Most vegans are quite passionate about their diet. Its inspiring how much they believe in the way they eat - listening to a hardcore vegan talk about the benefits the diet have not only on the body, but the spirit and the earth in general is a treat.
Most raw foodists are vegans. Its rather logical, if you think about it. Most people have developed a revulsion to raw meats (for good reason I should add), and raw milks and cheeses can be difficult and expensive to obtain.
Vegans do not eat any animal products — that includes honey. I imagine there are some people who consider themselves vegans who eat honey, because I just heard that honey was part of the vegan “Do not eat” list a few months ago and I’ve been reading vegan cookbooks and nutritional books for years. Or maybe it just slid past me — sometimes even obvious facts do that to the best of us. Many people who become raw foodists have already been vegans for some time when they start — most people become vegans when they become raw foodists.
Vegetarians will eat milks, cheeses, eggs but not meat. I’ve known some people who consider themselves vegetarians who eat fish. Its not my job to judge what people call themselves. It is possible to be a vegetarian raw foodist, though how much you can incorporate cheeses and milks depends on your finances and the laws in your area. In my state it is illegal to sell raw milk, though I do happen to know of a source who sells in the city. I’ve only gotten it once and it is delicious — he usually sells out and beats feet before I have a chance to get to him. I do regularly get raw cheese. I find it to be a filling and relatively inexpensive way to fill out my diet. Fresh fruits and vegetables are expensive and a good slice of cheese can make a slim meal feel more fulfilling. I’ve also been known to throw a free range organic egg into my green smoothie (its completely changes the texture, its a nice change of pace occasionally).
And finally there are the omnivores. There are indeed raw foodists who eat raw meat. If you’ve ever owned a Juiceman Juicer, there is a juicing recipe in there that includes raw meat. I haven’t gotten to that point yet, but I do intend to try it whenever I buy another Juiceman Juicer (my current one is almost five years old and broken). If you own a dehydrator, I understand that you can make jerky from raw meat. I do eat meat still, and I eat it cooked. It is the only thing I regularly eat that is cooked (not that I don’t still have moments of weakness otherwise). But I eat grass-fed beef, and when I get a dehydrator I am going to dehydrate my grass-fed beef.
I do have moral issues with eating meat. I’ve tried to not eat meat and found myself unable to do it. I’m hoping eventually once I’m completely raw I’ll be able to start weaning meat and animal products out of my diet. In the meantime, I want to do what I can to make sure that the meat I eat is something I feel is moral and healthy.
If you have an issue with the fact that I eat meat, or say I’m not a real raw foodist because I eat cooked meat — then that is your opinion and I understand and respect that. But I consider myself to be a raw foodist because I try to maintain the highest levels of raw foods in my diet I can maintain.
The pound of grass fed ground beef I buy lasts a week. The price equivilant in fruit can last me a few days if I’m in the mood to be really hungry. Unfortunately I’m not rolling in money and adding meat to my diet has reduced my hunger and my many trips to the grocery store for more fruits. While my overall plan is to stop eating meats eventually, I’m still evaluating the effect of meat on my body and how I feel on days I don’t and on days I do. I have to admit, I feel much lighter and more energetic on days I don’t.
