhere to this direction in nutrition consists of raw foods. Today we have prepared a material for you, in which we will tell you about the basic rules for preparing raw food salads, the pros and cons of such food, and we will offer recipes for the most interesting salads.

Useful information

Regardless of the type of food, a salad made from fresh vegetables and fruits should be included in the menu daily. Such a dish brings invaluable benefits to well-being and human he alth. This happens due to the fact that vegetables, herbs and fruits were not subjected to heat treatment, and thereforeretained all the necessary vitamins, antioxidants, nutrients and trace elements. Raw salads can be prepared with the addition of berries, grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, mushrooms, as well as raw cheeses and bread to fruits and vegetables. Salads can be prepared both hearty and dietary, sweet or sour, with various dressings, sauces and oils.

The right food combination

Raw food salads can benefit the body only if the basic rules of product compatibility were observed during their preparation. What are these rules? Let's figure it out together!

First rule

In order to prevent fermentation and rotting of products in the body, to normalize digestion, in no case do not mix sugar and fat. Please note: sugar is not meant here as a food product, but as a natural sugar found in all fruits. The same can be said about fat, for a raw foodist it is coconut, nuts, avocados. Consider which foods should never be mixed:

• sweet fruit with avocado;
• fruit with coconut;
• dates with nuts;
• dried fruits with avocado.

All of the above combinations of products provoke fermentation processes in the human body.

Second rule

It should be noted that various raw foods can only be fully digested under the influence of specific enzymes. In the event that you connect the wrong products,the body inhibits the processes of digestion and digestibility of food. This happens due to the fact that enzymes have the ability to neutralize each other.

When preparing raw food salads, starch and acids should not be combined. In this case, by starch we mean potatoes, corn and bananas. The following vegetables and fruits act as acids: tomato, orange, lemon, etc. Do not combine:

• tomatoes and corn;
• oranges and bananas;
• tomatoes and potatoes.

Third rule

It has been scientifically proven that foods that are the same in composition significantly impair digestion and further assimilation of foods. In a raw food diet, it is strictly forbidden to mix different types of fats. In no case should you prepare a raw salad based on any nuts with the addition of avocado and season it with vegetable-based oil. Fats are very heavy food for the stomach. Mixing them in various proportions is a strong blow to the raw foodist's digestive system. Avoid combining the following foods:

• avocados and nuts;
• coconut and avocado;
• rast. butter and nuts;
• nuts and coconut.

Raw food: pros and cons

Raw food differs from vegetarianism in more stringent requirements. The basis of nutrition are raw products of plant origin. Studies that have continued over the years have shown that there are benefits to such a diet. But still get too carried away with products that have not passedthermal processing, including raw food salads, is not possible for everyone and not always.

Pros: weight loss, cleansing of the body, normalization of blood pressure, general he alth improvement

There are many advantages to a raw food diet. First of all, it should be noted that it attracts those who want to reduce and maintain weight, while not reducing the volume of servings. Such a diet is considered a good way to cleanse the body of harmful accumulations and toxins. Adherents of a raw food diet have fewer problems with the cardiovascular system, cancer, diseases that are associated with cholesterol deposits. Due to the fact that the food consumed by raw foodists contains a lot of coarse fiber, the feeling of hunger rarely occurs. You can consume such food in any size and at any time. But at the same time, there are no problems with being overweight and overeating.

For people suffering from high blood pressure (especially those who are overweight) raw food will be a real panacea. From the conducted studies, it becomes obvious that in almost 80% of people involved in a raw food diet, after a year, normalization of blood pressure and heart rate is observed. There are no diseases such as constipation, hemorrhoids, intestinal lethargy. It is noted that if you eat an optimally selected complex of fruits and vegetables, the energy level increases significantly, and well-being improves. By the way, nutrition for this type of patients with urolithiasis, with joint diseases and neuroses significantly improves their condition.

Main disadvantage: nutrient imbalance

There are also enough negative moments in the raw food diet. Let's dwell on them in more detail. The most important disadvantage is the non-compliance with the balance of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Since childhood, we know that we must get these three main components from food, and besides them, minerals, vitamins, etc. It is very difficult to get protein in the right amount from plant foods. Therefore, almost immediately after you switch to a raw food diet, muscle mass will begin to decrease. It should be noted that physical activity will be much more difficult to endure.

Allergy as a minus of the raw food diet

Eating raw salads and other foods may cause or exacerbate allergies. Therefore, it is necessary to enter the raw food diet with extreme caution, especially if you have already had allergic reactions. Substances contained, for example, in wheat or legumes, can cause an exacerbation of diseases associated with the gastrointestinal tract. In the event that you are familiar with pancreatitis and gastritis, a raw food diet can be very dangerous for you. Always have at hand the necessary medicines provided for the treatment of allergies.

Raw food and the nervous system

There is another negative point that can be called psychological. Agree that it is very difficult for those who are accustomed to eat deliciously and fully to switch to raw plants. Most often, after 2-3 days after the start of a raw food diet, a nervous breakdown occurs, which provokes the eating of ordinary food in large quantities. Please note that such a disruption can causeheavy damage to he alth. That is why when choosing this type of food, you need to prepare for it gradually and with caution. For example, start with fasting days and light dinners.

Contraindications to a raw food diet

Let's say right away that even delicious raw food salads may not always have a beneficial effect on the human body. This type of food has a number of contraindications. A raw food diet is not recommended for children and adolescents, because it is during this period of time that a young growing body needs the most complete nutrition. At this age, the lack of certain nutrients contributes to growth retardation, disorders in the formation of various organs and systems.

For the same reasons, a raw food diet is prohibited for pregnant women. In order for the fetus to fully grow and develop, it is necessary to include a sufficient amount of protein in the diet. Raw plant products will not be able to give this. Pregnant women need to include meat and dairy products in their diet. Please note: women who are just planning to have a baby are strictly forbidden to engage in a raw food diet. Not only can it negatively affect a he althy conception - it may not happen at all.

There is another category of people who are not recommended to get involved in a raw food diet. It includes people over the age of 60-70 years. After this age, the activity of enzyme systems is significantly reduced, so it is better to give preference to boiled vegetables. You can not engage in raw food peoplewith diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: coarse fiber will only aggravate the disease.

Subtleties of cooking

When preparing raw salads according to the recipe, the following nuances must be taken into account:

1. A salad should not contain more than five ingredients: sour or sweet taste, he althy protein, crunchy pieces, spicy taste, green vegetables. Cabbage, fresh lettuce, broccoli, herbs, spinach are suitable as the latter. Crunchy ingredients are cucumber, carrot, dried vegetable chips. Pears, mangoes, apples, grapefruit, lemon, cranberries can betray piquant sweetness or sourness to a salad. Protein filling will add saturation to the salad: eggplant, legumes, green peas, artichokes.
2. Spice herbs, if refrigerated, should be rinsed with warm water to bring them back to their original aroma.
3. For a raw salad, vegetables are finely chopped or grated, leafy vegetables and greens can simply be torn with your hands.
4. Crackers intended for a raw food diet or small breads (they have a special cooking technology that does not involve heat treatment) are spread on top of the salad and mixed just before use, otherwise they will get soggy.
5. They dress salads with sauces and dressings just before serving, so that they do not turn sour.
6. Fresh salads must be seasoned with any unrefined oil. All the fat-soluble vitamins found in vegetables are simply not absorbed by the body without oil.
7. In order to give the salad additional benefits and flavor,it is recommended to add some herbs: parsley, basil, dill.
8. We recommend adding brightly colored vegetables, berries and fruits to the salad. It can be pomegranate, carrots, strawberries, colorful peppers, raspberries, apples, pineapple, cranberries. By adding different ingredients each time, you can make the same salads that taste different.
9. It is recommended to use a variety of raw food dressings and salad dressings.

Raw salad recipes

Now that we've learned so much about the raw food diet, it's time to check out the most interesting recipes. Such salads are the basis of nutrition for all followers of "live food". Please note that we have prepared winter and summer salad options for you. Summer ones include a variety of gifts from nature, while winter ones include those ingredients that can be stored for a long time.

Winter salad with carrots

To prepare a raw carrot salad, we need a small amount of ingredients. All vegetables must first be washed and peeled. For work we need:

• one large carrot;
• 3 walnut kernels;
• ½ large celery;
• one garlic clove;
• rast. oil (any) with lemon juice;
• parsley (chopped) to taste.

Cut the vegetables into thin strips. Soak the nuts for 2 hours, then cut into large pieces. You can skip them in a blender along with the oil and lemon sauce. Mince the garlic very finely and add to the sauce. We combine all the components, season with sauce and sprinkle with chopped herbs.

Cabbage salad with carrots and apple

This recipe is pretty easy to make. Please note: the salad contains an apple. For a raw cabbage salad, we need a hard apple of a sweet and sour variety. Components:

• 250g red cabbage;
• ½ apple (medium fruit);
• 1 medium sized carrot.

For refueling:

• chopped dill;
• 15 ml of lemon juice and rast. oils.

All vegetables are thoroughly washed and dried well. Remove the skin from apples and carrots. Finely chop the cabbage, prepare carrots and an apple in the same way. We combine everything and season the salad, add dill or parsley leaves.

Beet salad

We recommend making a sweet and sour raw beetroot salad. A feature of this dish is that the vegetable is used entirely along with the tops. It is believed that this is one of the most delicious raw salads. We will need:

• one beet;
• a bunch of beet tops;
• coriander;
• 5 pcs walnut;
• 30 ml olive oil;
• s alt;
• ½ tsp vinegar (wine or table.);
• a bunch of any greenery;
• ½ honey (natural).

First, let's prepare the dressing, which consists of honey, nuts, olive oil, spices, vinegar. To do this, peel and chop the nuts,grind the coriander in a mortar. We cut the beets into medium-sized strips, the tops - into wide strips. We combine everything, mix, put it on a beautiful dish and decorate with herbs.

"Raw fur coat" or "Under a fur coat"

We offer another interesting and unusual raw beetroot salad. It is prepared according to the principle of herring under a fur coat, only without herring.

Ingredients:

• beets, apple, avocado - 1 each;
• some ginger (fresh);
• a pinch of curry;
• pepper, s alt;
• lemon juice;
• ¼ Art. water;
• 5-6 small pickled cucumbers (cold-prepared);
• 8 balls of eggplant pickled in vinegar.

Peel the apple and beetroot and rub on a coarse grater. Avocado cut into cubes. Ginger should be finely grated. We put all the components in a salad bowl. Cucumbers cut into thin washers, eggplant in the form of cubes. We add them to other products. Using a blender, prepare a sauce of water, curry and lemon juice. We fill the salad and let it brew for at least a quarter of an hour. Raw salad "Under a fur coat" is ready to eat.

Avocado with prunes

We offer to prepare a very appetizing, spectacular, fast, extremely he althy avocado salad with prunes.

We will need:

• lettuce salad - 30 g;
• avocado - 1 piece;
• iceberg lettuce - 50 g;
• poppy - 1 tsp;
• prunes - 50g;
• s alt, pepper;
• rast. oil - 30 g.

For decoration:

• nuts;
• coriander sprigs;
• almond petals;
• greens.

Chop the lettuce and iceberg, cut the avocado into half rings and place on top of the salad. Spread on a raw food salad with avocado and finely chopped prunes. Add s alt, poppy seeds, oil, pepper. Mix everything gently and decorate as desired.

Pumpkin, turnip and carrot salad

A surprisingly tasty and light raw pumpkin salad with turnips and carrots will surely find its admirers. Due to the fact that it looks bright and elegant, it can be served at the table not only for every day, but also for a festive feast.

Must cook:

• 170 g of turnip (radish can be used);
• 65g carrots;
• 90g pumpkin;
• 15ml lemon juice;
• 20 ml Pod. oil;
• s alt and pepper to taste;
• greens.

All vegetables are thoroughly washed and cleaned, remove the peel. Cut into long strips, for this purpose, you can use a grater for Korean carrots. We put the pumpkin, turnips and carrots in a beautiful salad bowl, sprinkle with lemon juice, season with s alt and pepper. Fill with oil and mix. Top with chopped herbs.

Interesting combination: broccoli+lentils

Crunchy, delicious, juicy raw broccoli salad. Good on its own, it will become indispensable for beginner raw foodists, because lentils make it more satisfying. Take:

• ½ head of broccoli, greenlettuce (any);
• one bunch of arugula;
• cucumber;
• red pepper;
• sprouted lentil seeds (handful);
• for decoration: white cumin, sesame seeds;
• for dressing: olive oil + lemon juice.

Removing hard stems from broccoli inflorescences. Coarsely cut the green salad or tear it with your hands, lightly crush it. We cut the pepper very finely, rub the cucumber on a coarse grater, it is this cutting of this ingredient that will give the salad juiciness and tenderness. Mix all the ingredients, season and sprinkle beautifully with lentils and sesame seeds.