Is it possible to be a raw foodie AND a ‘foodie’?

Sarah here with some thoughts on Radio 4’s Food Programme about the raw diet, which included an interview with Karen (see her post below for more details). I share Karen’s views on the way the topic was presented, and will be writing in to voice them to the producers, but for now some musings of a slightly different nature...

Has anyone else noticed the extreme resistance traditional ‘foodies’ – and this was after all a show for foodies, presented by a foodie – seem to have to the notion that we should place any restrictions on the foods we eat? The unspoken rule seems to be that if something tastes divine enough or is labelled by the culinary establishment as a ‘delicacy’, to avoid it out of concern for its effects on health and/or because of the cruelty involved in producing it is to reveal oneself not to be a ‘true’ gastronome.

Last Sunday’s Radio 4 show immediately made me think of American chef and writer Anthony Bourdain’s rant against raw food and raw foodists in his latest book, ‘The Nasty Bits’. The chapter in question, entitled ‘Woody Harrelson: Culinary Muse’ includes such statements as: “To me there’s no difference between Woody, the New Age gourmet, ensuring a clean colon by eating the same thing every day and the classic worst-case, xenophobic tourist [who] insists on eating every meal in the hotel restaurant.” The article shows Bourdain’s lack of understanding of just how varied a raw diet can be – the same lack of understanding Radio 4 presenter Sheila Dillon demonstrated in her sadly half-hearted attempt at just six days on raw foods.

Does choosing a raw or high raw vegan diet in fact involve opting out of the fun and pleasure food can and should bring? Does it involve sacrificing the desires of the palate at the altar of optimum health? A few years ago, before I had put gourmet raw food to the taste bud test, I would have echoed the prejudices of the culinary establishment by answering yes to that question. Not any more! I can honestly say that the most delicious, sublime and tantalizing food I have eaten in my life has been raw. And that can be something as simple as a perfectly ripe Indian mango or as elaborate as a multi-course menu by a top raw chef that was days in the preparation.

Having met many people who’ve chosen raw or high-raw diets, I can vouch that very few of them fall into the category of people who see food just as ‘fuel’ and are uninterested in what it tastes and looks like. On the contrary, the vast majority of raw food enthusiasts take a great deal of pleasure in both preparing and eating food. The one difference between them and the traditional ‘foodie’ was hinted at by Karen on the show – they’ve found a way of eating they really love that is also really good for them. It doesn’t get much better than that, right?!

Why shouldn’t fresh, organic raw food be the most delicious? After all, it’s the food nature intended us to eat in its pure, unadulterated form. What could be more sensuous, nourishing and satisfying? As a survival mechanism, every species is programmed to love eating. Every other species loves to eat its natural diet – that is, the diet its anatomy and physiology enables it to obtain without the use of technology of any kind (and that includes stoves and microwave ovens!) Why should humans be any different? Why shouldn’t we love to eat our natural diet?!!

How many raw enthusiasts have not spent a couple of decades or more on a predominantly cooked diet and experienced all it has to offer on the gastronomic front and on every other front? How many members of the mainstream culinary establishment, on the other hand, have opened their minds far enough to experience what a raw or high raw diet has to offer? The Sheila Dillons and Anthony Bourdains of this world are dismissing something they’ve never tried and know next to nothing about. 

I would submit that the ultimate foodies are the ones who had the passion and curiosity to let go of all conditioning and preconceived notions around food and diet, to allow their palates and digestive systems to readjust to nature’s subtle flavours and textures, and to discover just how good real food can taste!