Sep. 6--Preparing food using conventional cooking methods destroys more than 80 percent of that food's nutrition, said Sandra Hubbs.
A certified raw foods chef and teacher, Hubbs recently founded Eat Raw, Live Long, a new business that offers cooking classes for raw foods, a raw food chef certification course and raw food meal delivery and catering services.
"The problem with the American diet is that we're eating too much processed and refined food filled with chemicals. That's not the way our ancestors ate," said Hubbs, who is also owner of the catering service, Aiken's Finest Catered Affairs.
She was introduced to the raw food movement earlier this year shortly after her partner was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Hubbs came across information on the health benefits of eating uncooked foods as she researched online for alternative treatments to chemotherapy and radiation.
"I kept reading testimony after testimony of people that allowed their bodies to heal itself from diseases such as cancer, arthritis, high blood pressure and asthma," said Hubbs. "It's basically what we put into our bodies that makes us sick."
Unfortunately, her partner's disease was too far along to be cured, and he died in March. After his death, Hubbs became more determined to live a healthier lifestyle.
Over the last few months, she has studied raw food cooking, which centers around organic, uncooked vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and unsprouted grains.
One of the things she has found is that important enzymes are destroyed in the cooking process. Hubbs said those enzymes aid in the digestion and the absorption of food and will not cause toxicity in the body as some cooked foods do.
"What I'm finding is in America, we're dieting more, we're exercising more and taking more prescription drugs more than ever before," said Hubbs. "Yet we're overweight, our children are overweight, we're seeing medical doctors more often and developing more disease than ever."
Since beginning the raw food diet, Hubbs said she has noticed that she has more energy. According to studies, eating raw foods can also help repair eyesight, lower blood pressure, eliminate allergies and help build resistance to colds and the flu.
Hubbs said the diet is also helpful for those looking to lose weight.
"As long as you eat a balanced raw food diet, you are going to lose weight period," she said. "It's good because you don't have to count calories."
Hubbs said there is a variety of appetizers, entr�©es and desserts that can be cooked raw. Some of her recipes include pesto stuffed mushrooms, coconut soup, pizza, burgers, blueberry pie, calzones and zughetti, which is zucchini shaped like spaghetti.
The primary cooking tools used to prepare raw food are a food processor, a blender and a food dehydrator for lightly cooking foods up to 112 degrees, said Hubbs. The diet does not include any meat.
Hubbs will hold her first seminar on Sept. 18 in the community room at Eden Gardens, 1385 Silver Bluff Road. The cost for the class is $25 per person or $35 per couple.
The workshop will focus on the importance of what is put into your body and how it can alter your health. The class will also offer raw food cooking lessons.
Pre-registration is required. Hubbs also offers private consultation and private classes.
For more information, or to schedule a class, call Hubbs at 270-4844 or e-mail her at eatrawlivelong@att.net.
Contact April Bailey at abailey@aikenstandard.com.
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