Proponents say raw foods deliver healing enzymes, nutrients

According to the Institute, raw or living foods contain beneficial enzymes that aid in absorption and digestion of food but disappear when foods are cooked or heated above 105 degrees F. Cooking food kills it, the Institute claims; but eating raw high-fiber foods including seeds, seaweeds and grains promotes weight loss, improves health and can heal illnesses such as diabetes, high cholesterol and cancer.

“These foods give the body what it needs to flourish and heal,” said Institute founder and chief executive officer Brenda Cobb, who converted to raw foods in 1999 after a diagnosis of cervical and breast cancer. Now 61, Cobb credits the eating regimen for curing her of cancer, arthritis, headaches and even restoring her gray hair to its original color. “This is not a diet; it’s a lifestyle,” she said.

Cobb’s testimony of healing is one of many in her book and on the Institute’s Web site and the claims take center stage during training programs and seminars. The Institute maintains no statistical data to support the testimonials.

Melody Barron touts such a testimony.

Once weighing more than 400 pounds, the Duluth resident lost more than 100 pounds after adopting the raw foods lifestyle 18 months ago. Barron said raw foods cured her mother of high cholesterol and her godmother of breast cancer.

“I’m not a doctor, but I’ve helped people heal from things that have taken other people out,” said Barron, an instructional designer and raw foods chef. “You can achieve miracles in the area of healing just in the way you eat. It won’t be as easy as going to your doctor and getting a pill; it requires a lot of discipline.”

The amount of discipline, time and financial commitment required make the regimen unattainable for most people, according to Amber O’Neal, a Smyrna weight loss coach and certified personal trainer. In addition to the courses, which range from $1,900 to $7,000 at the Institute, raw food enthusiasts invest in restaurant-quality blenders, food processors and dehydrators for home food preparation. Several weekly trips to the grocery store and farmers market may also be required to assure foods are fresh.

It takes a lot of effort to get all the nutrition you need, and getting too few calories can make you sick, O’Neal said. Also, the restrictive nature makes it an extreme lifestyle that can take the pleasure out of the eating experience and can eventually lead to eating disorders.

She advocates eating a large proportion of fresh, raw foods -- preferably organic -- and healthful cooked foods. She said vegetarians who include cooked foods in their diets maintain better health over the long term compared to those who consume only raw foods. “Don’t get caught up trying to follow someone else’s strict plan,” she advised.

Andrea Giancoli, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, has studied raw foods diets for 10 years and concurs with the health benefits but says the science is flawed. No peer-reviewed studies have determined at what temperature enzymes are destroyed, Giancoli said. But even if they had, she said, the enzymes that are lost by cooking are not needed by the body.

“We have a very sophisticated digestive system and make our own enzymes so we don’t need any extra help,” said Giancoli, stressing that foods such as carrots require heating to get the nutritional benefit. She recommends a plant-based, balanced diet with 50-percent raw foods.

“Eat your broccoli, but just don’t overcook it,” she said.

Seminar and cooking demonstration

7 p.m. Monday. Free. Living Foods Institute, Druid Hills Baptist Church, 1085 Ponce de Leon Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-524-4488, 1-800-844-9876. www.livingfoodsinstitute.com. Registration strongly recommended but not required. Limited to 38.

Going raw and organic

If you’re interested in eating more raw and organic foods, Brenda Cobb suggests the following simple steps to begin your transition:

· Think and speak of the change in a positive way. In the beginning, the words that come out of your mouth are more important than the food that goes into it.

· Buy organic. It is worth what you pay. Conventional produce may have toxic chemicals in and on them that  can’t be washed off.

· Drink a more alkaline water. Most water is acidic, and an acidic body is a sick body, Cobb says. One such water, Figi, can be found in most groceries and at retailers such as Target and Wal-Mart.

· Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Cooking kills the food and makes it acidic, Cobb says.

· Eat more living “sprouted foods” like sunflower sprouts and broccoli sprouts to get optimum nutrition. Most grocery stores sell sprouts, and they are easy and inexpensive to grow in your own kitchen.

· Get off the couch and exercise. Move your body by walking, running, swimming, practicing yoga, lifting weights or cycling.

· Detox your system. Cleanse toxins with a good internal cleanser like Zeolite or get a colonic. Consider an herbal parasite and yeast cleanser to remove worms, parasites, fungus and mold.

· Relax and breathe. Slow your pace and enjoy each moment.

Recipes

Curried Corn and Cabbage

You can substitute broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus or any favorite raw vegetable for cabbage. When  corn is out of season, substitute organic frozen corn.

4 ears fresh corn

1 small red cabbage

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons raw agave

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon curry powder

To prepare: Shuck the corn. Chop the cabbage. Toss corn and cabbage together. Stir or shake the remaining ingredients in a separate container. Pour over vegetables and stir.

Source: Melody Barron, raw foods chef

Colorful Collards

This dish works well with lacinato and kale, as well as collards. Soak dates from two to four hours before assembling.

2 bunches collards

½ cup olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 dates, soaked for 2 to 4 hours

2 or 3 cloves garlic

½ to 1 teaspoon sea salt

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

Wash and drain collards, then chop into small pieces. Blend olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, dates, garlic and sea salt to make a thick sauce. Begin to coat the greens with the sauce, adding enough to thoroughly coat them. Some sauce may remain. Stir in the chopped onion and bell pepper.

Source: Melody Barron, raw foods chef