Raw foodists, as the name implies, live on a completely raw diet. Raw meat, fruits, and vegetables can technically all be on the table. Do tea and coffee fit in this raw diet? And if they do, do they need to be cold? We’ll answer these questions by exploring the raw food diet itself, as well as its raw vegan variant.
Does a Raw Food Diet Include Tea and Coffee?
What Do Raw Food Diets Consist Of?
A raw food diet is generally composed of raw and unprocessed foods. While raw diets tend to be mostly vegan, many raw foodists opt for raw animal products and, to a lesser extent, meat. Whole grains, fresh fruits, dried fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, certain oils, meat, eggs, dairy, as well as some fermented foods can all be consumed as long as they are not cooked in any way.
Raw food does not have to be freezing cold. It can be heated up to around 42° C (107° F). It can also be prepared using a variety of techniques such as dehydration, soaking, juicing, and sprouting. Processed foods are usually avoided, but some tolerate them within limits.
Followers of the raw food diet believe it’s the ideal diet for overall health. It provides many health benefits such as increased energy and weight loss, according to raw food eaters.
The general scientific belief is that certain foods are best eaten raw; raw fruits and vegetables can have many benefits. Other foods such as raw fish, poultry, beef, and pork, present an increased risk to contract a food-borne illness. Their raw forms contain harmful bacteria that can lead to food poisoning.
As for tea and coffee, they are often not included in a raw food diet, even less so for coffee. The reasons for that have to do with their composition as well as the general tendencies and preferences of raw food eaters.
Are Tea and Coffee Considered Raw Foods?
Cooked food is definitely out of the question in a raw food diet. So, what does that mean for tea and coffee?
Coffee
A raw food eater is not very likely to drink coffee, simply because it is not exactly raw. The process of making coffee includes roasting the beans at a high heat, which goes against the principles of a raw diet.
Iced coffee might sound okay, but is it? Cold does not mean raw, and neither does iced coffee. This type of coffee mostly undergoes the same brewing process as regular coffee, that is, roasting at high temperatures. This makes them much less likely to be on a raw food diet, compared to cold brew coffee.
Besides the coffee-making process, raw food proponents usually avoid coffee altogether. They believe caffeine goes against their healthy lifestyle. Whether or not to drink coffee will depend on each person’s perspective.
Tea
Raw food eaters can drink tea, provided it aligns with the essence of their diet. If caffeine is not tolerated, many types of tea, such as black, white, and green are automatically ruled out. Many blends of tea that contain processed foods are also not permitted.
As for herbal teas, a few more options open up. Herbal tea does not contain caffeine and can go well with a raw food diet. The main thing to consider is how the tea is actually made. The process includes drying the tea leaves.
In some cases, tea leaves are ‘baked,’ or dried in high temperatures, which makes them unacceptable. Others are sun-dried, and that is usually fine. As long as high temperatures are not used, there should be no issue with drinking tea. It can actually be a rather healthy addition to a raw food diet.
Are Tea and Coffee Allowed in a Raw Vegan Diet?
What Do Raw Vegans Eat?
Raw veganism is a subset of the vegan diet that excludes cooked foods. It is pretty much what a raw foodist who is also vegan would eat. A raw vegan diet will usually contain whole foods that are unprocessed and mostly organic.
Raw vegans can have vegetables, fruits, nuts, sprouted grains, seeds, and healthy vegetable oils, as long as they’re raw and organic. As for drinks, nut milk, almond milk, fresh fruit and vegetable juices are among the most common.
Do Raw Vegans Drink Coffee and Tea?
While many vegans drink coffee, hot or cold, strict raw vegans usually do not. Eating raw foods implies staying away from anything cooked and processed, which eliminates most forms of coffee.
Raw vegans are particularly vocal about their objection to caffeine; coffee is usually a no-go. in a raw vegan diet.
Similar to a raw food diet, herbal teas can fit in nicely in a raw vegan diet. The only requirement is that leaves should not be dried at high temperatures.
Final Thoughts
We all have our guilty pleasures in life, and as an adult, it’s hard to find someone that isn’t a fan or either tea or coffee to start their day. To conclude, it’s not so much whether raw food and raw vegan eaters drink their tea and coffee cold, it’s more whether they do drink them. We’ve seen how coffee is usually excluded except when you get into the world or root coffees, but they are often roasted too. We’ve also seen how tea is much more tolerated, given the right processing conditions.
Many factors come into play but the principles are quite simple. In the end, it will come down to whether the tea and coffee are actually raw, and whether caffeine is accepted.
FAQs on Tea and Coffee in a Raw Diet
• Do raw vegans drink coffee?
Mostly no, because coffee beans are roasted in very high temperatures. Cold brew coffee can be an alternative, but only if caffeine is tolerated.
• Is tea a raw beverage?
Yes, but only if it doesn’t undergo any roasting process and it doesn’t contain any processed additives and ingredients.
Hi, my name is Brett White, and I have a passion for cooking, and following a raw diet. Eating raw has completely changed how I view food, and has led me down a much healthier and happier path in life over the last three years.
Through Addicted To Veggies, I want to share with you my favorite raw recipes. From brownie recipes, to recipes containing pumpkin, my site is full of delicious and wonderful options to consider.
