[Sca-cooks] Raw foods, was: Rejuvelac and "sprouted almonds"

[King's Taste Productions]

I was also wondering about these "sprouted almonds"? Is this like  
malted barley, where the grain is allowed to sprout and then baked?  
Where would you buy "sprouted almonds"? Or do you buy raw? almonds  
and then get them to sprout?
Stefan

Stefan,
	A large part of the raw food diet consists of eating soaked or
sprouted grains and nuts.  Soaking and rinsing gets rid of germination
inhibitors (most seeds have them), and allows them to sprout, turning on
more enzymatic processes.  And yes, you can buy raw almonds and sprout
them just like everything else.  I have tried raw sprouted garbanzo
beans and then made raw hummous out of them - really tasty!
While I do not follow a strict raw foods diet, it is worthwhile to note
that they advocate going raw by degrees, and then that an optimal diet
is roughly 75% raw.  I probably average about 40 -50% raw most of the
time.  I still eat cooked foods, especially during the winter time.
However, I have trained myself to choose raw fruit and veg choices over
cooked or processed ones when they are available.  For example, I enjoy
kale chopped up into a 3-cabbage slaw (red, white, & kale) rather than
having it cooked down.  
Christianna


Here is an excerpt from a pretty good article found on iVillage:
http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/experts/nutrexpert/articles/0,,
282_598387,00.html

"Raw and living foods are believed to contain essential food enzymes
(living foods contain a higher enzyme content than cooked foods). The
cooking process (i.e., heating foods above 116°F) is thought to destroy
food enzymes.

People who follow the raw diet use particular techniques to prepare
foods. These include sprouting seeds, grains and beans; soaking nuts and
dried fruits; and juicing fruits and vegetables. The only cooking that
is allowed is via a dehydrator. This piece of equipment blows hot air
through the food but never reaches a temperature higher than 116°F.

Other techniques needed to prepare raw food are blending, juicing and
chopping.

Why go raw?

Proponents of the raw diet believe that enzymes are the life force of a
food and that every food contains its own perfect mix. These enzymes
help us digest foods completely, without relying on our body to produce
its own cocktail of digestive enzymes.

It is also thought that the cooking process destroys vitamins and
minerals and that cooked foods not only take longer to digest, but they
also allow partially digested fats, proteins and carbohydrates to clog
up our gut and arteries.

Followers of a raw diet cite numerous health benefits, including:

    * increased energy levels
    * improved appearance of skin
    * improved digestion
    * weight loss
    * reduced risk of heart disease"