The Health Monster’s Guide to Raw Drinks

Often times I feel like drinks fly under the radar of nutritional health and wellness. Well, obviously not the ones you should avoid like soda, energy drinks, and other sugar-filled, calorie loaded concoctions. But, I feel like the healthy drinks to be sought after do not receive the praise they deserve; raw drinks especially!

Where exactly do drinks fit in to the raw diet, you may be wondering. Raw  diets exclude all foods (and liquids) cooked at a temperature above 48 degrees Celsius or 118 degrees Fahrenheit.  This is due to the notion that cooking foods destroys the complex balance of micronutrients and enzymes. People chose to follow this diet for a number of reasons such as an easy way to find a low fat approach to an 80/10/10 diet, spiritual reasons, etc. Raw diets boast of benefits such as favorable serum LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, a boost in energy, better sleep, increased mental clarity, more bowel regularity, and simple food preparation cleanup, and less food packaging waste (environmental benefit bonus!).

Now, more on the drinks: Encyclopedia Britannica denotes the Medieval Latin term “elixir,” more fully “elixir vitae,” meaning, elixir of life, as a substance that would indefinitely prolong life — a liquid that was believed to be allied with the philosopher’s stone. Essentially, raw drinks (and good, old, plain water) with all their aforementioned health benefits, take on the role of the elixir. Read on to learn more about five rawesome drinks and elixirs.

1. Juice

Juice, homemade or store-bought WITHOUT added sugar, is liquid gold for vitamins and nutrients. Try one (or all) of these recipes: 3 cold-press juices, or 7 delicious juices for a healthy year.

2. Smoothies and Shakes

Smoothies are a busy plant-based eater’s dream — an on-the-go easy way to get in all your fruits and veggies. If you want the added fiber that juice lacks, check out this power smoothie with fresh almond milk, or this decadent raw avocado and cacao smoothie! Also, did you know shakes could be healthy?! This raw chocolate milkshake definitely is!

3. Kombucha

What would be an article on raw drinks without the health wonder that is kombucha? Recently, kombucha has risen in popularity along with the focus on probiotics although it has been consumed for over 2000 years. Kombucha has been touted to improve health and fight against infection and chronic disease thanks to all its probiotics. The probiotics are produced via the reaction between the tea and the bacteria in kombucha’s SCOBY (symbiotic colony of yeast and bacteria which is essential in the fermentation process). Other health perks include antioxidants and a myriad of amino acids and active enzymes useful to the body. Many brands of kombucha are hitting the stores shelves, but if you’re out looking to purchase this drink, make sure to choose ones labeled as raw. Pasteurization kills the very cultures that make kombucha a unique tea drink. One Green Planet also has great articles on how to make your own! Here and here — read and drink up!

4. Homemade Nut Milk

It’s easy now to go to the store and purchase many different types of nut milks but, did you know making your own is just as simple? Homemade nut milk may even prove to be more economical and making your own allows for customization! All you need is soaked nuts, more water, and a sieve/nut milk bag/cheesecloth. You can use any nut, seed, or combination of the two along with flavorings such as vanilla, agave, stevia, or brown rice syrup! Check out these instructions for how to make almond milk, hazelnut-cashew milk, peanut milk, sunflower seed milk, cashew milk, and coconut milk.

5. Nog

Yes, believe it or not, nog can be vegan. And yes, nog can be RAW vegan (and even gluten-free!). These two recipes are too fun to just save for the holidays– enjoy them any time of year! This one uses pecans but don’t worry, if you’re out try this one made with almonds!

Green Monsters: Give these awesome raw drinks a try, and tell us what you think!