When people first hear the term “eat naked” a lot of folks erroneously assume that I’m promoting a raw vegan diet. It’s something about the word naked, its association with purity, and our collective (mis-)definition of dietary purity with plants and uncooked foods.
While a vegan diet simply doesn’t work for me and is inappropriate right now while I’m still breastfeeding, I’ve long had the urge to eat more raw foods – and, interestingly, raw animal foods. When I was pregnant I planned to go raw for a while once the baby was born, but recovering from the birth and then a broken foot 10 short days into being new parents put those plans to a quick end.
A year and a bit later, I’m feeling the urge again.
Ever since I was a little girl I naturally gravitated to raw meats and fish. My mom would find me sneaking bites of raw hamburger (which I loved) and then would struggle to get me to eat it cooked. Sushi was a favorite treat from a very early age. When I discovered raw milk I felt like I’d come home to what my body had always wanted in a glass of milk. There’s something in me that has always known that these foods in their raw form can be very healing.
One of the key findings of nutritional pioneer Weston A Price was that every traditional culture consumed some raw foods, and many of them of animal origin. This concept feels foreign and scary in our over-sanitized and sterile world, but consider dishes such as sushi, beef carpaccio, and ceviche. Even the traditional pasta carbonara has a raw egg on top. We’ve been eating these raw foods for generations. With careful sourcing from healthy animals and specific preparation techniques to ensure safety, eating raw animal foods can be both highly nutritious and extremely healing.
And so, I am making it official. As of October 1st I’m going to eat exclusively raw foods for 30 days. I’ll eat loads of produce; raw meats, fish, dairy and eggs; sprouted nuts and seeds; raw fats and cold pressed oils in their unrefined form; and raw fermented foods. I will exclude grains and legumes simply because even when sprouted these give me digestive difficulties.
Several people have said they’d like to join me and if you feel so inclined, I invite you to join me, too!
I’ll be sharing about my experience daily, posting recipes, photos, how I feel, and what it all entails. Even if you don’t want to eat a full 30 days worth of raw foods, perhaps you’ll feel inspired to a raw meal here and there, or try a new preparation technique. I’m bringing Chef James along for the ride so there will be lots of recipe development along the way.
Please share your favorite recipes, raw food prep tips, and any other insights and ideas in the comments below. I’m happy to profile any recipes we use and love.
Here’s to 30 days in the raw!
Day 1: The 3 things you should never do to begin a 30 Day food challenge
Day 2: My morning smoothie, GAPS Style
Day 3: An interview with Max Kane
Day 4: 5 ways to safely eat raw meat
Day 5: Raw Cauliflower Couscous with Beef Carpaccio
Day 6: Getting over the Raw Hump
Day 8: How to celebrate, raw style!
Day 10: An Interview with Brad Keimach
Day 11: Raw Basil Cashew Beet Ravioli
Day 12: These are a few of my favorite (raw) things
Day 13: Raw Spaghetti and Meatballs
Day 15: Breakfast Orange Creamy
Day 18: Raw Chocolate Mint Bites
Day 19: Four Traditional Ways to Prepare Raw Beef
Day 20: Raw Tomatillo Avocado Sauce
Day 22: Steak Tartare with a twist
Day 23: A day in the raw foods life
Day 24: The Raw Food Stylist: An interview with Melissa Henig
Day 25: Melissas’s Raw Butter Pie
Day 26: 10 easy ways to add more raw food to your diet
Day 29: Seven myths about eating raw
Day 30: 30 Days in the Raw: Lessons Learned
Totally following this and can’t wait to hear how you fair on this diet. I’m like you, vegan just does not work for me, I need my animal proteins yet I haven’t been able to do any raw besides, of course, fish in the form of sushi or ceviche.
This is going to be a great experiment! I wish I could sign up to join you but spending the first two weeks of Oct on vacation with the in-laws would make that a bit challenging. Maybe Nov?
Is James doing this with you? Good luck you two and keep up the great work – you’re an inspiration!