While an entirely raw foods diet may not be for everyone, there is
little disagreement even amongst omnivores that increasing the proportion
of fresh fruits and vegetables in our diet is something that can
benefit any of us (for example, see Michael Pollan’s Ominvore’s Dilemma or In Defense of Food). But is cooked food an addiction? This is author Victoria Boutenko’s contention, and while you may or may not agree with this premise, her use of a “12 Step” inspired model does provide a some useful approaches for those who are trying to eliminate or decrease their consumption of cooked foods and increase their consumption of whole, unprocessed fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Pair this with the some basic, approachable raw foods recipes and it is a book that could benefit everyone, even those who would not remotely consider themselves “raw fooders.”
Some of the steps that will benefit even those who hope to just eat healthier without necessarily giving up all cooked food include:
- Nourishing Your Body to Eliminate Cravings
- Acquiring Skills and Equipment
- Avoiding Temptation
- Gratitude and Forgiveness
- Embracing Other Healthy Habits
- Searching for One’s Spiritual Mission
- Giving Support to Others
12 Steps to Raw Foods: How to End Your Dependency on Cooked Foods (North Atlantic Books) is a significant revision and expansion of the earlier edition. So much so, that even if you already have the first edition (from Raw Family Publishing), you will still want to purchase a copy of the new edition. For those familiar with Boutenko’s works, this book contains material that will be familiar — Part 1 contains some of the same information found in Raw Family and Green for Life in condensed form — but there is also new information such as chapter four’s review of scientific studies that support Boutenko’s contention that cooked food is damaging to the human body. For those new to Boutenko, this is a great introduction to her ideas, methods and life experiences, the latter of which includes the inspiring account of how she healed her families illnesses through healthful eating and exercise.