Following a raw, or mostly raw, diet in the United States is easy in some ways and difficult in others. On the one hand, fresh produce is available year round because of a highly developed logistical system as well as numerous greenhouse growers. However, it is common knowledge that the U.S. has the highest concentration of overweight and obese people.
Moreover, in the U.S. for many it is almost a sacrilege to refuse to eat meat or cheese. Meat is the staple food in America. So from an interpersonal relationship standpoint, staying raw in America is more difficult that doing so in other countries. I have lived in China for the previous year, and while I am not following a 100% raw food diet, I do follow a mostly raw entirely vegan diet and am constantly seeking to increase my consumption of raw foods and vegetables.
The situation in China is reversed in some ways. I was living in a smaller city in China where access to raw fruits and vegetables declines in the winter. But as most people are likely aware, there are very few overweight Chinese. There are several reasons for this.
For one thing, in China one needs to walk much more than in the U.S. But an even greater influence is their diet which does not include cheese. Bread is also not commonly eaten. Additionally, while Chinese do eat all kinds of meat (including dog, donkey and even cat and rat in some regions), the actual amount of meat consumed is very small. Almost every dish ordered in a restaurant that is labeled as a "meat dish" will be composed of perhaps 10% meat and the rest is vegetables and noodles or rice.
When the weather is not very cold, fruits and vegetables abound. There are more than 20 different varieties of green vegetables that are commonly eaten, many of which I have not even been able to find English words for because I don't think these vegetables are available in the States.
In the winter, one must be more creative. In southern China, one of the most popular types of restaurants is what is known as "Hot Pot". This is a large metal pot that is placed in the middle of a table on top of an electric heater. It is filled with a broth which varies from one restaurant to another but is generally very spicy. After you sit down, you mark on the extensive menu the food items you wish to cook in your Hot Pot.
Many kinds of meats, noodles and vegetables are available and they are all raw. Generally for a party of four, you will order at least thirty different menu items. A few minutes after you give the filled out menu to the server, he or she will bring numerous small plates containing your orders.
As stated earlier, everything is raw. Everything is also sliced very finely. As the meal progresses, you dump the contents of each dish into the big pot and wait for them to cook, and then you fish them out with your chopsticks and put on your little plate. Some items, such as potatoes, take up to five minutes to cook. But most, even the meats, are shredded so finely that the cooking time is under one minute.
These restaurants import many quality vegetables even in the winter. Consequently, what I do during these times is simply not cook any or most of the vegetables and merely munch on them raw. This is a simple method which startles most locals, but the Chinese are highly adaptable and curious, and many of my Chinese friends these days eat lots of raw veggies along with me. So the moral of this story is that while being raw in today's society is never entirely easy, a tiny bit of creativity can aid you in your journey to superior health.
If you are interested in transitioning to a raw food diet, there are many resources available to you. Three good online sources that I would recommend are: http://rawfoodists.blogspot.com/, http://www.kaboodle.com/rawfood, and http://rawfoodme.wordpress.com/
Author Resource:-
James Beller is a blogger, online publisher and natural and raw food enthusiast. He writes articles for various websites and blogs which promote the raw food diet and natural health such as http://www.beautifulonraw.com.
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