Raw Vegan Diet: Benefits, Risks, Foods, Menu, More

By Moira LawlerMedically Reviewed by Kelly Kennedy, RDN

Reviewed: April 25, 2022

Medically Reviewed

Raw vegan dieters don’t eat any animal products and consume only foods that haven’t been heated above 118 degrees F.Ina Peters/Stocksy

The raw vegan diet is a cross between the raw diet and veganism. It’s a so-called “clean” way to eat — instead of meat, animal products, and processed foods, the diet is filled with fruit, vegetables, sprouted grains, sprouted legumes, raw nuts, and seeds, says Summer Yule, RDN, a registered dietitian-nutritionist in Hartford, Connecticut.

A regular vegan diet can seem restrictive enough, so why might someone decide to make it even more extreme? “They may be motivated by varying health, spiritual, or environmental concerns,” Yule says.

How the Raw Vegan Diet Works

This diet is pretty straightforward. Take the vegan diet (which means animal products like meat, dairy, fish, eggs, and cheese are all off-limits) and then consume only foods that haven’t been cooked or heated above 118 degrees F.

That means all the foods you consume will be either cold, room temperature, or lukewarm and served in their natural state — no steaming, roasting, or sautéing is allowed.

What the Research Says About the Raw Vegan Diet

Few studies have focused specifically on the raw vegan diet, but there are several that have looked into the vegan diet and the raw food diet individually.

Research has shown veganism can improve weight management, cholesterol and blood pressure control, and the risk of heart disease.

The idea behind eating raw is to preserve as much of the foods’ nutrients as possible. “Some micronutrients are lessened or destroyed through cooking,” Yule says. For instance, up to 38 percent of vitamin C found in broccoli can be lost during the cooking process, notes previous research.

By eating a diet made up mainly of fruits and vegetables, you’ll pack your body with loads of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, which may help prevent certain diseases, such as heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

On a raw-food diet, you should be able to source adequate amounts of vitamin A and high concentrations of beta-carotene, which is a dietary carotenoid that may reduce your risk of chronic disease.

Eating raw may also positively affect your heart. One study found patients at a cardiovascular center who followed a raw vegan diet for four weeks reduced their blood pressure, lipid levels, medication use, and cardiovascular disease risk factors including weight, waist circumference, and heart rate. The study was unable to determine whether those benefits were the result of specifically a raw vegan diet or just a vegan diet, however, so further research is needed.

Common Questions & Answers

What does it mean to follow a raw vegan diet?

It means you eat a vegan diet (no animal products, including meat, dairy, fish, eggs, and cheese) filled with foods that have not been cooked beyond 118 degrees. No steaming, roasting, or sautéing allowed.

Is it healthy to be on a raw vegan diet?

Following a raw vegan diet can increase your intake of fruits and veggies, which means you’ll get plenty of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients like fiber. It can also lead to weight loss if you’re eating healthy foods rather than high-calorie processed foods. But it is restrictive, so you need to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need.

Will I be deficient in certain nutrients?

You could be — eating this way is very restrictive, so you need to pay close attention to what you’re taking in, particularly when it comes to protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, iron, zinc, and iodine. It’s a good idea to work with a registered dietitian to plan meals.

Are there downsides to being a raw vegan?

You risk being deficient in key nutrients. Plus, eating this way can be difficult from a practical standpoint: Your food options are limited, which can make it difficult to feel full, find a dish when dining out, and stick with for the long term.

A Food List of What to Eat and What to Avoid on a Raw Vegan Diet

What to Eat

• Raw fruits
• Raw vegetables
• Sprouted grains, such as unhulled farro and quinoa, that have been soaked rather than cooked
• Sprouted legumes, such as lentils and pinto bean that sprout in warm water
• Raw nuts, which means they were not roasted
• Raw seeds, which means they were not roasted
• Almond milk made with raw almonds
• Raw tofu (many people allow tofu, though it’s made with cooked soybeans; strict adherents to a raw diet will want to avoid it)

What to Avoid

• Coffee
• Cooked grains, including rice and quinoa
• Meat
• Cheese
• Eggs
• Dairy products, including yogurt and milk
• Pasta
• Chips, sweets like cookies and cake, and other processed foods that come in a package
• Honey

A 7-Day Meal Plan for the Raw Vegan Diet

Wondering what you’ll eat on a raw vegan diet? Here’s some meal inspiration, along with links to recipes from various blogs.

Day 1

Breakfast Two homemade date energy bites with a serving of berries

Lunch Raw tacos with cabbage, carrots, avocado, sprouted lentils, and cashew dressing

Dinner Pizza on a flaxseed crust topped with tomatoes, pine nuts, and basil

Snack Grapes and two raw vegan cookies

Day 2

Breakfast Smoothie made with fruit, rolled oats, chia seeds, raw almond butter (made with raw almonds and not roasted almonds)

Lunch Raw zucchini noodles with creamy garlic cashew sauce

Dinner Thai-style raw peanut zoodle salad with sliced veggies

Snack Two homemade energy bites, fruit salad, and a raw vegan brownie

Day 3

Breakfast Banana with two spoonfuls of raw almond butter

Lunch Chilled cucumber soup with avocado slices and sprouted quinoa

Dinner Lettuce wraps stuffed with raw sprouted lentil patties, sprouted quinoa, diced peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado

Snack Trail mix with dried fruit and raw nuts

Day 4

Breakfast Smoothie made with fruit, rolled oats, chia seeds, and raw almond butter

Lunch Spiralized carrots with sun-dried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, basil, and cashew dressing

Dinner Raw vegan lasagna with a side of gazpacho and slices of avocado

Snack Raw vegan brownie

Day 5

Breakfast Raw overnight oats with a spoonful of nut butter and banana slices

Lunch Spinach salad with raw sprouted quinoa, raspberries, walnuts, edamame, and avocado dressing

Dinner Kale salad with diced veggies, raw sprouted lentil patties, and cashew dressing

Snack Spoonful of raw almond butter and raw seeds, and a bowl of mixed fruit

Day 6

Breakfast Smoothie bowl with rolled oats and topped with sliced banana, raw nuts, coconut, and chia seeds

Lunch Salad topped with broccoli, sliced carrots, sprouts, and lentil patties

Dinner Cauliflower rice with smashed avocado, mushrooms, and sprouted lentils

Snack Two homemade energy balls, and a slice of raw carrot cake

Day 7

Breakfast Acai bowl with fresh fruit, sliced banana, nuts, seeds, and raw nut butter

Lunch Greek salad with tomato, cucumber, onion, olives, olive oil, and sprouted quinoa

Dinner Spiralized zucchini with fresh tomatoes, basil, and creamy cashew dressing

Snack Smoothie made with banana, raw vegan protein powder, coconut water, and nut butter

Potential Health Benefits of a Raw Vegan Diet

By eating this way, you’ll tap into the proven health benefits of fruits and vegetables, as noted above.

You’re also likely lose weight if you have previously been eating a traditional Western diet — a plus if this is one of your personal goals. One study found that men who stuck with a raw food diet long term (three-plus years) lost an average of about 22 pounds, while women lost about 26 pounds.

Possible Health Risks of a Raw Vegan Diet

That said, there’s a risk of losing too much weight. In the same study, many of the participants became underweight, and about 30 percent of the women under age 45 experienced amenorrhea, which is when menstruation halts, sometimes as a result of low body weight.

Although some foods are more nutritious when eaten raw, others actually improve with cooking. Tomatoes are one example. The body absorbs lycopene, a type of carotenoid found in tomatoes, more easily when tomatoes are cooked.

Asparagus and squash also offer more antioxidants when cooked.

There are other downsides that’ll affect your everyday: The diet is so restrictive that you’ll end up significantly reducing the amount of food you’re “allowed” to eat, including some good-for-you cooked foods, such as roasted vegetables. As a result of the restrictive nature of this diet, it should be avoided by anyone who has a history of disordered eating behaviors, or is at high risk for them.

This diet can also sometimes lead to nutritional deficiencies. Yule says people who follow a raw vegan diet are at increased risk of deficiencies in vitamin B12, calcium, and iron. You may also miss out on protein, vitamin D, and iodine.

“People on a raw vegan diet are also not consuming the fortified foods that people on a regular vegan diet may be consuming, such as fortified alternative plant-based milks and fortified cereals,” she says. “This lack of fortified foods may heighten their risk of deficiencies.”

In the aforementioned study involving patients at a cardiovascular clinic, following a raw diet reduced these individuals’ intake of saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, protein, and some vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and sodium. But they also increased their intake of other important vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, folate, magnesium, and potassium.

You also need to be sure you’re getting proper amounts of the omega-3s eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which you can supplement with microalgae, according to a previous study.

What to Expect on a Raw Vegan Diet

One of the biggest practical challenges you’ll run into on the raw vegan diet is keeping your meals exciting (though Instagram and TikTok serve up plenty of raw food inspiration!). Eating out can also be a challenge.

Yule doesn’t typically recommend the raw vegan diet because it is so restrictive. But if you decide to move forward with it, consult a healthcare professional first. “I’d recommend checking in with a registered dietitian if you are interested in this diet,” Yule says. “Dietitians can help create a diet plan with you to ensure that you are getting all of the essential nutrients.” You may even be able to find a health professional who specializes in the raw vegan diet and can help you adopt and stick with it in a safe, nutritious way.

Resources We Love

Favorite Organization for Raw Vegans

USDA Nutrition.gov

When you’re eating a raw vegan diet, it’s important to pay close attention to your meals to make sure you’re not missing out on key nutrients. Visit Nutrition.gov and type in the nutrient you’re curious about (protein, for example), and you’ll find information on how much to eat per day, why it’s important to add to your diet, and which foods are good sources. We like how simple yet comprehensive this tool is.

Favorite Resource for Finding a Registered Dietitian

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Because this diet can be restrictive, it can be beneficial to work with an expert who can help you plan meals and ensure you’re still getting the nutrients you need. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers a registered dietitian search tool on its website, so you can easily locate an RD near you.

Favorite App

HappyCow

When following a raw vegan diet, dining out can be challenging, to say the least. This app helps you overcome that hurdle. We love that it comes with lots of options — 150,000 restaurants in its database from all around the world, to be exact — and that it’s free. In the app, check out reviews and photos to help you order the best your selected restaurant has to offer.

Favorite TikTok Account

@Rawmanda

You may not have anyone in your inner circle who eats the way you do, but trust us, your people are out there. Case in point: @Rawmanda, a TikToker who delivers raw vegan recipes plus a peek at some of her favorite vegan products to buy at popular grocery stores, such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s.

Favorite Blogs for Raw Vegan Food Recipes

This Rawsome Vegan Life

When you’re tired and bored of your go-to meals, turn to This Rawsome Vegan Life, a blog that has been running for more than a decade. It’s a great resource for raw vegan recipes — everything from entrees and beverages to desserts (even ice cream!) — that’ll have you looking forward to food preparation again.

The Raw Chef

You’ll have to adopt certain cooking techniques when you commit to a raw vegan diet — likely things you’ve never done before, such as dehydrating foods or sprouting grains. Where do you start? Visit the Raw Chef’s “Learn” section for a variety of resources, like raw vegan courses, livestreams, and recipes.

To Sum It All Up, Should You Adopt a Raw Vegan Diet?

Following a raw vegan diet keeps your body fueled with plenty of vitamins and minerals and will likely result in weight loss. The problem is, it can be so restrictive that it is socially isolating. Also, you run the risk of deficiency in certain nutrients or becoming bored with the few meal options that are available. If you decide to try it, make a plan to stick with it, keep your fridge stocked with food options, and chat with a healthcare professional on how to make the approach as healthy as possible.

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

• Raw Food Diet: Is It Healthier? Cleveland Clinic. January 11, 2021.
• Najjar RS, Moore CE, Montgomery BD. A Defined, Plant-Based Diet Utilized in an Outpatient Cardiovascular Clinic Effectively Treats Hypercholesterolemia and Hypertension and Reduces Medications. Clinical Cardiology. March 2018.
• Craig WJ. Health Effects of Vegan Diets. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. March 11, 2009.
• Yuan G, Sun B, Yuan J, et al. Effects of Different Cooking Methods on Health-Promoting Compounds of Broccoli. Journal of Zhejiang University. August 2009.
• Why Is It Important to Eat Vegetables? U.S. Department of Agriculture. January 12, 2016.
• Garcia AL, Koebnick C, Dagnelie PC, et al. Long-Term Strict Raw Food Diet Is Associated With Favourable Plasma Beta-Carotene and Low Plasma Lycopene Concentrations in Germans. British Journal of Nutrition. June 2008.
• Koebnick C, Strassner C, Hoffmann I, et al. Consequences of a Long-Term Raw Food Diet on Body Weight and Menstruation: Results of a Questionnaire Survey.  Annals of Nutrition & Metabolism. 1999.
• Amenorrhea. Mayo Clinic. April 26, 2018.
• Tomatoes: Major Source of Lycopene. American Institute for Cancer Research. January 2, 2020.
• Vegetarian Diet: How to Get the Best Nutrition. Mayo Clinic. August 3, 2018.
• Saunders AV, Davis BC, Garg ML. Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Vegetarian Diets. Medical Journal of Australia. August 19, 2013.

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5 Day Raw Vegan Recipes Reset (with Shopping List)

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Feed your body with five whole days of fresh, healthy and delicious raw vegan recipes! Everything is easy to throw together and super satisfying.

This is not a diet plan, and isn’t meant to help you lose weight. It’s simply a way to get in some fresh raw foods! There is both fat and protein to keep you going and fill you up. Grab a friend, or two, and join forces to come out feeling better than ever with this raw food reset!

Raw Vegan Recipes

With the New Year just starting, it’s a great time to try something new if you’re looking for a change.

These 5 days of raw vegan recipes give you an easy list of meals to follow. From breakfast to lunch and dinner plus options for snacks and treats, you will never be hungry!

If you’re not familiar with a raw vegan diet, I’m sharing all the information you need to know below! When you are done, I even have a list of all my other vegan meal plans in one spot here.

Disclaimer, I am NOT a doctor nor do I pretend to be. I simply create delicious food that happens to be plant-based, and here also happens to be raw. You should always consult your doctor before making any major diet changes.

What a raw vegan can eat?

Obviously, this diet excludes all animal products. But this diet also uses foods in their raw state and that have not been heated above 118 degrees. A raw vegan diet consists mainly of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouted grains, and legumes.

Is a raw vegan diet healthy?

A raw vegan diet can definitely have its benefits! A raw vegan diet can help with heart health, lowering cholesterol, and can help lower the risk of stroke. This diet can also be beneficial to those with diabetes and aid with weight loss. However, it is important that you discuss any dietary changes with your doctor before beginning.

How do I start a raw vegan diet?

You’re going to need to plan this out. First, you’re going to want to plan your meals out and then make sure your pantry and refrigerator are stocked with all the necessities! The best way to make sure this reset is successful is to make sure you have everything available.

Can raw vegans eat rice?

You can! But not in the way we’re most used to. Because a raw diet requires nothing being heated over 118 degrees, you can’t boil rice. So in order to eat rice, you need to sprout medium grain brown rice. There are many different ways to sprout rice, so find the method that works the best for you!

Do raw vegans cook anything?

Like we said above, nothing can be heated above 118 degrees. So nothing is cooked like you are used to. Raw vegan food is eaten in it’s fresh state, fermented or dehydrated with low heat.

How do raw Vegans get protein?

Nuts and seeds are an amazing source of protein, along with leafy green vegetables. So many foods have protein! It’s important to ensure that you get enough protein in your diet, but this reset will help you figure that all out.

5 Day Raw Food Reset Meal Plan

Tips For This Raw Food Reset

First and foremost, you need to make sure to buy the raw versions of ingredients, there are certain things that easily get mixed up. I’ll list a few main ones here for you to refer to as you go through the raw meal plan and shop for the ingredients:

1. Nuts: make sure you read the ingredients and that it doesn’t say roasted. For most nuts it won’t be too hard to find the raw versions.
2. Seeds: same as above, just make sure they say raw.
3. Grains: in order to eat grains when eating raw, you need to sprout them. It’s not a hard thing to do but for the sake of ease and hoping this 5-day raw reset plan will be something average everyday people can try, I am leaving this out.
4. Milk: Store-bought plant milk is not raw. It is cooked to help it stay preserved. However, making your own while you do a 5-day raw cleanse diet isn’t hard. Refer to this quick and easy way to make your own milk, you will need about 8 cups total for the 5 days (I list how much you need each day below), or more depending on the extra snacks you have. But for the love, if you still want to do this and you have no desire to make your own milk, buy it.
5. I have included enough cashews in the shopping list to make 9 cups of milk for the main recipes here, plus a little extra (not including the extra snack ideas I list at the end) so plan accordingly if you need more, or if you use another nut.
   • Homemade CASHEW milk (you can sub almonds as well), makes 3 cups:
     • Soak 1 cup cashews/almonds in water overnight (or for at least 6 hours) if not using a high-speed blender
     • Drain and rinse, then put them in a blender with 3 cups water and blend until smooth (you can also add vanilla bean powder or dates for added flavor, plan accordingly if you do so and update the shopping list as I kept it simple and plain).
     • Strain by putting the mixture in a nut milk bag, or you can also use cheesecloth or even a clean nylon sock, and squeeze the liquid into a container. You can keep the pulp, or even freeze it, to use in other recipes. There are tons out there!
     • The milk will keep for about 3 days, so you can make a big batch on Day 1 then more on Day 3 to keep things easy. Or you can just make it as you go.
   • Spices: this is a tricky one. Some spices are naturally raw, and some it depends on how they are produced. Sometimes the same spice can be produced raw and sometimes it is not. For the sake of sanity, because we all need to let a little go sometimes, I am not really worrying about it. Unless it’s an obvious cooked spice, I will be using spices in the recipes so if you are the RAW FOOD POLICE, look away. Everyone else, this raw food reset is still rad and uses such little spice that I still consider it raw.

Day 1

• you need about 3 ½ cups total homemade cashew milk for today
• freeze banana for breakfast the day before
• Prep tomorrows breakfast (chia pudding, see day 2 for recipe) later this evening before bed

Breakfast: Banana Berry Smoothie Bowl

• Follow the base recipe, using 1 banana and 1 cup frozen mixed berries as the frozen fruit.
• Use 1 tablespoon almond butter and the homemade cashew milk.
• I have accounted for about 1 tablespoon of each of the following toppings:
  • Shredded coconut
  • Walnuts
  • Hemp seeds
  • Fresh banana slices, strawberries and blueberries
  • Dried mulberries
• You can also sub the dried mulberries for another dried fruit (account accordingly in your shopping list)

Lunch: Loaded Avocado

• ½ avocado
• ½ tomato, chopped
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced red onion
• lemon juice, to taste
• pinch sea salt
• pinch ground black pepper
• crushed red pepper, to taste (optional for spice)

Using a spoon, carefully remove the ½ avocado from it’s skin. Fill the area where the seed was with the chopped tomatoes. Top with the onion, lemon juice, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper (if using). Dig in!

Snack: Banana Nut Sammies

• 1 medium banana
• 1 ½ teaspoons raw almond butter
• 1 ½ teaspoons date paste, water version (make the entire recipe and save in the fridge to use throughout the 5 days)
• pinch sea salt

Slice the banana into 6 equal rounded pieces. Spread the almond butter over half of the slices, then spread the date paste over the other half of the slices. Sprinkle a touch of sea salt over the almond butter. Put pieces together to make sammies, one almond butter piece will be matched with one date paste piece. Stuff into your mouth promptly.

Dinner: Raw Mexican Zucchini Roll Ups

• prep this whole recipe, but only make ½ of it, save the rest of the ingredients for dinner on Day 2 (we will use them in a different way to change things up)
• make half of the chili taco crema recipe, reserve ¼ cup to drizzle over the roll ups tonight and save the rest for later (half will make 1 ½ cups)

Snack: Strawberries with Chocolate Mousse

• make half of the mousse part of the recipe (so half the cashews, dates and cacao powder) but double the strawberries, then save half of what you make for Day 3 (this will help cut the fat and up the healthy berries)
• use ¾ cup homemade cashew milk instead of the coconut milk (this amount already takes into account you are halving it)
• make sure you use raw cacao powder
• don’t use the brownies (hoping this is an obvious one but you never know)

DON’T FORGET TO PREP YOUR CHIA PUDDING FOR TOMORROW MORNING

Day 2

• you don’t need any extra homemade cashew milk for today

Breakfast: Berry Cobbler Chia Pudding (prepped from last night)- loosely based on my recipe for  Overnight Oats

• 1 cup homemade cashew milk
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• ¼ of a ripe banana, mashed (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
• 2 tablespoons date paste (made on Day 1)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean powder
• ½ cup fresh strawberries (can sub other berries, or even frozen, as well just plan accordingly in your shopping list)

Put the milk, chia seeds, banana, hemp seeds, date paste and vanilla extract into a jar or bowl and mix well. mix in strawberries and let set overnight. If you are like me and get a little freaked out by chia seeds once they become pudding like, then keep out the strawberries and blend the next morning into a smooth pudding. Then top with strawberries and enjoy creeped out free!

Note: you can also simply make the overnight oats but I am trying to stay away from the grains as much as I can here, but if you prefer them to the chia pudding then plan accordingly in your shopping list (basically you’d need an extra ½ cup of homemade milk, only 1 tablespoons chia seeds, ½ cup oats and 2/4 cup hemp seeds…everything else stays the same).

Lunch: Tomato Avocado Stacks

• ½ avocado, sliced width wise instead of length wise
• 1 tomato
• 8 large leaves basil (or more smaller leaves)
• drizzle of apple cider vinegar (can use balsamic but it isn’t fully raw)
• pinch sea salt
• drizzle of cold pressed olive oil (optional but the avocado has plenty of fat for the meal)

Slice avocado and tomato into 8 equal pieces. Make sure you slice the avocado width wise into circles versus length wise. Stack the avocado, tomato and basil leaves alternating back and forth between them. Drizzle with vinegar and oil if using. Sprinkle with sea salt. Eat with a knife and fork.

Snack: Caramel Peanut Protein Truffles

• make only ¼ of this recipe, roll into 8 equal sized balls, eat 4 now and save 4 for Day 4
• leave out the chocolate (or if you really want it follow the raw version for chocolate under notes in the recipe but plan accordingly in your shopping list as I did not include the chocolate option)
• because the sugar isn’t fully raw, I am using the option (see notes section in the recipe) of subbing 3 more dates instead to make it easy and keep the ingredients simple (feel free to use whatever sub you like but plan accordingly in the shopping list)

Dinner: Raw Taco Salad (using the leftovers from the zucchini roll ups you made on day 1)

• veggies left over from day 1 dinner
• 2 cups chopped lettuce
• ¼ cup of the chili taco crema (that you made on Day 1)

Chop all of the leftover veggies you kept. Mix with the lettuce. Drizzle the chili taco crema over the top and enjoy!

note: you can use the leftover “taco meat” from day 1 dinner in this or you can save it or freeze it for a later time. I found the avocado to be plenty filling and did not need it.

Snack: Apples and date paste

• 1 apple, sliced
• ¼ cup date paste (made on Day 1)

Simply dip your apple slices in the date paste!

Day 3

• you need 3 ¼ cups homemade cashew milk for today
• prep the popsicles tonight for the snacks you are eating on Day 4 and 5, make half the popsicle recipe (see Day 4 for recipe, I used spinach instead of kale)

Breakfast: Protein Coffee Smoothie

• if you don’t have pea protein then sub with another raw plain protein powder (no added sugars) or sub with ½ cup oats (plan accordingly in your shopping list if you sub)
• use cacao instead of cocoa to keep it raw
• the espresso is not raw, but there is very little in this recipe so I am not worrying about it much like I am not worrying about the spices, however feel free to omit if you want to keep this as raw as possible
• follow the tips to prep ahead in the notes and prep 1 jar of this same smoothie for your breakfast on Day 5

Lunch: Massaged Kale Salad

• 2 cups raw kale, chopped
• ½ avocado, chopped
• 1 tablespoon red onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
• drizzle apple cider vinegar
• drizzle lemon juice
• pinch sea salt
• pinch black pepper

Put kale and avocado into a bowl and massage to slightly mix the two. Add the rest of the ingredients, toss and enjoy!

Snack: Strawberry Chocolate Mousse- leftover from Day 1

Dinner: Raw Zucchini Noodles and Veggies

• make half the recipe, eat half of that for dinner tonight and save the other half for your lunch on Day 4
• use the optional add ins, and use the raw tomato marinara option instead of the pesto
• use ½ cup hemp seeds instead of the Parmesan

Snack: Shamrock Chip Shake (who cares if it’s not March, it’s good!)

• use the 4 dates instead of maple syrup and cacao nibs to keep it raw
• omit the whipped topping

DON’T FORGET TO PREP THE POPSICLES FOR TOMORROW

Day 4

• you need ¾ cups homemade cashew milk for today

Breakfast: Blueberry Peach Pecan Acai Smoothie Bowl

• if you don’t have or don’t want to buy an acai packet then just use another ¾ cup of blueberries (plan accordingly in your shopping list)
• I accounted for 1 tablespoon of each of the toppings in the recipe

Lunch: Leftover Raw Zucchini Noodles and Veggies from dinner on Day 3

Snack: Eat 1 Blueberry Mango Banana Breakfast Pop, prepped on Day 3 (not just for breakfast!)

Dinner: Mexican Collard Wraps

• Raw walnut meat from Zucchini Roll Ups (just make the walnut meat portion, save half of it for dinner on Day 5)
• 4 collard leaves
• ½ avocado, sliced
• ½ red pepper, sliced
• ½ tomato, sliced
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup chili taco cream, leftover from Day 1

Fill collard leaves with ingredients, roll up like a taco or burrito and dip into chili taco crema

Snack: Caramel Peanut Protein Truffles (leftover from Day 2)

• you don’t need any extra homemade cashew milk for today

Breakfast: Protein Coffee Smoothie (jar was prepped on day 3, see recipe to make)

Lunch: Mango Avocado Salsa Salad

• ½ mango, chopped
• ½ avocado chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• sea salt, to taste
• 2 cups lettuce, chopped
• optional drizzle of chili taco crema made on Day 1

Put everything, except lettuce, into a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped and mixed together. Place in a bowl with the chopped lettuce and mix well to incorporate. Drizzle with chili taco crema if using and enjoy!

Snack: Banana Nut Sammies

• 1 medium banana
• 2 tablespoons raw almond butter
• 2 tablespoons date paste, water version (make the entire recipe and save in the fridge to use throughout the 5 days)
• pinch sea salt

Slice the banana into 6 equal rounded pieces. Spread the almond butter over half of the slices, then spread the date paste over the other half of the slices. Sprinkle a touch of sea salt over the almond butter. Put pieces together to make sammies, one almond butter piece will be matched with one date paste piece.

Dinner: Mexican Slaw Salad

• leftover walnut meat from dinner on day 4
• Mexican Cabbage Slaw (make ¼ of the recipe, use apple cider vinegar and water not broth in the dressing to keep raw)

Mix the two and enjoy!

Snack: Eat 1 Blueberry Mango Banana Breakfast Pop, prepped on Day 3 (not just for breakfast!)

More Raw Vegan Recipes:

This reset is a great tool to get you started with eating raw, but there may be things you don’t love. So here is a collection of other raw vegan recipes that you can add or substitute. Just make sure to adjust the shopping list accordingly!

Fresh Citrus Salsa and Vegan Citrus Cream Sauce

• use it as a topping or dip

Fully Loaded Guacamole Dip

Grateable Vegan Parmesan Cheese

Authentic Vegan Greek Tzatziki

• use it as a topping or dip

Fresh Anti-Inflammatory Juice

Kale Pesto

• use it as a topping or dip

Raw Superfood Balls

Salsa Crema

• make the salsa crema as a dip for raw veggies
• use a fresh raw salsa instead of a roasted

Peanut Butter Cup Milkshake

• use homemade cashew milk and the option of 4 dates to keep it fully raw
• follow the option for added spinach for a healthy punch

Raw Vegan Protein Packed Brownie Batter Bites

Thinking about more ways to be plant-based? Check out these helpful blog posts!

• Vegan Benefits – A Low Stress Approach
• 7 Day Vegan Meal Plan
• 30 Healthy Vegan Recipes

5 Day Raw Vegan Recipes Reset (with Shopping List)

Sophia DeSantis

Feed your body with five whole days of fresh, healthy and delicious raw vegan recipes! Everything is easy to throw together and super satisfying.

5 from 8 votes

Prep Time 2 hrs 30 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins

Course Breakfast, Lunch, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 5 days

Calories 780 kcal

Produce:

• 4 cups lettuce
• 2 cups kale
• 2 ½ cups spinach
• ½ cup shredded cabbage
• ½ cup broccoli slaw (or sub extra cabbage if you can’t find it)
• 4 collard leaves
• 4 avocados
• 4 tomatoes (medium size)
• 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes
• ½ cup broccoli
• 4 zucchini (medium size)
• 2 zucchini (small size)
• 1 ½ cups chopped mushrooms
• 1 yellow pepper
• 2 red pepper
• ½ cup carrots
• 1 red onion
• 2 green onions
• 2 lemons
• 3 limes
• 1 cup cilantro
• 8 leaves basil (large size)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 clove garlic
• 6 bananas
• 2 ¾ cups strawberries
• ¼ cup blueberries
• 1 mango
• 1 apple
• 47 Medjool dates

Frozen:

• 1 cup mixed berries
• 1 ¼ cup blueberries
• ¼ cup mango
• 1 cup peaches
• 1 packet acai (or sub with ¾ cup frozen blueberries)

Condiments:

• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• drizzle cold pressed olive oil (if using or omit)

Nuts, Seeds, dried fruit:

• 4 ½ cups raw cashews
• 3 tablespoons raw peanuts
• 9 tablespoons raw pecans (½ cup plus 1 tablespoon)
• 33 tablespoons raw walnuts (2 cups plus 1 tablespoon)
• 1 tablespoon dried mulberries (or sub for another dried fruit)
• 10 ½ teaspoons raw almond butter
• 1 cup sundried tomatoes (dry or in water, no oil)
• 8 tablespoons chia seeds (you actually need 7 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon)
• ¾ cup hemp seeds
• 2 tablespoons dried shredded coconut
• ¼ cup cacao nibs

Baking and Spices:

• 4 teaspoons sea salt
• ½ teaspoon round black pepper
• pinch lemon pepper
• pinch crushed red pepper
• ¼ cup chili powder
• ¼ cup cumin
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract (or vanilla bean seeds)
• ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 ½ teaspoons rolled oats (gluten-free if needed)
• 8 tablespoons raw cacao powder

Miscellaneous:

• 2 tablespoons Pea protein powder (plain, unsweetened or sub another raw plain powder)
• 1 teaspoon ground espresso beans (omit if you are trying to stay fully raw)
• 12 ice cubes (in case you need to freeze some)

• Servings are 5 days worth. But this meal plan is for ONE person.
• Nutritional information is based on an average of all recipes listed, so some meals may be more than the shown nutrition info and some may be less.
• For example, the vast majority of the cashews are used to make homemade cashew milk, in which you discard the cashew pulp and therefore do not eat the cashews.
• Also, the amount of sauce used will vary from person to person, use less to reduce the total amount of fat and calories. For accurate nutrition information please calculate individually.

Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.

Calories: 780kcalCarbohydrates: 96gProtein: 20gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 6gSodium: 47mgPotassium: 1894mgFiber: 18gSugar: 60gVitamin A: 3125IUVitamin C: 95.9mgCalcium: 179mgIron: 7.3mg

Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.

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I hope you enjoy this 5 days of getting yourself back on track and feeling better than ever!

Vegan raw foodist Aleksey Lipyakovsky

Hello, my name is Alexey Lipyakovsky. I would like to share my experience of vegetarianism. I have been on a plant-based diet for seven years now, four years of which I have been a vegan and two years a raw vegan.

How did I get into vegetarianism? I was doing some energy practices, and at some point I needed to move further, but I stood in a stupor.

Since my intuition works very strongly, I asked the Universe a question. And she replied: “Give up the meat.” I refused meat, and everything worked out. At the same time, the breakthrough was quite strong. After some time, about a month later, I felt that some kind of veil had come off my eyes. It seems that vision has become better, brighter colors, more interesting, there has been a certain energy upsurge. Plus, I had health problems, my heart ached a little, and there were problems with pressure. After I switched to vegetarianism, it all moved aside, and quite quickly.

One of the mistakes of novice vegetarians is that they refuse meat, poultry, fish, but at the same time consume a large amount of eggs (in the same cakes) and milk. It was my mistake. He refused meat, but began to eat a large number of eggs, pastries, dairy products. After some time, health problems began. I went to doctors, probably visited two or three clinics. But in the end I realized that they couldn’t help me with anything other than sucking money out of me and giving useless pills. So I decided to figure it out myself. I increased the amount of vegetables and fruits, removed milk and eggs. And there were no problems. After that, I changed my diet many times. Started lecturing on vegetarianism. I am currently a vegan raw foodist. I eat according to the principle of Arnold Ehret, he impresses me very much.

The last experiment I did on myself was last year. I had about twelve workouts a week. Five of them were Ashtanga yoga, two of them were done by my students, and about five were hard Muay Thai workouts. I was preparing for the performance and did it all on a raw food diet. Only due to the fact that there was good nutrition – fruits, vegetables, and everything is balanced – I recovered very quickly. And I was ready the very next day to perform, stretch, and do everything that I did. I needed about four to six hours of sleep. My body recovered tremendously quickly. I understood that with such a load that I created for myself, it was impossible to eat anything other than vegetables and fruits. I wouldn’t have survived.

There are situations when young people are afraid to switch to a plant-based diet because they see raw vegans, they are so thin and skinny. All this is really nonsense. During the transition, your body changes. That is, all the slags come out of you, and it is built anew. If you give the right physical activity, then the body will rebuild new strong muscles that will allow you to exist peacefully in this world.

If we take the same fights, then often my opponents were exhausted, that is, they had no stamina, and the stamina of raw vegans is very, very high. Even in the wild, mind you, bunnies, deer can always run away from a wolf. The wolf will not catch up with them. The wolf is a meat eater. And they run away. And the wolf eats only sick bunnies and deer.

Friends, I recommend that you try to read a couple of books, watch videos on the Internet. Arnold Ehret’s book “Mucusless Diet”; I think this is a foundation, a very powerful book. For those who are interested in scientific data, this is Colin Campbell’s China Study, everything is laid out on the shelves. Four hundred pages – and that’s it, you will become a vegetarian. As well as films: “Earthlings”, “Forks against knives”, “Fat, sick and almost dead.”

I don’t think you should quit instantly. You can do this, but it’s difficult. Start with information substitution: first, read books, watch shows, talk to vegetarians, vegans, go to yoga. You will see – there is evidence that this is correct, this is true, this is a sound path of development. And gradually start giving up.

The transition from a standard “civilized” diet to vegetarianism, I think, is possible in three to four months. First, we do not eat meat for a month, but we eat everything else. We refuse gradually from chicken, seafood, then from milk and eggs.

Raw vegan food

Contents

• Introduction
• I was a raw foodist
• Cooking history
• Is cooked food toxic?
• Enzymes
• Is a raw food diet a healthy diet?
• Orthorexia
• BeyondVeg.com
• References

Introduction

A raw food diet is a dietary philosophy in which all or almost all food consists of raw foods. Raw foodists are generally vegan, and it is the raw vegans that this article is aimed at. As I understand it, the trend in recent years in the raw food diet is to ensure that the diet consists of at least 80% (by volume) of raw products, but not 100%.

I was a raw foodist

In 1993, I became interested in the raw food diet. I had had regular problems with my teeth over the previous few years, resulting in a constant need for fillings. One of my co-workers from the natural food distribution cooperative told me that my cavities were due to an unnatural diet. He noted that wild animals do not cook food and do not have such dental problems.

Around this time, I met a couple of raw foodists who shared literature and moral support with me. They, like me, were animal advocates and looked healthy and active, so they were good role models.

From the fall of 1993 to 1995, I ate about 90% raw food. I also read all available literature and various articles that I could find on this topic. They contained many stories of people beating heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other diseases through a raw food diet.

Diet, of course, makes sense. Since humans are the only animals that cook food, doesn’t it make sense that we should eat more naturally, i.e. raw food…isn’t it?

But this diet didn’t work for me. By going raw, I already had a low amount of body fat, but during the diet I lost another 10 pounds (about 4. 5 kg). While doing weightlifting, I noticed that my strength decreased significantly. I started getting frequent colds (some speculate that this was due to detoxification of the body; the more likely explanation for me is that I didn’t eat enough protein to prevent infections). I was obsessed with food and really wanted to eat cooked food. The couple who mentored me also struggled with their desires.

Eventually, I accepted that a raw food diet wasn’t for me and slowly began to return to eating cooked foods. Although I tried to resist, my diet began to include more and more cooked foods. Since 1997, my diet has consisted almost entirely of cooked food.

The experience shifted my interest to studying diet within the framework of science, researching more of the published scientific literature and ignoring popular articles and anecdotal reports. As I studied more of the scientific literature, it became clear that many of the claims about the raw food diet were not true.

Cooking history

Some raw foodists claim that people have started eating cooked food recently. But in their 2003 paper “Cooking as a Biological Trait,” Harvard University anthropologists Richard Wrangham and Nancy Lou Conklin-Britten cite research that states “Cooking was widespread at least 250,000 years ago” (3). Some evidence points to a different historical period, 1.6 million years ago. They also claim that it takes about 5,000 years or less for the human body to adapt to different ways of eating. The bottom line is that people have been eating cooked food for long enough to adapt to such a diet. This may explain the fact that many raw foodists are not satisfied with the diet.

Richard Wrangham’s theory suggests that cooking is the factor that allowed human ancestors to increase brain size; the theory was discussed under Science Questions on June 15, 2007 (Food for Thought: Has Cooking Affected the Evolutionary Growth of the Human Brain?). By cooking, we have made food more digestible (breaking down plant fibers and muscle tissue) and therefore getting more calories with less digestive effort, resulting in less work for the gastrointestinal tract and more energy for developing our brains.

A 2010 review of “Chu on It: Thank Cooking for Our Big Brains” also discussed Wrangham’s work. It reflects the suggestion that the fewer molars in Homo erectus and Homo sapiens may be the result of cooking.

Is cooked food toxic?

Some raw foodists claim that cooked food is toxic or poisonous. There is a good article by Jean-Louis on the subject “Is Cooked Food Poison?” which says:

“Cooking produces some toxins but neutralizes others. All plants contain at least some amount of ‘natural pesticides’. There is no such thing as a toxin-free diet. Within normal limits, toxins present in food after cooking , can be effectively neutralized by the body, and do not lead to any degenerative diseases.”

Cooking has both negative and positive aspects. Cooking food, especially for a long time, can reduce the amount of vitamins in food. During boiling, some vitamins and minerals evaporate. Chemists think that food burned or cooked in overheated, smoking oil can cause cancer. Deep frying produces trans fats.

On the positive side, cooking can break down food components that otherwise bind minerals and prevent their absorption. Cooking also softens the fibers, allowing you to eat more food. Cooking releases some nutrients, such as beta-carotene and other antioxidants, for easier absorption. Cooking denatures proteins, essentially flattening them out, which aids in digestion. Cooking destabilizes the toxic components of some foods, such as some of the goiter-producing properties of broccoli. The cooking process makes many foods more edible. Cooking may reduce allergic reactions caused by certain foods (5).

While fiber is an essential nutrient and most people need to consume more of it, a vegan diet can be too high in fiber depending on the diet. Fiber provides very little energy, and vegans with high energy needs will benefit by eating plenty of cooked foods. On the other hand, people who want to lose weight will benefit from eating plenty of high-fiber, uncooked foods.

Enzymes

Digestive enzymes help break down molecular bonds in food. Some raw foodists claim that eating raw foods can prolong life because raw foods contain digestive enzymes that aid in the digestion of food and relieve the body of the need to produce its own digestive enzymes. Some argue that the body has a limited ability to produce enzymes, and one day, when the ability is used up, it will lead to death.

Stomach acid destroys most of the enzymes in raw foods before those enzymes can do anything to digest the food.

Rather than claim that people will die from a lack of digestive enzymes, it is more correct to say that their ability to digest food will decrease over time as their ability to produce digestive enzymes decreases.

Is a raw food diet a healthy diet?

Few studies have been done on whether eating raw food will prevent most diseases, and there has not been a single study on the incidence among raw foodists.

Many people who try to switch to a raw food diet, like me, do not succeed, while others, on the contrary, turn out to be much healthier, for example, bodybuilder Giacomo Marchisa.

Raw vegans may benefit from following the general guidelines for vegans listed in the Recommendations table.

Raw foodists should make sure they are getting enough vitamin B12 and not rely on natural sources such as seaweed or fermented foods.

Of great concern in a raw food diet is bone health. The most important study to date on bone health in vegans found that vegans have a higher rate of fractures if they do not consume at least 525 mg of calcium per day. I strongly recommend that vegans, including raw foodists, consume at least 700 mg of calcium per day (the recommended daily allowance is 1,000 mg for adults under 50 and 1,300 mg for adults over 50). A 2005 study showed that raw foodists consume an average of 579mg of calcium per day and have lower mean bone mineral density than non-vegetarian controls (2).

Another reason for poor bone health may be low body fat in raw-food women, which leads to a lack of estrogen needed to continue menstruating, and this condition leads to poor bone health. A 1999 study found that 30% of raw-food women had partial or complete amenorrhea (1). Raw women need to make sure they are getting enough calories to prevent amenorrhea.

Protein can be a problem for many raw foodists. The amino acid lysine is very limited in plant foods other than legumes; and legumes, as a rule, are not consumed in large quantities by raw foodists. The importance of protein is often mocked in vegan and raw food circles, but in the long run, a mild protein deficiency can affect bone and possibly other tissue health. If you are a raw foodist who eats less than 100% raw foods, you can include legumes as a cooked meal.

Finally, the reason I was initially interested in the raw food diet, prevention of tooth decay, would not be solved by the diet. It turned out that a 1999 study found that raw food eaters had significantly more tooth erosion than controls (4). By not consuming extreme amounts of dry foods or citrus fruits, and by meticulously maintaining dental hygiene, the problem of cavities could have been prevented.

Orthorexia

Orthorexia is a problem in people who believe that cooked and/or processed foods are toxic. The term orthorexia was coined by Steven Bratman, MD, to describe an eating disorder characterized by an overemphasis on eating only healthy foods. In rare cases, this can lead to severe malnutrition or even death.

BeyondVeg.com

For more information on the raw food diet, you can check out BeyondVeg.com, which has a list of peer-reviewed studies and essays on the raw food diet.

References

1. Koebnick C, Strassner C, Hoffmann I, Leitzmann C. Consequences of a long-term raw food diet on body weight and menstruation: results of a questionnaire survey. Ann Nutr Metab. 1999;43(2):69-79. PubMed PMID: 10436305. (Abstract)

2. Fontana L, Shew JL, Holloszy JO, Villareal DT. Low bone mass in subjects on a long-term raw vegetarian diet.Arch Intern Med. 2005 Mar 28;165(6):684-9. PubMed PMID: 15795346.

3. Wrangham R, Conklin-Brittain N.