Raw and Beyond: How Omega-3 Nutrition Is Transforming the Raw Food Paradigm

by Victoria Boutenko, Elaina Love, Chad Sarno

Three longtime raw foodists present a more balanced way to eat raw with over 100 delicious and nutritious recipes for raw, steamed, and lightly cooked dishes rich in Omega-3s
 
Victoria Boutenko, Elaina Love, and Chad Sarno have been leaders in the raw food movement since the 1990s. Since then, all three have independently arrived at the same that a totally raw diet is not necessarily the best diet. One reason for their shift in thinking is the latest scientific research on the impact of omega essential fatty acids on human health. Studies show that if eaten in excess, Omega-6s can cause inflammation and obesity. A typical raw food diet contains large quantities of nuts and seeds, most of which are extremely high in omega-6s and low in Omega-3s.
 
Raw foodists are not the only ones lacking sufficient Omega-3s in their diet. Because Omega-3s are easily damaged by heat, anyone whose diet is high in processed foods and oils probably has an Omega-3 deficiency. Many symptoms of this deficiency can be mistaken for other health problems or nutrient deficiencies, so few people realize the cause of their ailments. Boutenko’s chapters on omegas provide readers more in-depth nutritional information. One hundred recipes—from raw to steamed and lightly cooked dishes, from appetizers to desserts—offer readers the means to enjoy a more sustainable, healthy, and energetic lifestyle.

Genres: Vegan, Nonfiction, Cookbooks, Health

168 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Victoria Boutenko is an author, teacher, inventor, researcher, artist and mother of three. She teaches classes on healthy living and raw food all over the world. As a result of her research and teachings, thousands of people are drinking and sharing green smoothies.

Source: http://greensmoothiesblog.com/who-is-...

Reviews

[Jeanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Considering a raw food option, it was good to hear the experts and how their food choices have evolved. While local fresh produce is the best option, not having a local organic based grocery is very limiting. Great recipe ideas are included.

[Sandie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is mostly a cookbook, but has good intros from each of the 3 authors about their coinciding journeys from eating 100% raw food to incorporating some cooked foods (like up to 80/20 raw/cooked). I was fascinated with the fact that they developed health problems and felt bad after years upon years (I mean like, 7-10 years) of a raw-only diet. Their discoveries include the necessity of including more omega-3 fatty acids into their diet and how unhealthy eating a ton of oils and nuts can be (traditional sources of fat/protein in a raw diet). I really grabbed this because it had some cooked recipes that looked good in it (they're clearly marked) and I was interested in why that would be, in a "raw" book. I wholeheartedly agree that you should eat at least some cooked foods (I'm also reading Pollan's "Cooked" right now), more veggies is obviously good for you, and some raw would benefit probably everyone. I enjoyed feeling validated in my belief that 100% raw is silly (how could you not eat beans and grains??) and not feasible in the LONG term. (I think any of these new diets, or ways of eating, that are super strict or cut out whole food groups are in general not a good idea). Haven't tried any of the recipes, unfortunately there are no pictures... but I plan to try some of the more realistic ones (I'm not going to use "protein flakes" for instance).

[Lorra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, so I just read this book very quickly - the info at the beginning is short - just stories of the three authors and their transitions from 100% raw to "high-raw" diets. The only one that had any real interest or value to me was Victoria Boutenko's. She had a lot more to say about WHY she and her family changed their diets than Elaina Love or Chad Sarno. Granted, I don't know a lot about those two, other than they are gourmet raw chefs.

I found it VERY odd that Chad said he uses ONLY whole foods (and promotes Whole Foods stores) and eschews oils and agave and anything processed (other than some cooking) yet...his recipes had BOTH of these things. What the hell?

I liked Victoria's info. It made sense and had some research to back it up - I guess it is her book, first and foremost. Most of the book is recipes which I just skimmed through.

This book would be good for people who want to be as healthy as possible without being 100% raw - it does have some good points, and I agree with a lot of it, though some of the inconsistencies bothered me.

I still strive for 100% raw, high fruit, high greens, low fat. 80/10/10/ Diet is a better book, even if you don't do it 100% raw.

[Emily Mellow · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I really liked about this book is that it validated the conclusions that I've come to about raw foods. While I do feel that in general it's a hundred times healthier to eat something raw, there was just something wrong with the picture of me sitting with my family, eating a raw dessert while they had a healthy dinner that I cooked for them. When I was trying to do 100% raw foods, I ate anything as long as it was raw and ended up eating a lot of sweets & nuts. This book is written by 3 well knows raw foods advocates, who have realized it's healthier to eat some cooked lentil soup than a raw, nut based cake. Basically, vegetables are better for us, even if they're cooked, than nuts & sweeteners, even if they're raw. Definitely a message that makes sense to me.
The second half of this book is recipes, with nary a picture among them. I just can't be inspired to make some wacky recipe unless the author has bothered to attach a picture to the instructions. It's useful to see what you're trying to make, after all.

[Kristi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!! I love the humility of the authors, admitting that they have learned a few things over the years and shared their mistakes with us for our benefit. Their experiences have answered many questions that I ran into when I personally explored a raw diet (off and on for years now). I know now what I am doing wrong and why I feel the way I do. Between this book & the "green Smoothie revolution" book by Victoria Boutenko, I feel liberated! Next on this weeks read: the new revised edition of "Green for Life" by. Victoria Boutenko... All must reads!!!!!!!

[Miriam · Rating 2 out of 5]

There wasn't much to this book. Boutenko presented a little science, but very briefly, and most of the rest of the first part of the book was based on anecdotal evidence. I might try a few of the recipes, but some of them were rather complicated and required a lot of ingredients, and some of them just didn't sound that good.

[Danie]

Super quick read, with some great insight into the importance of eating Omega-3s, not relying on nuts (which contain high amounts of unhealthy Omega-6) for protein, and more. The majority of the book is nutrition charts and recipes, but I learned a lot from the 3 separate introductions from each author.