Raw Vegan Chef Makes It to MasterChef as a Contestant

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) August 10, 2012

The new 2012 season of Fox’s popular cooking competition show MasterChef includes raw vegan foods chef Helene Leeds as a contestant. Massage School San Diego explains that Helene’s appearance on Master Chef is likely to help natural health care practitioners in their quest to educate clients and patients about a healthier diet, because of this mainstream television exposure to healthier food choices.

Though Helene did not make it far in the competition, ending her stint in week three, her saffron risotto definitely made an impression.
The recipe that won Helene a spot in the competition was a vegan foods medicinal recipe for mushroom soup using Chaga and Reishi mushrooms, and a raw kale salad with mulberries and cocoa nibs.

Helene Leeds had a medical condition as a child that kept her wheelchair-bound, which resulted in childhood obesity. The chef attributes her health and recovery to a raw foods diet, and says that her favorite foods are Reishi mushrooms and raw chocolate.

Vegan food, according to VeganSociety.com, is defined by what a vegan does not eat. “A vegan will not eat any animal products, for example:

•     No meat, fish nor other products that come directly from killing an animal, such as animal fats and gelatin.
•     No dairy products such as cows milk, cheese and yoghurt; nor goats’ milk.
•     No eggs or foods containing eggs such as Quorn.
•     No honey.”

"Raw Foodists" believe raw food contains enzymes that aid in the digestion of food and help a person's body to absorb nutrients. By overcooking food, our body is forced to produce more enzymes which are believed to lead to various maladies such as weight gain and nutrient deficiency.

TheChocolateLife.com gives more than one definition of raw chocolate. Raw chocolate can be “fresh unfermented beans that are fresh out of the pod or dried at low temperatures.” It can also cocoa beans that are not cooked above a temperature of 118 degrees Fahrenheit.

Massage School San Diego applauds Fox’s inclusion of a raw foods and vegan foods Chef in MasterChef, and states that this exposure will help natural health care practitioners attempting to acquaint patients and clients with a natural foods or raw food diet.

About Massage School San Diego:
A long-standing resource to the San Diego massage education community, MassageSchoolSanDiego.com provides guidance and assistance to incoming massage students, incoming attendees, and the massage schools of San Diego themselves.

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