1. Evaluation Of The Various Stages And Methods Of Preparation Of Uncooked Foods

1.1 Less Is Better

The less preparation to which foods have been subjected, the better nourishment they provide. Even when foods are not cooked, there are many methods of preparing them which are progressively more damaging to their nutritional value.

Shredding, grinding, blending and juicing all critically impair the nutritional value of the food. Even cutting up the food causes some loss of nutrients, as each cut edge is exposed for oxidation to begin. The smaller the pieces, the greater the fragmentation—the more widespread the oxidation and damage.

1.2 Shredding, Grinding, Blending and Juicing

Shredding, which produces a greater number of exposed surfaces, is obviously more destructive than cutting up. Grinding is even worse, producing smaller particles. Blending breaks the food down even more, and juicing extracts only the juice, discarding all the fiber.

All these processes deprive the body of part or all of the chewing exercise, which is necessary for the secretion of salivary enzymes and for sending signals for the secretion of gastric digestive juices.

In addition, vital food elements are impaired or destroyed. Oxidation of food is intended to occur within the body, and when it is allowed to occur before the food is eaten, the body is deprived of important elements. Blending, grinding and shredding cause significant losses of Vitamin C as the fragmented foods are exposed to the air, and as much as a 50% loss of Vitamin C within a few minutes after food is juiced.

1.3 Over-Washing

Even "over-washing" of fresh foods will result in significant impairment of nutritional value. Fresh foods should be washed as rapidly as possible in fresh, clean water. Fruits should be quickly scrubbed under running water. No food should be allowed to soak; this leaches valuable nutrients.

Green leaves, especially lettuce, lose crispness, quality and nutritional value if allowed to remain in water more than a few seconds. Just swish the lettuce through the water, while rubbing off the sand and dirt with your fingers; a final quick rinse is more than adequate. You don't have to eat "sandy" lettuce, nor limp, overwashed lettuce.

Nor should you use any of various substances in the water to wash off the contaminants; this creates the additional problem of removing the washing compound. If the food is organically grown, there is no problem. If it is not, you cannot do more than quickly wash it in clean water.

Nothing will remove residues of chemical fertilizers or sprays, and your efforts to do so will only further impair the produce. Get the best quality of food that is available to you, wash it quickly and enjoy! If it is selected in accordance with Hygienic principles, your health will still be better than that of conventional eaters, even though not all of your food is organically grown (and, yes, even if little of your food is organically grown).