Should we eat a wide range of raw foods to ensure that we’re getting the right nutrition?

This question has always puzzled me and I could never find a good answer.

When winter comes along, it’s not unusual for me to eat large quantities of oranges and other citrus. After all, it is the time of year when citrus are in season and they taste super sweet and delicious. So, why not eat lots of them?

I like orange juice. I squeeze the fruit using an electric juicer, but I remove the device’s filter to make sure I keep the essential pulp pretty much intact. To say I love orange juice is an understatement. I am passionate about this drink.

Sometimes half of my daily calories during winters come from citrus alone. It is at this moment I wonder, is my raw food diet varied enough? Could it be that I am missing out on important nutrients?

Since little to none scientific research has ever been done (as far as I know) on how varied a raw food diet should be for optimal health, or *any* other diet for this matter, it is really up to us to figure out.

In my opinion, it is vital that we listen to our bodies. Do we need to eat more varied foods? Our bodies should indicate if we do, just as we do when we are hungry.

That’s why I believe it is wise to follow our instincts and desires should we wish to eat certain foods, just as long as these foods are plant based, whole, raw and ideally: in season.

It makes sense from a biological perspective, as well as geographical.

I decided to get another opinion, so I got in touch with Dr. Douglas Graham, long time raw foodist and author of the 80/10/10 diet, among other books.

Doug explains: “Whole, fresh, ripe, raw, organic plants are my main motto for determining the quality of the food on your plate.

Simplicity at mealtimes coupled with variety in your annual diet, is my motto when creating meals.

Humans can survive on amazingly simple diets, and thrive on them. Plants offer almost 500,000 nutrients compared to the mere 100 nutrients found in animals.

The seasons all but force diversity of diet upon plant eaters, especially upon fruit eaters. Berries in spring, melons in summer, stone fruit at summer’s end, core fruit in autumn, persimmon as the winter approaches, citrus in the winter, and bananas all year long make for more than enough diversity in our diets.

I mean let’s look at what most people eat; cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and either pizza, pasta, or some type of meat and vegetable for dinner, ALL YEAR LONG. By comparison, we plant eaters eat more variety than anyone…”

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