Cooking Well
Posted by journeytomom on April 4, 2007
I just stumbled on an interesting article: Optimum Nutrition Cooked or Raw. I’ve mentioned before that my Dad and I don’t quite agree about what constitutes a healthy diet. He and my step-mom adhere to a raw food, vegan diet, and I lean more towards what I believe is called nourishing traditions (like the cook book by Sally Fallon), also known as the Maker’s diet (like the book by Jordan Rubin).
This article leans more my way than Dad’s. 
It’s interesting that processes like freezing, drying, sprouting, fermenting, and preserving in oil are referred to as sisters to cooking. Recently I asked Dad about whether his diet recommended eating fermented foods and he gave a pretty strong “no.” We did agree that commercial pickles on grocery store shelves pickled in vinegar are bad. But I offered that other types of fermenting, such as sauerkraut (cabbage fermented with sea salt), are actually beneficial and good for you.
Alas, we agree to disagree. In the long and short of it, I’m thrilled that Dad is making efforts to take charge of his health and paying attention to what he eats. The first time they went on this diet he lost weight and went off his blood pressure medication. Yay! But, when they reverted back to the standard American diet (SAD), as we all tend to do from time to time, the weight went back on and the blood pressure went back up. Obviously, in the short term, the raw food vegan diet does have some health benefits. More power to you, Dad!
But, my family is already digestively challenged, so I’m going to stick with nourishing traditions. Of course, how things are cooked does matter. Remember two simple words: low and slow. And, don’t forget cooking’s sisters mentioned above. The quality of our food (organic) and how we prepare it are very important. Of course I’m preaching to myself, here as for dinner tonight I have prepared the last box of Mac&Cheese from the pantry. I have vowed to myself NOT to purchase any more.
I close with a quote from the end of the article:
The cook dances with the element fire. The cook stirs the cauldron. The cook transforms the parts and turns them into our whole. Blessings on the cook. Praise to the cook. May your food be well cooked.
ADDED NOTE: I spoke with Dad tonight, and he asked me to clarify that their diet is 80% raw, and 20% cooked. They do cook some of their food. I love you, dad.
thedietpulpit said
I’m impressed that mom and dad are doing a raw diet – it is healthy thats for sure. I don’t think I could do it, though I do try to incorporate lots of salads, baby carrots, apples and other raw foods every day but I still like my steamed and roasted veggies too, and some fish and chicken now and then. I gave up mac and cheese since last May (70 lbs lost so far, 80ish more to go) – I don’t know how they can consider 1 box four servings — I would make a meal out of one just for me. Take Care
JanO said
I’m still eating mac & cheese and canned soup from time to time but am working in more “real” food (aka fruits and veggies). I’m 100 pounds overweight (aargh, how did that happen?) and am incorporating the advice of “The Skinny,” which is healthful eating most of the time with a few well-placed indulgences in small portions. It’s no raw food diet, but it’s far from SAD as well.
journeytomom said
It seems I need to clarify. Although I commend my dad, and anyone else for that matter, for their efforts to be purposeful about what they eat, I peronally do not recommend the raw food vegan diet. If you read the article, the author touches on how raw vegetables are more difficult to digest.
At the same time, I’m not into judging here. I include recipes from my dad on the blog and encourage him in his efforts. I encourage everyone to read and study the matter and pay attention to what you are eating. The type of diet and style of cooking one chooses, ultimately is up to each of you. The important thing is that you have made a concious choice. And, as I said to my dad, more power to you!
Enthusia said
i would have a hard time with a raw-foods diet. there are so many beneficial vitamins made more available through cooking. also, i’d have a hard time giving up the benefits from foods like kefir, yogurt, cheese, nuka pickles etc…
journeytomom said
Hi Enthusia.
Nuka pickles sound intriguing. Care to describe them? And, if you have a recipe I’m all ears.
And I, too, enjoy kefir, yogurt and cheese regularly. I’ve even dabbled at making my own from raw milk. Unfortunately, I don’t have any access to raw milk at the moment, so I buy what I find in the store.