• A summary of over 50 published scientific studies proving the advantages of a raw diet and the hazards of eating cooked food! Finally, a book you can give to your family, friends, and even MDs that has all the scientific proof you need to convince them of the superiority of the raw food diet. The cited studies prove that we have not genetically adapted to cooked foods!

• 10 solid, well-researched reasons to stop the insane practice of cooking!

• How to avoid 13 common pitfalls that raw fooders typically make!

• 27 of the most frequently asked questions about the raw food diet and their answers!

• A discussion of the most 16 controversial nutritional issues!

• A brief history of the raw food movement and a “who’s who” guide to modern day leaders!

• A “how-to” section that includes various strategies for transitioning to the diet, valuable info on detoxification, how to travel and socialize on this diet, and what foods and kitchen gadgets you’ll need.

• Over 60 delicious raw recipes: soups, desserts, entrees, snacks, appetizers, beverages, etc.!

• 17 testimonials of healing with this powerful diet alone, including some with “before” and “after” photos.

• The startling revelation of how food and drug companies keep you ignorant in order to profit from your cooked food addiction and illness!

• Coverage of all branches of the raw food movement!

• Sample menus for one week on the diet.

• A resource guide for raw fooders, including raw food restaurants (USA & Canada), fasting centers, MDs open to the raw diet and fasting in several English-speaking countries worldwide, raw food and health web sites, and where to buy specialty raw foods.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements xvii
Note to Reader xviii
Preface xix
Introduction xxi

Section One — Raw Power: Reasons to Go Raw 1
1 Ten Reasons to Stop Cooking 3
1.Super Health 5
2.Mental Ability and Mental Health 9
3.Weight Loss and Beauty 11
4.Emotional Balance 15
5.Spiritual Growth 16
6.Economy 19
7.Pleasure 21
8.Ecology 22
9.Free Time 24
10.Longevity 24

2 Rah, Rah, Raw! Raw Diet Testimony 27
“Raquel”: No more cancer, diabetes, asthma, infertility, eczema and obesity! 27
Jessica: Her baby made her eat raw! 29
Marie Tadic: “I’ve got energy for sale!” 30
Jenny Smith: Cure for twenty years of sleepwalking and obesity 33
Rich Smith: High blood pressure reversed 39
Buddy and Cherrie B.: A new life of living foods 42
Allen: Live food for bodybuilding and higher consciousness 46
Dana Pettaway: Increased awareness and freedom from vices 49
Tim: An awakening of the mind and creativity 53
Annette Larkins: Super health at 63 55
Mike McCright: Raw for life 59
Amy Schrift: Total life makeover 63
Sandra Schrift: Young at 68 66
Jackie Nash: Lost 45 pounds and became active at 69 68
Paula Wood: Thyroid removal no longer needed 72
Samara Christy: Lost weight, yet no surgery needed for loose skin 75
Angela Stokes: From morbid obesity to a new life with raw foods 80
More testimony… 83
3 Radically Raw: My Story 85

Section Two — Raw Proof: The Science 99
4 Paradigm Shift in How We View Disease and Treatment 101
One Disease, One Cure? 103
The Simplicity of Disease Origin and Cure 108
Bacteria & Viruses: Not Guilty as Charged! 112
So, with this good news, why do we cling so defensively to the Old Model? 115
“Let food be thy medicine.” —Hippocrates, founder of modern medicine 119
5 Cooked vs. Raw Diet Experiments 121
1. Pottenger’s Cats 123
2. Dr. Edmond Szekely’s 33-Year Study 125
3. Lewis Cook and Junko Yasui’s Rats 126
4. Numerous Studies at the University of Kuopio, Finland 128
5. Studies at Hallelujah Acres on the Effect of a Raw Diet on Fibromyalgia and Nutrient Intake 130
6. John MacDonald’s Mice 131
7. South African Studies of a Mainly Fruit Diet 131
8. Raw Diet Increases Intelligence 132
9. Dr. Jean Seignalet’s Study 132
10. Dr. Israel Brekhman’s Study 133
11. Dr. Otto Louis Moritz Abramowski and His Hospital Patients 133
12. The Prisoner of War Diet 134
13. Dr. Werner Kollath’s Animal Study 134
14. Raw Diet’s Effect on Athletes 135
15. Sir Robert McCarrison’s Monkeys 135
16. O. Stiner’s Guinea Pigs 135
17. Dr. John Douglass and His Addiction, Hypertension and Obesity Studies 136
18. Dr. Robinson’s Living Foods Cancer Treatment 136
19. Effects of a Diet High in Vegetables, Fruit and Nuts on Serum Lipids 138
20. Cooked Milk Bad for Calves 138
21. Research in Germany 139
22. A Summary of 30 Years of Clinical Experimentation on Diet Therapy and Advanced Cancer 139
23. The Effects of Raw Diet on Weight Loss and Amenorrhea 139
24. Height and Weight Effects of the Live Food Diet on Pre-adolescent Children 140
25. Bone Mass in Long-Term Raw Fooders 141
26. Raw Vegetables Protective Against Cancer 142
27. Other Studies Linking Raw Vegetable Consumption to Reduced Cancer Risk 142
28. Long-Term Raw Diet Associated with Favorable Serum LDL Cholesterol and Triglycerides 143
29. The Roseburg Study 143
The Most Important and Convincing Experiment of All 144
6 Man’s Fatal Chemistry Lab: The Great Cooked Food Experiment 145
Is Cooked Food Toxic? 146
What Happens to the Macronutrients in Cooked Food? 150
Toxic Cookware 154
Is Cooked Food Addictive? 154
7 The Raw Ingredients 159
Vitamins & Minerals 159
Enzymes 161
Phytochemicals 164
Biophotons: Light Energy from the Sun 164
Electrons 166
Bioelectricity 167
Hormones 168
Water 169
Essential Fatty Acids 169
Friendly Bacteria 169
Oxygen 170
Suggested Reading 170
Coming Up… 171

Section Three — Raw Pioneers: History & Leaders 173
8 A Brief History of the Raw Food Movement 175
9 Modern-Day Leaders of the Raw Food Movement 183
Elizabeth Baker: Active and Consulting in Her 90s 183
The Boutenko Family: Healed from Four “Incurable” Diseases 184
Brian Clement and the Hippocrates Health Institute 185
Lou Corona 185
Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MD: Seeking the Optimal Diet for Spiritual Growth 186
Roe Gallo: Allergic to the 20th Century 187
Dr. Douglas Graham and Training Athletes 188
David Jubb, PhD: Living on Little Food 188
David Klein and Living Nutrition Magazine 190
Rev. George Malkmus: Why Christians Get Sick 190
Nature’s First Law: David Wolfe, Stephen Arlin and Fouad Dini 191
Paul Nison: Healing Crohn’s Disease 192
Dr. Vivian Vetrano and Natural Hygiene 193
Many Others 194
Let’s Go! 194
Section Four — Raw Passage: Your Journey to Raw Life 195
10 Getting Started 197
The Decision 197
Methods of Transitioning 198
Transitioning One Meal at a Time 199
Food Elimination Transition 199
Reduced Temperature and Heating Time Transition 200
Instantaneous (Cold Turkey) Transition 200
Fasting Followed by Instantaneous Transition 201
Green Smoothie Transition 203
Just Get Started! 204
Invest Time in Food Preparation during the First Months 204
(Un)Cookbooks 205
Educate Yourself 207
Always Focus on the Positive! 208
Kitchen Gadgets 209
Meal and Snack Planning 212
Stand Firm in Your Commitment! 213
Foods to Stockpile 214
11 What to Expect 219
Detoxification 219
Detoxifying Your Environment 223
Cravings for Cooked Foods 223
How to Stay Raw in a Cooked World 224
Social Situations 225
Eating Out 227
Traveling 227
A Word about Backsliding and Enhanced Sensitivity to Cooked Foods 228
World Beyond Temptation 230
Paradise Health 231

12 Controversial Nutritional Issues 233
The Ratio of Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins 233
Vegetarianism vs. Meat-Eating 240
Vegans and the Vitamin B12 Issue 244
Restrict Your Calories for Longer Life 248
Food Combining 250
Nuts and Seeds: Hard to Digest? 250
Organic Food: Is It Really Necessary? 251
Nutritional Value 252
Toxins in Commercial Produce 253
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) 255
Commercial Foods Taste Bad 257
In a Pinch… 257
And a Final Warning… 258
Nuking Our Food by Irradiation 258
High vs. Low Glycemic Index Food 260
Hybrid vs. Wild Produce 263
The Acid/Alkaline Balance 264
Drinking Water 266
Salt 269
Eating Foods in Season 269
Supplements and Super Foods 270
Fiber: How Much Is Necessary? 273
13 Common Pitfalls to Avoid 275
Assuming a Food Is Raw When It Isn’t — Although It May Be Labeled “Raw” 275
Judging the Diet before You Give It a Chance 278
Overeating Nuts, Seeds and Dehydrated Fruits 280
Eating Too Much Fruit or Failing to Brush Teeth after Eating Acidic or Dehydrated Fruit 280
Not Getting Enough Protein 283
Eating Too Much Fat 283
Overeating and Under-Sleeping 284
Succumbing to Social Pressure 285
Buying and/or Preparing Too Much Food 285
Failing to Study the Raw Food Diet 286
Failure to Plan Ahead 286
Not Eating Enough Greens 286
Neglecting Other Areas of Health 287

14 Frequently Asked Questions 289
Isn’t a raw food diet boring? 289
If we’ve been eating cooked food throughout history, what’s the big deal? 290
Can’t I just eat cooked foods with vitamin, mineral and enzyme supplements? 293
What if I lose too much weight or muscle strength? 296
Can’t I just go on a diet of 50-95% raw food? 297
How do you get enough protein? 300
Won’t I miss my comfort foods? 303
What about my family? How can I ever get my family to eat my raw food dishes? 303
Does my pet need to eat raw? If so, how can I get my pet to eat raw food? 305
Aren’t you hungry all the time? 308
If this diet is so great and healing, why doesn’t my doctor know about it? Why isn’t it all over the news? 308
Don’t you miss eating something warm? 311
Shouldn’t I wait until the summer, or at least spring, to begin eating raw? Won’t I be too cold eating raw in the winter? 312
Why does cooked food seem to taste better? 315
Doesn’t cooking result in better digestion and allow for absorption of certain nutrients? 317
What if I just have to eat some cooked foods? Which ones are the least bad? 319
If raw food isn’t available, isn’t it better to eat cooked food than to eat no food? 319
Isn’t there a danger of bacteria in raw food? 320
Does this diet cost more money? 321
Can I drink alcohol? 321
Can I drink tea or coffee? 322
Can I eat frozen foods? 324
What do you eat? 324
Why should I go on a raw diet if I am young and healthy? 326
Can I start this diet while pregnant? 327
Is it advisable for a lactating mother to go raw? 329
Is this diet healthful for my kid? 329
15 Raw Pleasure 333
Soups 336
Everybody’s Favorite Celery-Cilantro Soup 336
Creamy Carrot Soup 336
Cream of Tomato Soup 337
Cream of Celery Soup 337
Vegetable Chowder 337
Cream of Spinach Soup 338
Corn Chowder 338
Creamy Cauliflower Soup 338
Lorenzo’s Tomato Avocado Soup 339
Entrées 339
Spaghetti 339
Chinese Stir “Fry” 340
Buddy and Cherrie’s Barbecue Chicken Nuggets 340
Burritos 342
Nori Rolls 342
Raw Pizza 343
Tomato Raviolis 344
Beet Burgers 344
Desserts 344
Carob Cream 344
Ice Cream 345
Raw Candy 345
Frozen Fruit Ice Cream 345
“Pumpkin Pie” Pudding 346
Raw Cake 346
Carrot Almond Cookies 346
Raw Chocolate 346
Peppermint Patties 347
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cups 347
Buddy and Cherrie’s Carob Nut Taffy 347
Buddy and Cherrie’s Cashew Ice Cream 348
Sandy's Apple Pie (10 minutes) 348
Beverages 349
Nut or Seed Milk 349
Banana Milk Shake 349
Smoothie 349
Chocolate Mint Soda 350
Super Smoothie 350
Green Drink 350
Sauces, Dressings, Condiments 351
Tahini Sauce 351
“Thousand Island” Salad Dressing 351
Honey Mustard Dressing 351
Oil and Vinegar 352
Curry Spinach Dressing 352
Raw Mustard 352
Tomato Sauce 353
Parmesan Cheese 353
Appetizers and Dips 353
Raw Hummus 353
Nori Rolls 354
Creamy Spinach Dip 354
Deluxe Macadamia Nut Cheese 354
Pecan Pesto 355
Pumpkin Seed & Macadamia Nut Cheese 355
Guacamole 355
Sunflower Seed Pâté 356
Salads and Salad Trimmings 356
Arabian Salad 356
Cheesy Spinach Salad 357
Coleslaw 357
Waldorf Salad 358
Holiday Salad 358
Marinated Kale 358
Arame Salad 359
Pecan Croutons 359
Salad Sprinkles 360
Snacks 360
Cauliflower Pâté (“Mashed Potatoes”) 360
Garlic Cilantro Flax Crackers 360
Barbecue Flax Chips 361
Breakfast Dishes 361
Allen’s Cereal 361
Trail Mix 362

Appendix A 363
Killer “Foods” to Avoid 363
The Four White Evils: Wheat, Dairy, Sugar and Salt 366
Grains, but especially wheat! 367
Dairy 370
Table Salt 374
Sugar 375
Excitotoxins 375
Processed Foods 379
Appendix B 383
The Drug Story 383
Appendix C 403
Radical Branches of the Raw Food Movement 403
The Green Smoothie Diet 403
Non-Vegan Branches 406
Beyond Raw Food: Guy-Claude Burger and Instinctive Eating 407
Aajonus Vonderplanitz and the Raw Animal Food Diet 413
Issues with Raw Meat, Dairy and Eggs 417
Meat: To Eat or not to Eat 422
Appendix D 429
Studies from Scientific Journals 429
If you want more studies… 435
Appendix E 437
Sample Menus for One Week 437
Day 1 438
Day 2 438
Day 3 438
Day 4 439
Day 5 439
Day 6 439
Day 7 440
Bibliography and Other Resources 441
General Bibliography 441
Recipe Book Bibliography 453
Related Web Sites 456
Raw Food Chat Groups 462
Resources for Food and Kitchen Supplies 463
Resources for Healing and Fasting Supervision 467
Raw Restaurants 473
United States 473
Arizona 473
California 474
District of Columbia 476
Florida 476
Georgia 476
Hawaii 477
Idaho 477
Illinois 478
Maine 478
Maryland 478
Massachusetts 479
Michigan 479
Minnesota 479
Nevada 479
New York 480
Oregon 481
Pennsylvania 481
Texas 482
Canada 482
British Columbia 482
Ontario 482
Raw Franchises 484
Glossary 485
Index 491