Organic is wonderful! It is a way to get back to the Earth and the simple nutrients of life that have fueled the human body for millennia. One way to get those life-giving nutrients is through raw foods.

Have you ever noticed the difference between raw foods, especially vegetables, and canned foods? For one, raw foods taste fresher. Some vegetables have a natural sweetness, like carrots, but you can’t detect it in the canned variety. The canning process not only preserves the food but also removes some of the nutrients.

The next time that you go to a buffet or have lunch in a cafeteria, make a beeline for the raw bar first. You will find a lot of great foods there just waiting to nourish you. What are they? Here are a few examples of raw vegetables that will create a filling salad:

• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Onions
• Beets
• Corn
• Potatoes

Here are some of the benefits of eating raw vegetable salads.

• Taste the flavor – Like we said above, each vegetable has its own flavor. Add them all together and you get a mixture of sweet, savory and tart. Mix them with a bit of fresh cheese and herbs to make it fit your taste needs.
• Lots of fiber – Fiber is needed to help regulate the digestive system. Insoluble fiber washes through your system but takes a bit of fat with it in the process. Fiber is also instrumental in lowering blood cholesterol and helps stop cravings during the day.
• Full of vitamins and minerals – Salads are not just full of lettuce and spinach leaves. You can add whatever you like to dress it up. Fresh greens do provide B vitamins and a variety of helpful minerals. Tomatoes provide lycopene, a helpful antioxidant; carrots provide beta-carotene. Cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower provide fiber. They also take a lot of chewing so you feel full sooner.
• Easy to pack for lunch – It takes no time at all to prepare lunch with a raw vegetable salad. Cut up and pack your veggies and additions the night before. Simply grab and go in the morning. Mix it all together at lunchtime without any cooking time needed. Enjoy!

Are you at a loss for ideas for raw vegetable salads? Here are a few combinations that you can try.

• Tomato, feta cheese and basil salad
• Cauliflower, broccoli, cheddar cheese and light vinaigrette dressing
• Potato, corn and tomato salad
• Cucumber, dill, tomato and onion salad
• Lettuce, onion, feta and tomato salad
• Greek salad

Raw vegetables provide a lot of hearty goodness for your body. Start with a great salad for lunch or dinner. If you have room left, add a bit of whole grain and lean meat to round out your meal.