Raw Foods That Are Not Really Raw

Raw foods can be deceptive. While I was on my 30-day, 100% raw food diet experiment, I found out that there are many raw foods are not really raw at all. Just because it says “raw” on the package doesn’t mean that it is “alive”.

Here’s a list of some tricky foods you might see at the store:

Dried Fruits

Unless you dry your own fruits using a temperature-controlled dehydrator, the dried goods you buy at a supermarket or health food store may not be truly raw. Temperatures to dry foods often exceed 118 degrees Fahrenheit, which destroys enzymes and bakes out heat-sensitive nutrients like vitamin C. Some drying methods include baking at high temperatures instead of slow dehydration which only removes moisture. Most manufacturers do not care about preserving enzymes in food. That seems to be something only us raw foodists care about. Unless you purchase dry goods from a company that caters specifically to raw foodists, you are probably not getting raw dried fruits.

While you’re at it, check your dehydrator. The Excalibur brand dehydrator is the most popular with raw foodist because you can control the temperature on the unit. Inexpensive, commonly available dehydrators do not have temperature controls and may overheat your raw foods. I was disappointed one day when I stuck a thermometer in my Ronco dehydrator and found out that it was heating foods up to 160 degrees! My raw goodies weren’t technically raw anymore!

Powders & Superfoods

Powdered foods like cacao, spirulina, berries, greens and other superfoods might not be raw because the powdering process usually subjects ingredients to high temperatures. Carefully check packaging to ensure that it is “really raw” and that it is from a reputable manufacturer of raw supplements and superfoods. Don’t assume that all powdered superfoods are raw. You will often see raw powdered superfoods next to non-raw versions in the store.

The same goes for protein powders. Raw hemp protein is available, but all others are not raw, particularly soy, whey and egg white protein powders. Rice protein isn’t raw, but I have used NutriBiotic rice protein powder which is processed with low temperatures so I consider it “raw friendly”, and slightly cheaper than hemp protein.

Nuts

“Raw” nuts are the big deceivers in the raw food world. Almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts – whatever nut you find in the store might have been exposed to heat through pasteurization. Just because the package says “raw” on it doesn’t mean that it’s truly raw. It only means that it hasn’t been roasted. It doesn’t mean that the nut is alive and able to sprout and grow a new almond tree.

You can purchase “really raw” nuts online or seek out organic sources that may not be pasteurized, although it is difficult to tell if a nut has been treated this way. It is virtually impossible to find truly raw almonds anymore. You could make nuts your one non-raw concession or simply use more cold-pressed, extra virgin oils (olive and coconut) and fatty fruits like avocado and durian instead of nuts.

Fruit Juices

No commercial fruit juice is raw if it’s been pasteurized. Pasteurization is a way of sterilizing liquids by briefly heating them at high temperatures to kill potential bacteria and extend shelf life. If you want truly raw fruit or vegetable juice, you’ll have to make it yourself. It will be much more nutritious and taste better too!

Canned Fruit

The canned fruit that you buy at the store is also subjected to high temperatures in the canning process. It might be more convenient than chopping and peeling fresh fruit, but it’s not raw and much of the original nutrition in the fruit has been stripped away.

Sea Vegetables

Sea vegetables are typically found in dried form and as with commercially prepared dried foods, they were probably not dried at temperatures below 116 degrees. I mainly eat sea vegetables for the high mineral content and iodine which is not affected by heat while drying, so if I can’t find certified raw sea veggies, I don’t worry too much. Look for “untoasted” sea vegetables like nori sheets, although untoasted doesn’t necessarily mean “raw” if it’s been dehydrated at temperatures above 116 degrees Fahrenheit.

Agave Nectar

Agave nectar is a processed sweetener from the agave plant and is extremely popular as an alternative, “healthy” sweetener. While you can find agave nectar that is labeled as “raw”, there is a lot of speculation and debate online that “raw” might not mean “really raw”. In order to process the syrup, many manufacturers heat the nectar to high temperatures.

I will write more about the agave nectar controversy, but my advice is to use it sparingly and use fruit as a sweetener whenever possible.

Dried Spices

As with fruit, dried spices have likely been heated above 118 degrees and therefore are not raw. Since I use spices sparingly to season or enhance flavors, they are not necessarily a concern for me. I do prefer to use fresh spices, though. If you buy dried spices, be sure to buy organic since non-organic spices have been pasteurized with radiation (irradiated).

“Raw” Energy Bars

Some raw energy bars are not 100% raw, even if they say they are raw or have the word “raw” in their name, logo or packaging. Take a closer look at many of these bars and you will find that some will say that the bar contains “80% raw ingredients”. “Raw” foods that contain any of the food items listed above are also suspect, especially if there are nuts or any protein that is not hemp. Unless the raw food bar is manufactured by a company that caters to the raw food community, any dried fruit in the bar would be suspect as well.

Uncooked Does Not Mean Raw

Labels can be deceiving. As with anything you buy, you should read the packaging carefully. Unless it says “100% raw” or “certified raw”, it might not be. Words like “untoasted” or “uncooked” doesn’t mean that the ingredients used to make the product are raw to begin with. Commonly used ingredients that are suspect are any nuts (especially almonds), dried fruit (dates, figs, etc…) and any protein that isn’t derived from hemp seed.

“Raw” convenience foods are great when you are on the go, and most of them are much healthier alternatives to candy bars and potato chips. If you’re on a high-raw diet, don’t sweat it. Otherwise, take a peak at our recipe pages to find quick and easy raw recipes you can make for when you’re on the go.

Tags: canned fruit, dates, dried fruits, dried spices, fruit juices, goji berries, nuts, raisins, Raw Food Diet, sea vegetables, superfoods