List of Raw Foods

The List of Raw Foods is Quite Large

The list of raw foods is endless. It includes not only what goes into raw food cuisine, but raw vitamins and raw minerals, too.

Most times, when people think about eating a mostly or totally raw diet, it may be hard for them to think past a diet of salads. While salads and salad greens are important to raw foodists and definitely are raw foods, there are many more raw foods to choose from and yes, to enjoy. This a partial list of raw foods. It's just enough to give you some ideas of the vast variety of raw food cuisine.

Before delving into the list of raw foods, it may be beneficial to define just what is raw food. A quick answer to the question “What is raw food?” is simply food that has not been heated over 118º F (or 48º C).

The list of raw foods, like any other list of food divided into two parts, derives food from both plants and animals. Many, but not all who eat a raw food diet, are vegetarians and/or vegans. This list of raw foods includes raw animal products that are consumed raw.

Of the plant based raw food there are two main subcategories: Fruits and vegetables. Although some of the foods that are listed under the heading “vegetables” are actually fruits to the botanist, for culinary purposes they are considered and classified in this particular list of raw foods as vegetables.

Raw Fruits

Here is a partial list of fruits, both specific and general, that are a part of the list of raw foods. These fruits are prepared and served fresh, frozen, juiced or gently dehydrated and are considered raw foods.

Acai berries
Apples
Apricots
Berries (All types)
Cherries
Citrus fruits
Bananas

Dates
Dragon fruit
Figs
Grapes
Guava
Kiwifruit
Kumquats
Loquat
Mangoes
Mangosteen
Melons
Nuts (All types)
Papayas
Passion Fruits
Peaches
Pears
Pineapples
Plums
Pomegranates
Prickly pear
Quinces
Starfruit

Raw Vegetables

This is a partial list of vegetables that belong in the list of raw foods. These vegetables can be prepared in many ways while still being considered “raw.” Since most vegetables, except for bell peppers, need to be steam blanched before freezing, frozen vegetables technically are not considered as “raw.” However, you can use the vegetables fresh, dehydrated and/or juiced.

Artichokes
Asparagus
Avocados
Beets
Bell peppers
Bok Choy
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery

Chard
Chinese cabbage
Cucumbers
Edible Fungi (All types of mushrooms)
Eggplants
Ginger
Grains (Only those grains that have not been heated during processing. An example is steel cut oats are raw, but rolled oats are not. The majority of grains are not considered raw.)
Herbs of all types
Horseradish
Jicama
Kohlrabi
Leafy “greens” (All types. Use for salads and any green smoothie recipe.)
Leeks
Legumes (Many times these are sprouted and the sprouts are eaten. Learn how to sprout seeds here.)
Onions
Parsnips
Peppers (Both sweet and hot)
Radish
Rhubarb
Rutabaga
Sea vegetables (Commonly called sea weed)
Seeds (All types)
Shallots
Spices (All kinds)
Squash
Sweet corn
Sweet potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Yams
Zucchini

Using your imagination and some good, raw recipes, you can make many different dishes from this list.

Fermented Foods

These foods are raw because although they are processed, no damaging heat is used. The fermentation process uses beneficial bacteria and time to “cook” the foods.

A partial list of raw fermented foods are:

Cabbage (sauerkraut)
Cucumbers (pickles)
Milk (kefir)
Miso (fermented seasoning made form rice, barley and/or soybeans)
Soy beans (usually made into soy sauce)
Tea (kombucha)
Various kinds of vegetables

Raw Sweeteners

This list of raw foods used as sweeteners will vary upon the personal preference of the raw chef. Here is a partial list of commonly used raw sweeteners:

Agave syrup
Date powder
Dried cane sugar
Honey
Maple syrup (Not technically raw, but accepted by some raw foodists)
Stevia (A very sweet herb)
Yacon syrup

Raw Animal Derived Foods

Raw animal products are sometimes eaten by raw foodists. Here is a partial list of raw animal derived foods.

Beef
Dairy products (Usually from cows or goats that is both unpasteurized and not homogenized) butter, kefir and yogurt.
Eggs
Fish and other seafood.

Raw Supplements

If you feel that for some reason you need to supplement your raw food diet with more vitamins and minerals, you will want only the best. All vitamin supplements are NOT the same. Since you're already convinced of the benefits of a raw food diet, it's a natural choice for you to choose raw supplements.

Raw vitamins and raw minerals offer the maximum in nutrition. These are living-sourced supplements. In fact, if you are not eating as raw as you would like or loved ones who will not be convinced of the benefits of going raw, you can at least give them the goodness of raw in a pill, capsule or liquid form.