The Raw Food Divide

Here’s a way to cut down on energy: food you don’t need to cook. Imagine how much fuel we’d save by eating only salads of raw fruits and vegetables served at room temperature.

It might not sound all that appetizing, but the movement to eat only raw, vegan food has been around for a while, and now it’s spreading beyond California and New York. Raw food restaurants have sprouted up everywhere from Saint Augustine, Florida, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and raw packaged foods are even hitting the shelves at upscale grocers like Whole Foods, much to the dismay of purists. Gourmet raw food, like lasagna made from ground nuts, sprouted buckwheat and cashew cheese, has traditional raw foodies crying foul.

Lessley Anderson has followed the growth of the raw food movement. She’s senior editor at the food website CHOW.com, and she joins us now from San Francisco. Click here to read her article.

(Photo of raw pizza by francistoms)