What is causing it?
Raw food is a diet based on raw, unprocessed products, raw or cooked at less than 42°C. The aim is to favor plant and cereal foods. This diet was developed by Ann Wigmore in the 1950s to cure her cancer and has been enjoying renewed success in recent years.
But be careful! Don’t think that raw food limits meals to raw vegetable sticks, far from it! Many chefs have become interested in raw food (especially for all the benefits it offers, which we’ll explain below!) and have created recipes that are as delicious as they are original. Making something good and beautiful with raw foods is possible!
A small example to prove that it is possible to combine raw food and gourmet delicacies…
The benefits of Crusine
“Let food be thy medicine”. This famous quote from Hippocrates sums up the importance and impact of food on our health. Well-being involves eating well…
It is precisely this link between healing and diet that is highlighted by the pioneer of raw food, Ann Wigmore. The American naturopath claims to have used raw food to cure her of colon cancer.
What are the benefits of cooking and its impact on our health?
- Helps the body detoxify: no saturated fats or additives
- Strengthens the immune system: less vitamin deficiency, more fiber on the plate
- Promotes dietary rebalancing: thanks to the fibers, raw food effectively regulates satiety
- Discover new flavor combinations: raw food highlights the taste of raw foods
- Encourages a more sustainable, less industrialized, and more plant-based diet
Crusine tips for getting started
To get started with cooking, follow these tips!
Raw food often requires plant-based products that we are not always used to using: vegetable creams and oils, oilseed purees, or even unrefined flours. Instead of buying them in the organic sections of traditional supermarkets, it is worth going to stores specializing in organic food or short supply chains. The prices are often more attractive there. Also buy in bulk, as far as possible: economies of scale also count for a lot for these products.
A large part of raw food recipes require a good blender: to reduce to powder, puree, or even juice, the blender allows you to take advantage of all the states of food to cook it in different ways. You will find very good blenders for around a hundred euros. Also think about looking at second-hand sites, favoring brands that stand the test of time.
To avoid monotony and giving up after a few weeks, find a reliable source of inspiration to pick up recipe ideas and refresh your meals throughout the year. You will also find ideas or recipes presented by chefs, dedicated to raw cooking, further down. Additionally, there are articles on low GI cooking, plant-based cooking, and even those focused on fermentation.
Finally, if you want to adopt raw food daily and for the long term, consider seeking help from a professional (general practitioner, nutritionist, or dietician) to check for any deficiencies, particularly in iron. Food supplements can be prescribed if necessary.
Crusine easy recipes
The spinach fall
Chef Paul Guény shares a quick recipe, in which he uses salt to make wilted spinach. A little garlic, a good quality oil, and we promise you a delight! This technique of using salt to cook food is a good way to take advantage of all the nutrients in vegetables. Find the step-by-step recipe on thefiftiesfightclub.
Green Gazpacho
It’s summer, are you looking for a fresh and light dish, a change from tomato salad? Discover the delicious gazpacho verde from chef Paul Guény, who specializes in raw vegetables. He had the idea of combining several vegetables to create a creamy and smooth gazpacho. You can vary it with the vegetables of your choice, depending on the season.
Vegetable lactofermentations
Finally, a good solution to adopt raw food daily is to use lacto-fermented vegetables. The lactofermentation process allows you to obtain more digestible and nutrient-rich vegetables without any cooking. The brine, made from water and salt, encourages the growth of lactic bacteria, which preserves the vegetables for several months in jars. For more information on how to get started with lacto fermenting vegetables at home, check out our article on Lacto-Fermentation
No-bake brownie
We start with one of my favorite sweet no-bake recipes. It will please both big fans of raw food and gourmets who are not yet initiated into raw food. Inspired by chef Paul Guény, this recipe is very easy to make. The no-bake brownie can be served as a dessert or snack and is also a great alternative to industrial energy bars, which are often too sweet and full of additives. You can customize it according to your tastes to create delicious combinations: chocolate hazelnut, chocolate peanut, or even chocolate and coconut. For the step-by-step preparation, check out no-bake recipes
Plant-based yogurt
Yogurts and fermentations are a good choice of menu to integrate into the cuisine. Rich in bacteria beneficial for the microbiota, fermented preparations allow a better assimilation of nutrients. Shira Benarroch shares her recipe for plant-based yogurt, which can be made without yogurt makers. Find her advice on thefiftiesfightclub
Orange blossom and almond creams
Finally, this delicious no-cook cream recipe will allow you to finish your meals on a sweet, light, and delicious note. The author Clémence Catz shares this express recipe, recommended to promote good sleep. This vegetable cream can be kept for several days in the fridge and will please both adults and children!
