Raw Foods 101! (Our new weekly guest blog posts!)

We know that you love all our recipes and have been enjoying the variety on our site since our launch in June, so we're continuously trying to add new types of foods, ideas, and tips. We will now have a weekly guest post or recipe by Nida Kazmi, who will be guest blogging for Kitchen Cultures primarily on the topics of Raw Vegan food. She lives in the DC suburbs as an analyst and currently lives a "high raw" food diet (60-80% of her diet is sourced from raw foods) and has amassed a great level of knowledge in the food industry area over the past several years due to personal interest. We all have our preferred methods of cooking: grilling, stewing, sous-vide, baking, roasting, marination cooking, and more; however, it is important to remember that a lot of foods were and are meant to be enjoyed raw! So we brought in someone who knows more than we do about the best way to implement an increase of raw food intake in your diet and why we should. Let us know what you think! ENJOY! W.P

Raw Foods 101
I am sure by now every one has seen or heard about the green smoothie or the "raw food" craze. We all know that nature's food is the best way to nourish our body. But sometimes when we are bombarded with all kinds of information, we become confused because often, this information can be confusing and misleading if we don't have a solid knowledge base. Today I wanted to give a quick overview of why raw foods are beneficial and important and I will showcase several recipes that are easy, delicious and will give you several options to try out. The building blocks that our bodies need to function are enzymes, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, protein, essential fats and fibre. These are all provided by our food and are involved in growth, repair and maintenance of the body.

Enzymes
Enzymes convert the food we eat into chemical structures that can pass though the membranes of the cells lining the digestive tract and into the blood stream. Their job doesn't end there. Enzymes are the living proteins that direct the life force into our biochemical and metabolic processes. They help transform and store energy, make active hormones, dissolve fibre and prevent clotting. They have anti-inflammatory effects. Enzymes help balance and restore the immune system, and heal many diseases. Enzymes even help repair our DNA and our RNA.

Vitamins
Without vitamins our cells would not function properly and thus our organs would suffer and eventually we would no longer be able to survive. Vitamins help regulate metabolism, help convert fat and carbohydrates into energy, and assist in forming bone and tissue. 

Minerals
Seventeen of the thirty elements known to be essential to life are metals. Mineral deficiencies cause disease in humans. Minerals also have a synergistic relationship with vitamins. They help each other help us. 

Phytonutrients
Phytonutrients are what give fruits and vegetables their colour. Phytos protect the body and fight disease. They also fight cancer and help your heart. Phytonutrients are at leading edge of research on nutrition. They provide medicine for cell health. 

Because of an overload of the bad food sources in our normal diet, our body goes into survival mode even though we may look perfectly fine. Eating food raw provides us with what we need for our health and well being. I know from experience that when I am eating raw, I have more energy, more mental focus, and things like acid reflux, joint pain, mood troubles and my daily aches and pains, dissipate. I also know that I am feeding my body what it needs to thrive, not just survive. Your body has stuck by you for your whole life so let's join in on helping our body help us! 

Here is a recipe for this week!

Green Smoothie
Doesn't sound very appealing but I assure you, its delicious! I like to use frozen bananas because then it tastes just like ice cream to me and my friends seem to agree with me! Don't be scared by the quantity of the bananas - they provide you with the energy you need although you are welcome to try with one banana to start; this is my breakfast a couple times a week (yes! i get to have ice cream for breakfast basically and not feel guilty about it in the least bit!!!) I prefer using coconut milk because it is creamier but just as low in calories and healthy for you, though you may substitute Almond Milk or another nut milk that suits you.

3-5 bananas
3 handfuls spinach
1 cup coconut milk

Optional:
1 tsp goji berries
1 tsp flax seeds
1 tsp chlorella
1/2 tsp maca

Blend well and serve.

NIDA KAZMI.