I have been researching raw food vegan diet for the last couple of years. In just seven days, I will take the plunge and eat nothing but raw vegan foods for 1 month. In preparation for that, I have been reading lots of books. These will be my core five books to use during the cleanse. If you are interested in purchasing any of them, my affiliate link with Amazon will follow the book descriptions.

1. “Becoming Raw” by Brenda Davis, RD and Vesanto Melina, MS, RD – This book contains the science behind the raw food diet (as well as a few great recipes). Initially I was thrown off by the fact that these two women are registered dietitians. I always think of dietitians in relation to developing the Canada Food Guide and supporting currently acceptable nutritional norms such as eating whole wheat bread and drinking lots of skim milk. Then I read their credentials and realized they are eminently qualified to write about a vegan diet. They write about the history of the raw food movement, compare nutritional positives and negatives of eating raw, and give timely advice on how to avoid possible nutritional pitfalls. This is a must have for those who “want to do it right”.

2. “Raw Food Made Easy” by Jennifer Cornbleet – This is a lovely go to book for plunging right into the raw food diet, even if you haven’t yet bought a dehydrator, high speed blender, mandolin, nut milk bag, or any other fancy equipment. All you need to make these recipes is a normal blender, a food processor and a sharp knife. The recipes are easy, the results delicious and shopping and staple lists are provided so you can begin right away. I will be relying heavily on this book for the month.

3. “Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine” by Gabriel Cousens, MD – Dr. Cousens is one of the masters of the raw food universe, and his book has his own unique style. He believes that cooked food composts in the body and is the cause of all illness. This is not my belief, and I can’t find any good research, either, to support his claims. There are tons of recipes in this book, many taken from the “Tree of Life cafe” . Some are simple, and some take days to prepare, using all the fancy raw equipment mentioned above. I may be trying some of the more simple recipes here since I have no time for hours of fuss. Still, it is a classic tome for raw food vegans and may inspire you.

4.”The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook” by Alissa Sergersten and Tom Malterre, MS,CN – Although not a raw food cookbook, this book and the one that follows are gluten-free, use only whole natural foods and contain many raw food or raw food adaptable recipes. I love these authors. I first heard Tom Malterre speak at a naturopathic convention a number of years ago, and was very impressed. Both he and his wife are graduates of the Bastyr University nutrition program, and their advanced nutritional knowledge shows through on every page of their books. This book contains a 28 day elimination diet, many tips about using whole foods and lots of recipes.

5. “Nourishing Meals”, by Alissa Sergersten and Tom Malterre, MS, CN – The eagerly awaited second cookbook by this couple. Even more fermented recipes. A focus on kid-friendly recipes (tried and tested on their own children), and lots of very simple, delicious recipes. True disease prevention starts with good nutrition. I would not want to be without these two books regardless of what type of diet I was following.