Foundations of Raw Food Nutrition™ is a one-day course designed to provide a solid framework for the understanding and real world application of whole food, vegan, and raw food nutrition. This class is presented from a scientifically-based, yet user-friendly perspective. People of all knowledge levels can benefit from the topics and concepts that will be presented in this class.

Foundations of Raw Food Nutrition™ is a great course for beginners who want to learn how to create a stable foundation for success in implementing powerful and sustainable food choices, helping to propel them toward the greater expression of vibrant health and vitality. Those with more knowledge and/or experience with raw food nutrition will appreciate the solid rational framework this class provides, by helping organize fragmented and often contradictory bits and pieces of nutritional knowledge into a cohesive, results-oriented model. Additionally, friends and family you may wish to invite will appreciate the down to earth, common sense approach this course offers. Each student will receive a comprehensive set of class notes that follow along with the power point presentations.

Class outline : 

1) We begin with an examination of different food categories for vitamin, mineral, and calorie density, phytonutrients, antioxidants, total fat content, saturated vs. unsaturated fats, trans fats, pro-inflammatory vs. anti-inflammatory fats, cholesterol, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and more. 

2) The importance of each of these nutritional components will be clearly explained and then analyzed. We will look at the nutritional components objectively, without the influence of marketing. Did you know that some cuts of meat that claim to be “95% fat free” actually have 50% of their calories from fat, much of which is saturated? Come learn how to never be fooled again!

3) An overview of the results of 9 major studies from the peer-reviewed scientific literature that support the benefits of a diet based on whole natural plant foods will be presented. This includes the work of Drs. Dean Ornish, T. Colin Campbell, John McDougall, Neal Barnard, Caldwell Esselstyn, and William Castelli, as well as the Pritikin Longevity Center.

4) Once the benefits of whole natural plant foods are firmly established, the afternoon session uncovers the additional benefits of eating most plant foods in their raw state. This includes an examination of calorie density and weight management, nutrient loss during cooking, the importance of the different types of enzymes, and an overview of the 5 different categories of “cooked food toxins” that are avoided when we consume raw plant foods. 

5) Finally, we examine four typical, yet totally different raw food diets, and show a comprehensive nutrient analysis of each.  We will then go on to discuss how to structure a health promoting raw diet, and how to make sense out of conflicting information such as mostly fruit vs. little or no fruit, low fat raw vs. high fat raw, etc.  We will also discuss where different raw and cooked foods fit on the health continuum, the importance of greens, and other relevant health topics in addition to diet.

This course is offered on the following 2009 dates:

TBA

For those of you who would like to expand your understanding of whole food, vegan, and raw food nutrition, our two-day Science of Raw Food Nutrition I™ is next in our Science of Raw Food Nutrition™ series. Although neither course has a prerequisite, Foundations of Raw Food Nutrition™ and Science of Raw Food Nutrition I™ are designed to compliment each other for an unbeatable foundation in the understanding and real world application of raw food nutrition.