Raw Banana Avocado Ice Cream

Many health conscious people are trying to incorporate more raw foods into their diets. They do this for many different reasons, including the preservation of enzymes and important nutrients. Most health care professionals agree that people need more fruits and vegetables in their daily diets, and eating them raw is a natural choice.

I try to eat foods that will contribute to good health. However, I will not give up flavor in my quest for healthy foods. Years ago I stumbled upon a single ingredient recipe for a banana ice cream substitute. It involved simply freezing a banana and puréeing it in the food processor. The author of the recipe promised it would taste like soft serve banana ice cream. It didn't.

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The resulting concoction had a watery taste that didn't mimic ice cream in any real way. It was similar to the taste of a banana popsicle, but had no creaminess to it. It wasn't bad; it just wasn't what was promised.

I began to wonder how I could keep this recipe as healthy as it was while making it taste a bit more like ice cream. I tried adding almond milk, coconut cream and a few other creamy products. Nothing gave it the right texture and taste. That is until I added an avocado. I know it sounds weird, but avocados are loaded with good monounsaturated fatty acids. These good fats combine with the banana to create a creamy, tasty treat your taste buds won't believe. Top it with chopped nuts for an even more satisfying snack.

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This is what you will need for four servings:

4 very ripe bananas

1 ripe hass avocado

2 teaspoons freshly ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

Directions:

Cut the bananas into one inch slices. Put into a sealable bag and freeze for at least twelve hours. Transfer the bananas to the food processor work bowl, fitted with a multi-purpose blade. Let sit at room temperature for five minutes to slightly thaw. Process until smooth. Add the avocado and spices (if desired) and continue to process till well combined. At this point it will be the consistency of soft serve ice cream and can be served as is. If you want a firmer texture, return it to the freezer for 30 minutes. Do not allow to completely freeze or it will become too hard.

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What Is A Raw Food Diet

The raw food diet is a diet where the foods are consumed in their raw state. Foods are considered to be raw if they have not been exposed to high temperatures above 46 degrees Celsius (or 115 degrees Fahrenheit). This ensures that all enzymes and nutrients are left unchanged and intact so that the body is able to absorb them faster.

In addition, raw foods contain many antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals and eliminate toxins. According to studies, most age related diseases and common ailments are the result of too many toxins in the body. Thus the raw food diet can help to slow down the aging process by preventing diseases.

Variations of the Raw Food Diet

There are several different variations of the raw food diet and they include the Raw Vegan Diet, the Raw Vegetarian Diet and the Raw Omnivorous Diet. All three focus on raw foods, but each diet has slightly different restrictions.

Raw Vegan Diet

The raw vegan diet is the strictest of the variations, but it is also the healthiest and the most popular.

The diet mainly consists of raw fruits and vegetables, herbs and spices, sprouts, nuts and seeds, as well as many superfoods such as raw cacao, goji berries, protein powders and sea vegetables. The superfoods usually are not available in most grocery stores, but can be purchased in most health food stores or online.

The raw foods are often eaten as they are, or mixed together in salads, smoothies, or are juiced in a juicer. Many western recipes can be mimicked with raw foods, such as ice creams, raw fruit pies, pizzas and many others. Bread, crackers and cookies can be mimicked by using a dehydrator, which is an oven-like appliance that dehydrates the foods at low temperatures over a period of 4 or more hours.

Raw Vegetarian Diet

The raw vegetarian diet is not quite as strict as the vegan, as it allows for the consumption of dairy, eggs and honey. However, there are some vegetarians that only consume eggs, while others will only consume dairy, and still others refuse to eat dairy and eggs, but will use honey as a natural sweetener.

Raw Omnivorous Diet

This diet is the most relaxed diet, as it allows for all animal products provided that they do not contain harmful food additives such as colorants and/or preservatives.

All animal products, whether consumed by the raw vegetarians or raw omnivores are usually obtained from free range and grass-fed animals in order to reduce the risks of ingesting harmful bacteria. In addition, foods from grass-fed animals also contain more nutrients.

Does the Raw Food Diet Eliminate All Cooked Foods?

Many who hear about the raw food diet think that they can no longer enjoy their favorite cooked meals. But this is not so. Dieters can consider themselves to be a raw foodist if they consume at least 75% of their foods in the raw state. This allows for a partially cooked meal every night.

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