A=Alexia G=Graeme

A: Hello Graeme.

G: Hello

A: Ok, so you are a 'raw-vegan'. What exactly does that mean, and how does it differ to plain veganism?

G:A diet that includes raw fruit,vegetables,nuts and seeds. Basically all eaten raw, soaked or sprouted and relatively unprocessed. But you would be amazed at the amount of different fruits , vegetables, nuts and seeds that you can enjoy and the various recipes you can make. For example none of the starchy vegetables, no pasta or rice, potatoes or bread or most beans, and no cooking if you are 100% raw.

A: Does your diet include drink as well as food?

G:I drink only water or freshly made green or fruit juices or nut milks.

A: When did you become a raw vegan and what were your reasons for doing it?

G: I became vegan for ethical and animal concerns and felt much healthier on a vegan diet and read on the internet the benefits of raw vegan diet which intrigued me and decided in October 2000 to try incorporating a high percentage of raw foods in my diet. I had suffered with asthma breathing problems, several long chest infections in the winter, tiredness in the mornings and after heavy meals, allergic reactions and being a bit overweight, although I did not consider myself unhealthy and fairly normal. I had so much more energy and felt happier and more in tune with nature and from the end of May 01 I had no desire for cooked food so have been 100% raw since June 01. My allergies and asthma and chest infections all disapeared. My energy was so good and I wake up in the mornings alert and without an alarm clock. I now enjoy plenty exercise from playing sports, running and weight lifting, yoga and achieve good progress.

A: What is your typical daily grub?

G: Breakfast 4 Oranges, or a melon or an almond or hemp nut milk. Lunch A kilo of Pears or apples. Early Eve Celery/Kale/Cucumber/Apple green juice. Eve A green salad of Lettuce,celery,tomatoe with either an avocado or nuts or olives or sprouted seeds or raw hummus or seed mix. Or a green soup, banana smoothes of banana and berries with ground flax seed and coconut oil, or banana smoothes of banana and raw carob powder, or Mangos.


G: Cooked is anything cooked or the majority of processed or unfresh products. For example most nuts and seeds are heat treated but if they will sprout they would be considered raw. Unroasted almonds are a good nut to eat. Drink water normally first thing in the morning and later if I feel thirsty i tend to drink distilled water. I Will take some truly cold pressed oils such as olive, hemp and flax oils but not often. I Use a Vitamix blender and green juicer to make my own processed foods from the numerous raw recipes.

A: We are led to believe that veganism is the most ethical way of eating. Do raw vegans extend this to another level, or has it got more to with health or environmental issues?

G: I think veganism and raw veganism are both ethical ways of living. In some ways as it encourages the growth of trees and fruit trees produce food in abundance. And vegetables, grains and seeds use up much less land and water, although there is the food miles in the transportation particular of the tropical fruits and it helps if you eat more locally. So I try and grow food for myself. Year round Indoor Sunflower and Buckweat greens and alfalfa Berries, Lettuces, Tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers, peppers, and sweetcorn in the summer, with locally grown organic produce and wild foods. And you will not need to make much use of health resources as you are unlikely to be unwell.

A: Do you have difficulty in eating out?

G: t makes it more difficult or restricted, although most places can create a raw vegetable or fruit salad , especially if you talk to them beforehand.

A: Is there anything you miss?

G: occasionally miss cooked soups and cooked mushrooms, onions, rice and toast but it probably would taste strange now as your taste buds change and I enjoy the fresh tastes of vegetables and fruit.

A: Do you get all of the vitamins (eg. B12), minerals and nutrition (eg. Carbohydrates) that you need?

G: I get an abundance of vitamins from fruit and minerals from vegetables, nuts and seeds. It seems to be lower in zinc and selenium but you can eat brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds and other seeds/nuts to keep these levels up. And there are doubts about vitamin B12 so I take a vegan B12 supplement which I recommend that everyone supplements with this as it is deficient in all diets. You also do not get any Vit D but as long as you get out in the sun this is not a problem and again you can supplement if you want in the winter although normally the body stores this fairly well. I get plenty carbs. They are simple carbs rather than complex and fruit has plenty fibre and give me plenty energy. Although some people on a raw diet take a high fat diet with minimal fruit preferring nuts, seeds and oils and vegetables.

A: Are there any organisations that you belong to or websites you could suggest people taking a look at?

G: I belong to the Freshnetwork which is based in Ely near Cambridge and help them with some of their events. I also recommend Shazzie.com and to read her journals and joining the freshnetwork email list and looking at their website. Also Living-foods.com and living-foods.co.uk are other good web sites.

A: Finally, do you have any tips for any budding raw vegans out there?

G: tart by increasing the amount of fruit and salads that you eat. I started with having fruit for breakfast and more fruit during the morning if I was hungry and partly cooked meals for lunch and dinner, then after I was happy doing this I then changed my lunch to a salad rather than a sandwich and eventually to a salad or more fruit before dinner, and then to incorporating all raw days and see where it takes you. You have to eat considerably more volume to stop you feeling hungry as fruit and vegetables are high in water and low in calories. Read some of the considerable amount of books on rawfoods to inspire you, and listen to your body and how you are feeling, and to be relaxed about it. And go along to Raw events to see how other people are getting on.

A: Thanks a lot Graeme, take care

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