Living the Food Label

I have been hearing a lot about “labels” lately.  It can be challenging to call oneself a “raw foodist” or “vegan” or any kind of label like that, at least when you are first starting out.  It doesn’t allow for any “wiggle room” in case you make an error in your diet.

It’s one thing to make a poor food choice, accept any consequences (like feeling ill) and learning from it and moving on, but it’s a whole other issue when you have strictly labeled yourself because you then add another layer of guilt and feeling like a failure. This can cause even more problems for you from a mental stand point and take even longer for you to get on with life.  This is why I have adopted the term “aspiring raw foodist.” It allows me the flexibility to try my best to live a healthy lifestyle, but not beat myself up if I miss the mark sometimes.

Lately, I have also been hearing some alternative view points on the nutritive value of certain veggies actually being higher if they are cooked.   So, here comes another label:  “Nutritarian,” which was created by Dr Joel Fuhrman. He defines it as:

“A nutritarian is a person who strives for more micronutrients per calorie in their diet-style. A nutritarian understands that food has powerful disease-protecting and therapeutic effects and seeks to consume a broad array of micronutrients via their food choices. It is not sufficient to merely avoid fats, consume foods with a low glycemic index, lower the intake of animal products, or eat a diet of mostly raw foods. A truly healthy diet must be micronutrient rich and the micronutrient richness must be adjusted to meet individual needs. The foods with the highest micronutrient per calorie scores are green vegetables, colorful vegetables, and fresh fruits. For optimal health and to combat disease, it is necessary to consume enough of these foods that deliver the highest concentration of nutrients.”

In the following short video Dr Fuhrman discusses whether it is better to eat vegetables cooked or raw:

Well, one thing is clear, there are an awful lot of varying opinions out there and it seems that the most restrictive ways of eating (like fruitarian, as an example) often seem to lead to vitamin or mineral deficiencies. 

For me, I think the safest way to live as “normal” of a life as possible, while maintaining a high level of health is be “raw vegan at home” and vegetarian while I am dining out and am in social situations. At this particular point in my life, this seems to make the most sense.

(“I’m Vegan” photo borrowed from the “I’m Vegan” documentary)