A Meal You Can't Burn

by Raygan Swan
raygan.swan@intakeweekly.com

A diet of Mother Nature's often-uncharted edibles -- like dandelions, wolfberries and algaes -- is picking up steam nationwide; however, few Indy eaters are apparently ready for raw.

Subscribers to this trendy plan believe cooking fruits, vegetables and nuts above 110 to 115 degrees destroys valuable nutrients and enzymes; often, they pack their grocery carts with items such as organic orange juice, a jar of hemp seed nut butter, edible flowers, honey and raw veggies.

Sound familiar? Didn't think so.

David Wolfe, father of the fad and adviser to famous raw foodies such as Alicia Silverstone and Woody Harrelson, said the benefits are well worth going unplugged in the kitchen.

"It's a much safer way of living, considering all the hormones and pesticides that go into some foods," Wolfe said, "not to mention weight loss and incredible amounts of energy."

One might say the raw food diet is eating like our ancestors once did, minus the meat, of course.

To start, Wolfe advises to eat as much organic food as possible.

Then, gradually work in the raw organic foods and bombard your body with as many raw vegetable juices as possible.

"If you want to see and feel the benefits, 80 percent or more of your diet should be of raw food," he said.

Shopping on the raw food diet may prove difficult at traditional grocery stores, but health food stores like Good Earth, Georgetown Health Foods Inc. and Wild Oats carry a wide selection of raw-friendly foods.

Hoosiers not buying it

Apparently, most Hoosiers aren't trading in their microwaves for juicers anytime soon.

"Indiana is one of the last states to catch on," said David Yeager, whose diet is 90 percent raw.

"If you do the diet here, people think you're a freak. But it's common in L.A., New York and even Chicago. Raw food restaurants and juice bars are everywhere."

The 45-year-old Indianapolis resident went raw three years ago after educating himself on the health benefits.

Others share Yeager's observation that Indy has been less than keen on the diet.

Deb McClure-Smith of Good Earth Natural Food Co. in Broad Ripple said the raw food trend had a slight presence here in the spring, but it has since vanished.

"Maybe people follow it here, but I think it's more for people in temperate climates," she said.

"People in Indiana prefer foods that warm the body in the winter."

Wild Oats Natural Marketplace in Nora previously held a class on how to prepare meals on the raw food diet, but the instructor left, and they haven't found a replacement.

All this aside, Wolfe is optimistic his way of life will catch on.

"Just because we didn't do it yesterday doesn't mean you can't do it today," he said. "Change is increasing at a tremendous rate when it comes to food."