More and more people are becoming increasingly aware of the various health benefits of raw food – this diet is good if you want to lose or gain healthy weight, it is great if you’re an endurance athlete, and it keeps you glowing and healthy and removes all traces of the toxicity and paleness that a diet high in sugar, salt and fat gives you. Not many people are able to follow a diet that’s completely raw though, and they may eat cooked foods once a day or less. It’s the vegans and vegetarians who find it easier to switch to a raw food diet rather than those used to fuller meals with non-vegetarian fare.

Not many restaurants cater to raw food enthusiasts, but that doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy eating out once in a while, especially if you’re celebrating with friends and family. If you’re worried about remaining true to yourself and your diet, here are a few tips that you can follow to ensure that you don’t go hungry and also get the food that you want when you’re at a restaurant:

•    Ask your waiter about the ingredients in each dish. If you get odd stares, explain your diet restrictions and make them understand that you eat only food that hasn’t been cooked.
•    It helps to check up on the restaurant’s menu in advance if you know the place or if they have an online presence. You can plan your meal ahead.
•    Go someplace where you’ve been before and where you know certain dishes are entirely raw or where they are willing to accommodate your tastes and make dishes with (or without) certain ingredients.
•    As much as possible, eat out with people who know that you’re a raw foodist, and even if you must go out with others, tell them of your food preference before or as soon as you reach your restaurant. It makes things simpler and avoids a whole lot of stares. They don’t have to accept your tastes, just as you don’t have to go on the defensive because you want to be different.
•    Call ahead and ask the restaurant if they’re willing to prepare large salads for you or if you can bring your own dressings.
•    Most of the nuts, seeds, dried fruits and olives at restaurants are normally not raw, and even if they are, they may be salted or processed. So avoid eating them unless you’re sure they’re raw.
•    When you order juice, insist that it must be freshly squeezed and without sugar or any other additions.

If you’re going to a restaurant where your choices are limited, eat some fruit ahead of your meal so that you don’t end up going hungry. Being a raw food aficionado does have its drawbacks, especially when you’re in public where the idea has not yet been embraced as vegetarianism and veganism have; but it sure does have its rewards too, rewards that can be seen and felt within a matter of weeks.

This post was contributed by Katie Wilson, who writes about the top nursing colleges. She welcomes your feedback at KatieWilson06 at gmail.com