Even though raw foods are credited for their various healthful effects on the human body, only a few raw foodists admit that foods in their raw state can elevate energy levels, boost muscle tone, and reinvigorate the mind. While the general take is that high carbohydrate foods boost energy levels, the sugar in them alone does not replace the delicate combination of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals responsible for achieving optimum health and dynamism. Raw foods however, can achieve this.

Sugar-rich foods and beverages are detrimental to our health, where their simple carbohydrates provide the body with readily available energy that quickly boosts blood sugar levels, creating a short-lived “sugar-rush” that leaves the body fatigued and craving more sugar. Alternatively, foods rich in complex carbohydrates, such as grains, beans, vegetables and some fruits, provide the body with a long-lasting, steady influx of energy that can keep us going throughout the day.

The phrase ‘nutrition to calorie ratio’ is used by nutritionists to refer to how many nutrients fit into a calorie’s worth of food. When foods are cooked, they release locked carbohydrates, providing more calories at the expense of nutrients that are destroyed by heat. Raw foods however, offer a lot more nutrients and less calories. A wide range of fruits, grains, beans, seeds and vegetables such as bananas, sprouted lentils, avocados, coconut meat, vegetable oils, hemp and flax seeds, walnuts, oats, and squash, can supply optimal amounts of calories, nutrients and antioxidants.

Stay hydrated with plenty of water, and avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks, which temporarily stimulate the brain but leave the body exhausted once it wears off. Replace them with green juices and herbal infusions for long-term health and to stay focused and possibly disease free.