In keeping with my mission to help people understand raw and living foods better, I’ve decided to start a weekly series here on Raw Food Switch.
I plan on writing about the benefits of eating a predominantly raw vegan diet every week. Each article will focus on a different set of benefits, or benefits for certain groups.
Be sure to subscribe not to miss any of the upcoming Raw Food Benefits Explained posts, they will provide you with motivation to include more raw food into your diet!
This week I’m going to highlight some of the Raw Food Benefits for college students, since I’ve been there myself. These are just some of the benefits, please post any benefits you’ve experienced in the comments!
1. Raw Food Provides Energy To Study
Or to pull all-nighters, as the case may be.
I discovered raw and living foods about 2 years into my 5 year University degree. As soon as I started to include more raw foods in my diet, I realized how much more energy I could have.
When you’re a college student, you are constantly on the go: you’re either doing assignments, working on group projects, or studying for midterms and finals.
The more energy you have to keep going, the better you will do.
Let’s face it, a lot of people in college drink far too much coffee and energy drinks to artificially boost their energy. Not being dependent on these harmful, addictive substances can save money, and prevent long term side effects.
2. You Get A Flexible Food Schedule
Being able to blend a meal within a few minutes really saved me a lot of time.
I was able to make a green smoothie for breakfast, or whenever I didn’t have time to make something more involved.
I knew I was getting the nutrition I needed because I was adding lots of green leafy vegetables, and supplements. These smoothies gave me the energy I needed, and took less than 10 minutes to make.
You can also schedule your food preparation for the whole week in advance. You can make a few simple recipes on Sunday that are ready to go for most of the week.
For example, I used to make an herb salad with sunflower seeds on Sundays after my grocery shopping. I could bring some of it with me for lunch for a few days, hassle-free.
3. Mental Clarity
When you’re giving your body the fuel it needs to concentrate, it’s much easier to learn and apply what you learn. I went raw gradually, and my grades improved along with my transition.
Whereas I was an average to below-average student in my first two years, I quickly increased my grades to above average. I graduated from University with Distinction, and I can honestly say that my diet is partly responsible.
Waking up to go to early classes wasn’t a problem for me anymore. A green smoothie in the morning was enough to keep me satisfied until lunch. For lunch I ate a raw meal and never felt groggy or tired for my afternoon classes.
This really helped me to focus during classes and absorb the information I was being taught.
4. Improved Immune System & Overall Health
Every winter college students tend to get sick, and fall behind. Since most University students get by on very little sleep, lots of caffeine, and pizza, it’s no wonder that colds spread easily.
No one wants to be sick during midterms, finals, or big projects. Although eating a predominantly raw food diet isn’t a guarantee against colds, it does help to keep your immune system humming.
It’s much easier to do well in your classes when you’re healthy. You aren’t going to miss class because of a passing flu, and you can devote your energy to your studies instead of fighting off viruses!
More Raw Food Benefits…
This post is part of the Raw Food Benefits Series.
- Raw Food For College Students
- Raw Food For Weight Loss
- Raw Food For Weight Gain
- Raw Food For The Elderly
- Raw Food For Mothers
{ 10 comments }
I am loving your articles ! keep up the great work ! I hated the vending machine at my college it was totally over charging me and killing me at the same time. So these options are great.
The flexibility is great. I prefer to call it convenience, as it is much easier to have my own food than to stand in lines, etc. It is also more affordable for me, as I was able to take off the cost of my student meal plan, reducing my total tuition cost.
Sorry, I also wanted to include this site I found that has great on the go recipes… or even ways to eat raw at non-raw locations…. for those interested: http://www.rawpeople.com/?utm_source=A&utm_medi…
Oh I know what you mean about the vending machines. You kind of feel stuck buying from it (if there's not much else around) and at the same time you're getting ripped off, and sluggish/unhealthy too!
Convenience is right Erin! I agree that it's easy to have your own meals ready to go and not get stuck in the lunch or dinner rush.
I was also able to reduce my student meal plan too! But in my first year the plan was mandatory, so I didn't write about that here. So thanks for bringing it up!
Also, thanks for the Raw People link, I'm going to check it out – it looks like a great resource!
The flexibility is great. I prefer to call it convenience, as it is much easier to have my own food than to stand in lines, etc. It is also more affordable for me, as I was able to take off the cost of my student meal plan, reducing my total tuition cost.
Sorry, I also wanted to include this site I found that has great on the go recipes… or even ways to eat raw at non-raw locations…. for those interested: http://www.rawpeople.com/?utm_source=A&utm_medi…
Oh I know what you mean about the vending machines. You kind of feel stuck buying from it (if there's not much else around) and at the same time you're getting ripped off, and sluggish/unhealthy too!
Convenience is right Erin! I agree that it's easy to have your own meals ready to go and not get stuck in the lunch or dinner rush.
I was also able to reduce my student meal plan too! But in my first year the plan was mandatory, so I didn't write about that here. So thanks for bringing it up!
Also, thanks for the Raw People link, I'm going to check it out – it looks like a great resource!
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