Raw Food Revolution Diet

Background

The Raw Food Revolution Diet was created by Cherie Soria, who is a raw food chef and instructor, and the founder of the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute.

Soria claims that taking the first step towards better health is easy – simply add more raw plant-based foods to your diet. She promises that by following her program you will ‘lose weight, gain energy and feel younger while feasting on foods that nourish your body and delight your senses’.

Raw Food Revolution Diet Basics

The Raw Food Revolution Diet is based on the concept of eating raw and plant derived foods. Dieters have an option of undertaking a three week intensive Fast Track Plan that helps to ‘rewire’ the system and reset the taste buds. During this time dieters eat a 100% raw food diet that will help to kick start weight loss.

The general plan allows a greater variety of foods than the Fast Track and up to 20% of calories from cooked food is permitted. This approach is designed to help to attain and maintain a healthy weight for life.

Both options require the elimination of animal products, processed foods, alcohol and caffeine. (See CaffeineInformer.com for an extensive caffeine in drinks and foods database.)

Juicing and blending are highlighted as a method of increasing the nutritional content of the diet. The book also includes instructions on how to sprout grains, nuts, and legumes.

A large component of the book involves detailed nutritional information regarding different aspects of the diet. Dieters learn about calories, protein, fiber, the glycemic index, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Soria’s background as a raw food chef means that the recipes included in the book are delicious as well as nourishing. Many of the recipes are raw versions of familiar items such as pizza, pasta, bread, cookies and ice cream. The book also includes traditional raw meals such as smoothies and salads.

Recommended Foods

Raw vegetables, raw fruits, sprouted grains, sprouted legumes, raw nuts and seeds, avocado, olives, flaxseed oil, olive oil, sea vegetables, mushrooms, tamari, vegetable juice, carob powder, agave syrup, dried fruits, miso, nutritional yeast, herbal tea.

Sample Diet Plan

Breakfast Juice with kale, romaine, cucumber, apple and celery

Morning Snack Smoothie with banana, orange, blueberry and romaine

Lunch Broccoli Tahini Pate Collard green leaf Tomato, alfalfa, onion

Afternoon Snack Raw vegetables or a piece of fruit

Dinner Raw vegetable soup Large salad with greens, tomato, lentil sprouts Savory seed dressing

Evening Snack Banana fig pudding

Exercise Recommendations

Dieters are advised to view exercise as a necessary part of daily life. Daily aerobic activity such as walking is recommended in combination with moderate resistance training and flexibility exercises.

Costs and Expenses

The Raw Food Revolution Diet retails at $21.95.

There may also be an increase in the cost of groceries as well as for kitchen equipment such as a blender if desired but this is not essential.

Pros

• Does not require calorie counting.
• Encourages a high intake of fresh fruit and vegetables.
• Allows the intake of a high volume of foods while maintaining the ability to lose weight.
• Some cooked food is permitted if desired.
• Includes a seven-day meal plan and a large selection of recipes.
• Meal plans are designed to meet recommended nutrient intakes.
• Acknowledges the importance of stress management.
• Includes detailed nutritional information.

Cons

• Requires the elimination of a wide variety of foods including alcohol and caffeine.
• Many dieters experience uncomfortable detox symptoms such as headaches and fatigue when they commence the diet.
• May require more time for food preparation.
• Difficult to eat out, in social situations or when traveling.
• Requires the use of supplements.
• May require additional kitchen equipment such as a blender, juicer, food processor and dehydrator.
• Many dieters will prefer to include some animal products in their diet.
• Some experts warn about negative long-term effects of a vegan diet.

Conclusions

Many dieters report increased energy, improvement of a variety of health concerns and easy weight loss on a raw food diet. However the Raw Food Revolution is quite a strict plan that will require a lot of adjustment for the majority of dieters.

Raw Food Revolution will most appeal to dieters with chronic health problems that have not improved by following conventional approaches.