In today’s video blog, I showcase a delicious recipe called Plantain Pudding (contributed by Ellen Livingston at www.LivingYogaNow.com) from my healthy raw recipe book:

“Low Fat, Fruit Filled, High Fun Raw Recipes”

Delicious and Healthy Raw Vegan Favorites for Every Meal

I also give some vital tips for preparing and eating the oft-forgot plantain.  For instance, did you know that plantains contain more calories per ounce than bananas?

Don’t miss it!

Plantain Pudding

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe plantains (black on the outside, soft on the inside)
• 2 bananas
• (Garnish): Celery, finely diced

Directions:

Blend everything until smooth and creamy.  Garnish with finely diced celery.

Swayze’s Tips:

When it comes to tasty plantains, you want them really black on the outside and super duper soft on the inside…the uglier the better!  Trust me, you do not want to dig into a sweet pudding full of unripe, chalky plantain.

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

P.S. If you’d like more tasty and healthy raw recipes, be sure to check out “Low Fat, Fruit Filled, High Fun Raw Recipes” at the link below:

www.fitonraw.com/low-fat-raw-vegan-favorites

* Feature Article: Are Raw Sweeteners Really Raw And Healthy?

* Your Questions Answered: Is it Okay to Consume Macadamia Nut Oil?

Are Raw Sweeteners Really Raw And Healthy?

I find it quite ridiculous interesting that so many raw foodists are completely fruit-phobic and yet they have no qualms about eating tablespoon after tablespoon of refined sweeteners like agave and honey.

You would think that someone who severely limits their consumption of sweet fruit because the simple sugars “cause Candidiasis” would be even MORE careful about his or her use of concentrated sweeteners.

And now that we’re on the topic, what about raw sweeteners?  Are they really raw?  Are they good for us?  Are they even that tasty?

Agave Not Really Raw?!

There’s been some controversy over the past year or so about raw agave nectar.  Apparently, some manufacturers were not being completely honest about the “rawness” of their product.

For those who don’t know, agave nectar comes from the agave plant (usually the Blue Agave) growing in Southern Mexico.  It is a succulent (adept at storing water) similar to Aloe Vera and looks like this:

The plants are harvested, crushed and the resulting sap removed.  The sap is then heated to create the concentrated liquid known as agave nectar or syrup.

Fun little fact: Agave is actually the plant from which tequila is made!

Anyway, wanna know my first reaction to the whole agave scandal?

Ummm, DUH!

Agave nectar (even if it is not heated over 115 116 118 oh hell, whatever the temperature is!) is a refined product and, therefore, is NOT a raw food!

And this applies to ALL refined “raw” products, not just agave.  Dried fruit, dried nuts, even sun-dried tomatoes are not truly raw (i.e. unprocessed) by definition.

But Is It Good For You?

There are many ways one can define “good for you” or “healthy”.  Some people view those foods that make them feel good as healthy, while others simply follow the current health trend (one day eggs are full of cholesterol and bad fats, the next they’re rich in vitamin k and low in calories).

I classify healthy foods as those that are health promoting.  These are foods that are easy to digest, absorb, assimilate, eliminate and most importantly…delicious!

There is nothing present in agave nectar that cannot be found in fresh fruits and vegetables.  You can live your entire life without touching the stuff and be perfectly healthy.

In fact, since agave is a refined food, there is very much missing from the product.  Just as I brought up with regard to Fruit2Day a while back, processed foods have had much of the water removed and many vital nutrients along with that water.

You may hear raw agave nectar being touted as a low glycemic food, but as long-term raw foodist John Kohler mentions in this article, agave nectar has an…

…unusually high concentration of fructose (90%) compared to the small amount of glucose (10%).  Nowhere in nature does this ratio of fructose to glucose occur naturally. One of the next closest foods that contain almost this concentration of glucose to fructose is high fructose corn syrup used in making soda(HFCS 55), which only contains 55% fructose. Even though fructose is low on the glycemic index, there are numerous problems associated with the consumption of fructose in such high concentrations as found in concentrated sweeteners:

Kohler then goes on to list some of the various problems with consuming high concentrations of fructose, such as an increase in uric acid, blood lactic acid, and mineral loss in the body.

So is really raw agave really a health food?

No, not really.

What About Raw Honey, Sucanat, Yacon Syrup, etc…

Same deal.  None of these ingredients are truly raw and some of them, like evaporated cane juice, yacon syrup, and maple syrup, are heated above the 118 degree threshold.

And if remaining vegan for ethical reasons is your issue, then honey isn’t a viable option anyway!

So Raw Sweeteners Are Evil?!

Okay, time to cut the not-really-raw sweeteners some slack.

While I continue to stand firmly behind fresh fruit as the best sweetener of all, I see no problem with including small amounts of agave, honey, what have you in some raw recipes.  They can be a great way to add sweetness and help balance out a savory meal without changing the overall taste and texture of the dish.

The key, of course, is “small amounts.”  Think 2-3 spoonfuls at the max.

Personally, I rarely ever use these raw sweeteners.  I can’t remember the last time I used agave and I don’t eat honey.

Why?  Because I think they’re yucky!  They just taste overly sweet and fake to me.

Plus, they can be pretty expensive.  Why pay for a refined product out of a bottle to sweeten your food when you have much tastier, healthier, AND cheaper ingredients on hand all the time…

SWEET FRUIT!

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

Is it Okay to Consume Macadamia Nut Oil?

I received an email just this morning from reader Erica.

Erica asks:

I’m of the mentality that a small amount of fat is vital for our bodies, and often try to get that fat from avocados. I do, however, love to add 1/2 T of macadamia nut oil to my salads just for it’s wonderful taste. Do you think this is detrimental to my health? I try to use oil as sparingly as possible, but I can’t get enough of my macnut oil drizzle on my salads.

Just like the raw sweeteners discussed in the above feature article, oil is not truly a raw product and is not a health food.  There is nothing in macadamia nut oil – or any cold pressed oil – that is not present in the whole, fresh food from which it originates.

And because oil is a refined product, much of the vital nutrients have been REMOVED in the process.  That means you are actually receiving LESS nutrition than you would if you simply ate the food (macadamia nuts, in this case) in its fresh, whole state.

Plus, oil is 100% fat!  One measly tablespoon of oil contains about 100 calories of pure fat.

That said, it certainly will not kill you to eat it sparingly.  Having 1/2 tablespoon with your salad is not a large amount.  As long as this is the only overt fat you eat for the day, you will still be well within a healthy fat intake range for the day.

Hope that answers your question, Erica!

Swayze

P.S. For more information about the dangers of eating a high fat diet, be sure to check out my article:

The Truth About a High Fat Raw Food Diet

P.P.S. If you have any questions for me about living a healthy raw food lifestyle, feel free to leave a comment below or email me at swayze@fitonraw.com.

* What’s New?: Videos!

* Feature Article: Too Much Fruit On a Low Fat Raw Diet?!

Videos!

That’s right, more vids!  Since so many of you enjoyed the recent salad recipe video I posted, I’ve decided to keep making more…

Starting with today’s feature “article”!

So if you don’t mind, please leave a comment or email me at swayze@fitonraw.com with your feedback and suggestions for future vids!

Swayze

Too Much Fruit On a Low Fat Raw Diet?!

“Wow, that’s a lot of fruit! Isn’t that too much?  How can you possibly eat all that?!”

These are just some of the comments I receive (A LOT!) about eating a low fat raw vegan diet, so I thought I’d spend a few moments talking about the “too much fruit” issue in a video.

I think the quality in this one turned out much better. Enjoy!

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

P.S. If enough people express interest, I’ll type up a short summary of what is covered in the video for those of you who are too lazy don’t have time to watch.

No, not that kind of fruity!

I mean LOW FAT, HIGH FRUIT raw vegans, silly!

As you may or may not know, I recently released a raw recipe book with lots of delicious recipes from several of my low fat raw vegan friends around the web.

It’s really exciting to me how much the movement has grown in the last couple of years.  It’s great that I had a whole host of people to ask for recipe donations instead of just a handful or so (as would have been the case just a couple of years ago).

It seems that many more low fat raw vegan promoters are coming out of the woodwork, in addition to more and more raw foodists turning away from mainstream raw and embracing the fruity side.

It’s awesome!

So anyway, I figured now would be a good time to let you guys see what some of these wonderfully raw people are doing to spread the fruit-filled word.

Time for some link love!

Chris Kendall

Let’s start with my buddy Chris Kendall.

Chris Kendall is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, 100% low fat raw vegan, skateboarder, and has his own raw food site at www.the-raw-advantage.com.

He’s also an official bad ass (pardon the language) in my book because he likes to run outdoors in negative degree weather…SHIRTLESS!

Here’s a recent video Chris posted on his blog and I can’t stop watching it.  I can’t decide which part I like most…the tasty banana munching or Chris’s adorable little niece!

Nice moves, Charlize!

Chris also has a totally low fat raw vegan recipe book called “101 Simply Delicious Raw Recipes” and it’s available by donation at his site www.the-raw-advantage.com.

Michele Martinez

Michele is another low fat raw vegan who is obviously passionate about helping and encouraging others transition to this “kooky of all” diets.

I always find her posts and comments at www.rawnaturalhygiene.ning.com to be so down-to-earth and comforting, yet packed with usable wisdom as well.

Plus, she’s a fellow animal lover AND fellow lover of naming her furry friends after food…I’ll bring the Bean Dip, you bring the Pepperoni!

Yes, my poor dog’s name is Bean Dip and her kitty cat is Pepperoni.

Anyway, here’s a YouTube vid from Michele about having strong teeth and bones on a raw vegan diet.  And she should know…just look at those dazzling pearly whites!

Feel free to shoot me a “what’s up?” at Michele’s low fat, high fruit friendly forum www.rawnaturalhygiene.ning.com!

Ellen Livingston

You may not have heard of Ellen, but she has been a raw vegan since 2002 and has her own website at www.livingyoganow.com.

As you know if you purchased my recipe book, Ellen’s raw recipes are awesome.  There is a video out there somewhere with Ellen preparing some tasty low fat raw recipes for a local news station, but I can’t seem to find it!

She also regularly gives recipe demonstrations where she lives in Anne Arbor, Michigan.  So if you’re ever there, definitely check it out!

And this February 19-20, Ellen is hosting a two-day raw food event with none other than Dr. Douglas Graham! Seats are still available for the Saturday lecture, but Ellen’s let me know that the event is super popular and the seats are filling up quick.

You can reserve your spot at www.livingyoganow.com.

Karmyn Malone

If you’ve checked out Roger Haeske’s blog recently, then you’re probably familiar with his partner Karmyn and her darling little one, Andrew.

Have you seen the video of Andrew making his own Savory Veggie Stew?  It’s RAW-dorable!

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

Anyway, Karmyn also has a blog of her very own at www.karmynmalone.com and regularly sends out raw food and fitness emails to her subscribers (hey, that’s me!).

And Karmyn has me totally jealous right now because she’s currently in Panama soaking up the sunshine and enjoying lots of cheap, top-quality tropical fruit.

How cheap, you ask?

Check out this recent vid:

Michael Arnstein

Michael is a low fat raw marathon runner and is a total inspiration to me.  I’m just horrible at any sort of endurance sport and so it truly amazes me that their are people out there actually capable of running nonstop for longer than 5 minutes.

Here’s a video of Michael right after an ULTRA-marathon a couple of months ago…and he WON!

I can’t believe he was given candy as a prize!

Actually, I CAN believe it…unfortunately…

You can find out more about Michael and his amazing raw fueled feats at www.thefruitarian.com.

Spreadin’ The Word

Of course, these are just a few of the low fat raw foodists out there encouraging others to give the diet a go.  There are many other newcomers like myself, including Harley Johnstone and Freelea from 30BAD, just to name a couple.  And of course, there are those who you’ve probably come across already, such as Douglas Graham, Frederic Patenaude, and Roger Haeske.

If you ever need tips for going and/or staying raw or just want some awesome inspiration, be sure to check ‘em all out!

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

P.S. If you would like a *taste* of what these great guys and gals brought to the recipe book, simply follow the link below:

www.fitonraw.com/low-fat-raw-vegan-favorites

* What’s New?: Busy, Busy & Raw Recipe Ebook Update

* Feature Article: Is Your Raw Fruit Causing Candida Overgrowth?

Busy, Busy & Raw Recipe EBook Update

Whew! I’ve just started up my FINAL semester in college and it looks to be another busy one! Not nearly as hectic as last year, thank goodness, but still pretty tough.

No worries, though! I’ll still have plenty of time for posting, emailing and preparing delicious raw recipes.

Speaking of recipes, I’m sure you know that I recently released a raw recipe book entitled:

“Low Fat, Fruit Filled, High Fun Raw Recipes”

AND…I also gave out a $9.95 coupon to those subscribed to my list.

Unbeknownst to me, the coupon code expired a few days ago. Some of you may have tried to purchase with the code and received an error message instead.

Sorry about that! To make amends, I have decided to extend the code to this Monday, January 25.

So if you still want the e-book for a $9.95 discount (you pay a “whopping” $5.00!), you can get it by visiting…

www.fitonraw.com/low-fat-raw-vegan-favorites

…clicking on the order link and typing the coupon I sent you into the ‘Coupon Code’ box.

Didn’t receive the coupon? That’s because it was only promised to those who subscribed to my list BEFORE Monday, January 11 (when I released the e-book).

Sorry.

But hey, you can still purchase the book for $14.95. For over 35 recipes – all low fat and salt-free – as well as tips from me and a 7-day meal plan, that’s a pretty sweet deal!

Here’s the link again:

www.fitonraw.com/low-fat-raw-vegan-favorites

And don’t forget the coupon if you’ve got it!

Swayze

Is Your Raw Fruit Causing Candida Overgrowth?

I get soooo many emails from people wondering how in the world they can eat so much fruit when they have Candida.

The fact that this question is so often asked tells me that the majority of people are ignorant as to what candida actually is, what it does, what causes candida overgrowth, and how to fix it.

And since I’m just plain sick of replying to the same question over and over again, it’s time to settle the issue here and now!

Let’s start with the basics, shall we?

What Is Candida?

Candida, or Candida albicans, is a bacteria present in the human body’s intestinal tract.

What Is Candida’s Job?

The candida colony feeds on glucose and serves to keep blood sugar levels in check.

So…Candida Is Normal?!

I have made it a point in this article to distinguish between “Candida” and “Candida overgrowth.”

Why?

Because the presence of candida in the human body is completely normal.  In fact, if you did NOT have candida, you would be in some serious trouble.

From Dr. Graham’s 80/10/10 Diet:

The size or population of the candida colony in the blood is directly determined by its food supply.  If blood-sugar levels are always at a normal level, so is the size of the candida colony that lives in the blood.  When the sugar we eat leaves the blood to be distributed and used by the cells of the body, any excess yeast quickly dies off, as it is supposed to.

Sounds pretty normal, right?

So it is not the presence of candida that is the issue.  Like so many other dietary issues, it is the presence of TOO MUCH Candida that presents a problem.

What Causes Too Much Candida?

The commonly held belief is that candida overgrowth is caused by an excess of sugar in the body.  Raw and cooked foodists alike, as well as modern medicine as a whole, all point to simple sugars (refined in pastries or fresh in fruit) as the culprit.

On a shallow examination of the facts, this conclusion is understandable.  Since we know that candida feeds on sugar, simply limiting your sugar intake makes sense.

Except for the fact that when consumed under healthy circumstances, the simple sugars do not remain in the bloodstream long enough for any overpopulation of the bacteria to occur.

After consumption, the fruit is almost immediately (within minutes) converted into glucose and transported out of the bloodstream and into the cells.

Of course, that’s sugar consumption *uninterrupted*.  So then what would cause an UNhealthy, INterrupted circumstance?

*Fat*

Here’s the deal:

When a person consumes too much fat, the excess fat in the bloodstream blocks insulin sent out from the pancreas; the insulin has a hard time reaching the sugar and transporting it to your cells.

Not only does the pancreas become fatigued from producing extra insulin, but the blood-sugar level becomes elevated because the sugar cannot be transported to the cells.

In order to get rid of the sugar – since too much glucose in the blood is a serious threat to the body – the candida multiplies and eats it away.

If the fat is then reduced, the excess candida will quickly die off (Candida’s lifespan is less than 24 hours) and the colony will return to a normal size.

If the individual continues to overeat on fat, then the excess sugar will remain in the bloodstream, providing continual fuel for the candida and starving the cells.

Now this explains why so many raw foodists are still experiencing (or perhaps just recognizing) candida issues such as yeast infections and chronic fatigue.

If you are consuming a diet high in fat (like so many raw foodists do), while also eating simple sugars such as fresh and dried fruits, agave nectar, or even honey, it is likely that you will experience candida overgrowth.

And it does not matter if the fat is raw or cooked.  Too much fat is too much fat and there will be consequences to consuming such a diet.

How to Stop Candida Overgrowth

Now that we know the cause of Candida, the “cure” becomes quite clear.

Since the cause is merely a presence of too much fat in the body, the cure would simply be to reduce the fat intake.

If the body is not overrun with fat, then all of the sugar and insulin problems listed above will no longer occur.

That’s why it’s so important to make sure your diet is not only high in fruit, but LOW IN FAT as well.  As long as you limit your diet to around 10% of calories from fat, you will have no problem eating all the deliciously sweet fruit your heart desires.

We All Need Candida!

I want to end by quickly reiterating not only the importance of candida, but the importance of candida *overgrowth*.

Here’s another quote from Dr. D:

The candida microbe in our blood is actually a life-saving organism, one that we do not ever want to eradicate.  It functions as another backup system – a safety valve that helps to bring the blood-sugar level back down to normal in the event that the pancreas and the adrenals fail at doing so…

Outbreaks of candida are your wakeup call – warning that your system is rapidly approaching diabetes, and that you would do well to drastically curtail your fat consumption or face dire health consequences.

So thanks, candida, for keeping me alive when I so naively thought that a diet of fatty meat and refined sweets was good for me.

And always remember…

Blame the fat, not the fruit!

Go raw and be fit,

Swayze

P.S. Don’t mind my tone in the beginning of the article.  I really don’t mind answering question after question about candida, fruit, fat, etc.  In fact, I could talk about the essentials of a low fat, high fruit raw vegan diet all day!

So if you have a burning question, will free to shoot me an email anytime at swayze@fitonraw.com.