"Raw" Cashews...

I have always loved cashews. My father loves them. My grandfather loves them. Even my great-grandfather loved them. The fact that raw cashews are included in the diet of many raw vegans was one of the reasons that I was so attracted to this way of eating. I dreamed of all the delicious creamy concoctions I could create with cashews and my beloved Vita-Mix. Raw cheesecakes, cashew-cacao mylkshakes, raw ranch style dressing... The list goes on and on and on. And I made them all and ate them all. Delicious, ever last recipe. Hell, I even made up a few of my own raw cashew creations. In short (sort of) I was in cashew heaven. Then I heard/read a vicious rumor that "raw" cashews weren't really raw. Preposterous. It seem virtually all raw fooders ate an abundance of cashews. I didn't believe it. Then, sadly enough, I realized something, but only because I ran out of cashews and my budget didn't permit me to buy any more for a little while. I realized during those cashew-less weeks I lost more weight and had many less cooked food cravings. My appetite decreased and I had much more energy. Interestingly enough, at the same time I observed these things about myself, I began learning about acid-alkaline balance and the food that affect it in the body. I read that cashews were very acid forming. I deduced that maybe that's why I felt better when I didn't eat them. Well, I have sort of a short memory sometimes and so the other day I went grocery shopping and bought a few lbs. of raw cashews. I began eating them and immediately noticed that I felt really tired and sort of lethargic. So I begrudgingly left them alone for a day or so. This morning I really had a hankering for a mylkshake so I made one with cashews and raw honey. It was delicious and I drank it right down happily all the while thinking how great it was to be raw. Ten minutes later I felt ready for a nap and I hadn't even been out of bed for an hour yet! Yes folks, the sad fact is that I do not tolerate cashews well at all. I don't really know if it is because they are acid-forming or not "really raw" or even a combination of both things. The bottom line is- they are not my friend. Dang. Well you live and learn. At least there is still almond butter, maybe for a few months, we hope...

(This picture is of of my delicious raw corn chowder which, alas, contains cashews and is therefore nothing but a memory to me now. Rest in peace. You were loved.)