What Can You Eat on the RAVE Diet?

Inspired by the health challenges of those around him and guided by his own extensive research, author and filmmaker, Mike Anderson developed the RAVE diet and lifestyle. The RAVE acronym stands for the type of foods that are to be avoided: refined foods, animal-based foods, vegetable oils and no exceptions 3. While knowing what to avoid is crucial to the program’s success, it is equally important to know what you can eat on the RAVE diet. A typical, RAVE diet menu consists primarily of plant-based, whole foods like fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes.

Fruits

Fruits make up a significant part of the RAVE diet menu but according to the program guidelines, not all fruits are created equal. While more popular fruits like strawberries, grapes and bananas are technically allowed, RAVE dieters are cautioned to limit consumption of sweet fruits and focus more on organically grown, non-sweet fruits. Some examples of non-sweet fruits might include:

• cucumbers
  
• tomatoes
  
• squash
  
• eggplant
  
• peppers
  
• zucchini
  
• okra

Vegetables

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Vegetables serve as an important source of protein for RAVE dieters. Though the RAVE diet recommends that you restrict or eliminate white potatoes from your diet, it encourages consumption of organic red and yellow potatoes.

Grains

Whole grains are a good source of fiber and other important nutrients like B vitamins, iron and magnesium. Some examples of the kinds of unrefined, whole grains that you can eat on the RAVE diet include, but are not limited to, barley, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal and wild rice.include:

• Some examples of the kinds of unrefined
  
• whole grains that you can eat on the RAVE diet include
  
• but are not limited to
  
• barley
  
• brown rice
  
• buckwheat
  
• millet
  
• oatmeal
  
• wild rice

Whole-wheat breads and pastas are also allowed.

Legumes

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Another valuable source of protein, vitamins and fiber is found in legumes. Foods like chick peas, lentils and a variety of beans including black, red and pinto are so rich in nutrients that they fill you up and keep you satisfied for longer than refined foods. Other examples of legumes include:

• seeds
  
• peanuts
  
• edamame
  
• fava beans
  
• lima beans
  
• soy nuts

Food Preparation

Food preparation on the RAVE diet is relatively simple considering that raw foods are preferred over cooked foods. It is recommended that at least half of your daily food intake be uncooked and free of dips or toppings. Eating plant-based, whole foods in their most natural state ensures that they retain all of their essential nutrients.