Vegan/Raw Foodists?

[i_am_sancho]

I recently saw an article on one of the martial arts mags in AAFES about Vegan MMA fighters, and I guess PETA has been using them as poster children as well. Political motivations aside, anyone out there found a lot of success with either a vegan or raw food diet and athletic performance? Or even perhaps altering a diet that is a mix of animal based proteins and raw food?
I'm entertaining the idea of the raw food diet from what I've heard about retaining enzymes and all these raw 'superfoods'. Growing up with that left-coast exposure kinda stuck an organic foods habit in me. However, the rest of the world is definitely not left-coast (thank god); any suggestions on how to maintain this type of diet when its not easily available?

[Penn]

Disciplined menu planning is my suggestion.
And the use of capitalization in your soubriquet is another.

[MVS2]

Originally Posted by i_am_sancho

I recently saw an article on one of the martial arts mags in AAFES about Vegan MMA fighters, and I guess PETA has been using them as poster children as well. Political motivations aside, anyone out there found a lot of success with either a vegan or raw food diet and athletic performance? Or even perhaps altering a diet that is a mix of animal based proteins and raw food?
I'm entertaining the idea of the raw food diet from what I've heard about retaining enzymes and all these raw 'superfoods'. Growing up with that left-coast exposure kinda stuck an organic foods habit in me. However, the rest of the world is definitely not left-coast (thank god); any suggestions on how to maintain this type of diet when its not easily available?

Veggie trays, salads, fruits, salsas, corn chips, and rice protein. Where would you be where it's hard to come by?

[i_am_sancho]

Originally Posted by MVS2

Veggie trays, salads, fruits, salsas, corn chips, and rice protein. Where would you be where it's hard to come by?

That selection to me would seem a bit limited. Chips for one are fried, which wouldn't make them a raw food at all. I suppose a dehydrated version of some sorts could be possible, but I've haven't seen any yet.

I guess to be more specific, finding non-processed foods or 'superfoods' is the bit I'm having difficulty with. In Korea, I've run across almost nothing but processed food. The produce most specifically is hydroponically grown, which from what I understand disqualifies it from being organically certified. I'm not an organic foods stickler, but I figure if I'm going to bother with this type of diet, I might as well follow all the directions. (If the consequences of not following the directions are as disastrous as my self-assembling bookshelf).

From what I've looked into so far, a lot of the raw food diet requires combinations of very particular nuts and sprouted grains. Most everything else is juiced or dehydrated.

While making a raw food meal could be as simple as grabbing some fruit and a salad, creating a functional diet which you're trying to get specific results from is a bit more complicated. It's just the same as balancing any other diet, the largest factor just being what you're restricted to.

In example, some of the common ingredients for raw food dishes I've found are goji berries, dulse, lucuma, red maca, and olive oil. Aside from olive oil, you can see where some of these ingredients aren't so common.

But as the various sources I've looked up for recipes all seem to use these often; I'm still searching for that place they all seem to be able to get them from. The most fortunate thing I'm to understand though is a majority of these ingredients are dried and have long shelf life, so a regular market wouldn't be necessary.

[Penn]

So what are you going to do? Continue to have this conversation with yourself, or create a menu based in the culture you now find yourself in.

[Penn]

BroadSword, Thank you for taking the time to post that information.

[MVS2]

Originally Posted by i_am_sancho

That selection to me would seem a bit limited. Chips for one are fried, which wouldn't make them a raw food at all. I suppose a dehydrated version of some sorts could be possible, but I've haven't seen any yet.

I guess to be more specific, finding non-processed foods or 'superfoods' is the bit I'm having difficulty with. In Korea, I've run across almost nothing but processed food. The produce most specifically is hydroponically grown, which from what I understand disqualifies it from being organically certified. I'm not an organic foods stickler, but I figure if I'm going to bother with this type of diet, I might as well follow all the directions. (If the consequences of not following the directions are as disastrous as my self-assembling bookshelf).

From what I've looked into so far, a lot of the raw food diet requires combinations of very particular nuts and sprouted grains. Most everything else is juiced or dehydrated.

While making a raw food meal could be as simple as grabbing some fruit and a salad, creating a functional diet which you're trying to get specific results from is a bit more complicated. It's just the same as balancing any other diet, the largest factor just being what you're restricted to.

In example, some of the common ingredients for raw food dishes I've found are goji berries, dulse, lucuma, red maca, and olive oil. Aside from olive oil, you can see where some of these ingredients aren't so common.

But as the various sources I've looked up for recipes all seem to use these often; I'm still searching for that place they all seem to be able to get them from. The most fortunate thing I'm to understand though is a majority of these ingredients are dried and have long shelf life, so a regular market wouldn't be necessary.

Start a garden if you have the space. Plant whatever you like!