Greatly expanded, this edition has so many new things, it should have had a different title from the first! It includes so much of Victoria's expanded knowledge and wisdom, such as the green smoothies, scientific studies showing the superiority of raw foods, and the power of gratitude. Victoria was even bold enough to include a chapter on eating insects! This may seem strange, but many humans around the world do eat them, and she wisely points out that if Americans weren't so concerned with this, we wouldn't have to use all those pesticides.

But this book also contains the old wisdom from the first edition: how cooked food is very addictive, and raw food simply doesn't have the mind-altering substances that make food become "comfort foods."

And of course there are some of the best raw food recipes ever. If you haven't tried Igor's crackers and the Live Garden Burgers, you simply haven't realized your full hedonistic potential, whether you are a raw or cooked fooder!

You will be amazed at the knowledge this woman entered on the pages of this book. It is mot a recipie book although it does have a few in the back. It is just so full of Facts that I find myself quoteing it all the time! An absolute must read for the average diet american, or those who like to change the average americans diet. ;)

Surely with this book Victoria Boutenko will establish herself as a pioneer in the teaching of graceful living upon the planet and within our own bodies. From the information density, consistency, clarity and authority of this work more of us will become able to "get it right" as some of our ancestors did.

Most reassuring is Victoria's ravenous pursuit of knowledge:
"I started collecting data about every single food that existed for humans."
"I read all of the raw food books about this diet that I could find..." "I...checked out thirty books on addiction."

Paraphrasing and quoting:

>Wild animals intuitively prefer fresher, more alive foods...and they rarely develop human-type degenerative diseases. Domesticated animals, fed processed pet food, develop cancer, diabetes, arthritis...

>Primitive peoples HUNTED and consumed meat to survive long winters, but preferred to GATHER greens, fruits, tubers, nuts, seeds, berries, blossoms, mushrooms, sprouts, bark, seaweed...less hazardous, less laborious.

>Insects have been a survival food or a delicacy for most or all human groups or tribes throughout our history, and 80% of earthlings consume them regularly and deliberately, and 100% consume 1-2 lbs of them each year - unintentionally. Actually, it would be safer to have more insects and less pesticide residue in our foods. And, anyway, by weight and amount of feed required, various insects are more efficient sources of protein than beef, chicken, pork or lamb.

>Greens are rich in almost all essential minerals and vitamins recommended by USDA, including protein, but they must be thoroughly chewed in order to release their nutrients (requires much time!). And also, stomach acid must be very strong... A blender can rapidly rupture most of the cell walls of the greens and fruits for easy nutrient assimilation.

>Inside plant cells, tiny organelles break down carbohydrate and sugar molecules to provide energy - but only if there is no cooking.

>2-3 cups of green smoothies daily will provide you with all of the beneficial nutrients. After a few weeks most come to crave and enjoy the smoothies. Boutenko recommends adding blended greens daily to one's diet for several weeks, and then, transitioning to a raw diet.

>Paraphrasing quoted results of studies conducted at accredited universities:
1.There is ample evidence that cooked and processed meats and fish contain mutagens and carcinogens.
2.Acrylamide, a human carcinogen, formed during heating of starch-rich foods, is present in a disturbingly large number of staple foods.
3.Nine of eleven studies...less cancer with raw vegetables.
4.Heating in hydrogenation and frying involves thermally oxidized fats which produced cellular damage in the hearts, livers and kidneys of lab animals.
5.Cooking meat at high temperatures for a long time produces heterocyclic amines and other mutagens, and increases risk of colorectal cancer.
6.A review of 206 human studies and 22 animal studies about cancer vs. fruit and vegetable (esp. raw vegetable) consumption produced consistent evidence for a protective effect against cancers of the stomach, esophagus, lung, endometrium, pancreas, colon, oral cavity and pharynx.
7.Heating produces AGEs (advanced glycoxidation end products) in foods, and they are involved in...arteriosclerosis, hypertension, stroke, heart failure, decreased resilience and flexibility in tendons and ligaments...

>During WWII, with restriction on animal foods, the incidences of some diseases were generally reduced.

>Your body never makes mistakes - for example:
1.A fever fights pathogens and infection.
2.Diarrhea minimizes the contact time between intestinal mucosa and gut pathogens or ingested toxins.
3.Vomiting gets rid of food when digestion energy must be diverted for healing.
4.Our bodies naturally crave foods that aid healing.
(Not coffee or donuts - cooking can create false cravings.)

>During infancy we are "imprinted" as to food choosing, good or bad, and this persists to defeat well-intentioned dieting and even stomach-stapling in adulthood, but a raw foods regimen can prevail.

>Bread, milk, meat, sugar and salt (opiates in the first 3) are probably the most addictive of all common foods. In one study, tumors were shrinking for 132 cancer patients newly placed on raw diets, but misunderstanding of the power of cooked food addiction brought on their demise.

>Boutenko's workshop success rate greatly improved after she learned and taught about addiction. Compulsive eaters probably must quit cooked foods "cold turkey" in order to start and maintain raw diets.

>At times of higher stress, persons raised on a raw food diet tend to crave grapes, figs, bananas...instead of confections.

>Raw foods are not "comfort foods" unless one is truly hungry. One needs to develop non-food stress management (spirituality, non-food interests, appreciation of small things.)

>It is not our business to control our children or our parents, even if they are dying from cancer. The best method for influencing others toward raw, healing foods is to persist happily and deliciously in the lifestyle ourselves and to respond well to any curiosity, while being supportive of the rights of others to persist in their own lifestyles, while also graciously declining offers of their food when necessary. Nevertheless, simply feeding them delicious raw foods can be most persuasive! For best palatability, in every dish you prepare there should be an element each of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and bitter.

>To avoid your own relapse, write down your main life goals along with planned responses for each of your temptation situations. A restaurant "acceptable foods" card is also helpful.

>Develop a support system: friends, websites, publications, exercise clubs, raw potlucks...

>Embrace other healthy habits: exercise, sunshine, good sleep, proper breathing, pure water, stress management...

>In lieu of investing in materialism, cultivate a lifestyle of gratitude and forgiveness which will bring increased pleasure to life and lessen one's dependence on addictive, cooked foods.

>Long term incentive can be gained from the increases in resources to do what one wants, resulting from time saved (quicker food prep, reduced sick time, longer life) increases in energy and strength, and savings of money. Boutenko's family's health money goes to best foods instead of health insurance, for example.

I hope that these sketchy notes will motivate you to read the book for a deeper understanding.

Other reviews, browse: "Bill Norwood" "customer review" Amazon.com

The book inspired my husband and me to try to eat raw foods for atleast one meal and to eat as much as possible. We both feel good and my blood sugar fell. The book is a good and simple way to encourage one to try to adopt the concept.

This is a very good book for those attempting to go raw in a cooked foods world. The author charts her own exhilarating adaptation to the raw fooder lifestyle. She frankly, poignantly, and sometimes amusingly presents the reader with various possible pitfalls of making such a drastic lifestyle change, and gives tips on how to avoid them. By repeatedly referring to anecdotes about her experiences as a messenger of raw foodism, Boutenko makes the lifestyle seem natural and enjoyable, but also(and importantly) feasible. By exhaustively referencing medical and other research[there are pages and pages of citations at the back of the book], Boutenko makes the lifestyle seem sensible and optimally health-giving, that is, a desirable thing to want. She argues that, based on her experiences promoting raw foods, the greatest barrier to going raw is physiochemical cravings for cooked food. She presents the process of ridding oneself of cooked food cravings and of switching to raw foods in the form of a practical 12-step process. The author implores the reader to trust themselves with their bodies and health, which makes the transition seem like something one can manage through a modest exertion of will. Boutenko's writing is precise and her tone is lighthearted and earnest without ever being goofy or preachy. I would recommend this book to anyone considering going raw without knowing the consequences to one's appetite and lifestyle, and to anyone concerned with learning more about "taking control" of their health. Over all, a very informative and encouraging book.

I'm totally clueless to the Raw Food lifestyle and I really wanted to get as many books as I could find (and afford) that would help me understand this way of life inside and out so that I don't just add the book to my collection of "diets" that I failed. This book is extremely powerful. I feel like I'm receiving therapy for my food addiction as I read it. It is amazing; Victoria covers every possible topic you could think of while making this intense transition and I'm looking forward to the journey with her help; this will become my new bible to healthy living and you won't be seeing me re-selling it on Amazon!

I came to Raw Foods through the back door so to speak. I wasn't looking for any special dietary advice, in fact, I didn't think I had a problem. I wasn't over weight. I had permanently activated my Kundalini, and was about to publish a book about it, Deciphering the Golden Flower One Secret at a Time. As the publication date approached, I began to feel "stuffed." This condition interfered with the autonomic self-healing properties of Kundalini. I realized I had a problem. The energy I normally experienced from my active Kundalini was being diluted by gastric interference. Up to this point, my Kundalini had reserved and improved my health, flooding my nervous system on a daily basis with cleansing energy that revitalized my entire body. I tried supplements and colonics. Nothing worked. Then, one day as I pulled into our neighborhood coop, I found myself listening to a radio interview on Raw Foods. It was Victoria Boutenko.

Although I had never heard of Raw Foods, I immediately ordered this book and when it arrived, I plunged into a 100% Raw Foods diet. It did the trick, cleared up my stomach/gastric problems, and kicked my Kundalini activity into high gear once again. I discovered that no matter how much energy one derives from spiritual practices, it's important to eat correctly. yet, as Victoria points out: Cooked foods have the authority of social acceptance behind them.

I decided to hold up publication of my book to include a chapter on the serendipitous, backdoor way I discovered Raw Foods. Raw Foods and Kundalini, a powerful self-healing combination.

Everyone's needs are different. Some follow vegetarianism, others follow low carbs and some are Raw Food followers.
This book is for people wanting to follow a raw food lifestyle.
Boutenko does a great job of introducing the reader to ways of bettering eating habits with a process that helps expose unhealthy food consumption.
This book is really easy to read and is very informative for those new to raw foods.

Wonderful and dangerous book for who is going to raw food diet.
Wonderful because has good tips to go raw and stay raw...
Dangerous because now we know how bad is a high fat diet, even a raw one.
This book is good just if the person reads the 80/10/10 diet from Dr. Douglas Graham. This is the way to go raw without mess out with your health...

There are some very helpful ideas in the book. She looks at a broad picture. However, I am a bit overwhelmed by her personal experience. She is much stronger than I.

I LOVE THIS BOOK! THIS WAS MY FIRST BOUTENKO BOOK. ANY ONE EATING A SAD DIET (STANDARD AMERICAN DIET) WHO WANTS TO CHANGE AND DOESN'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN SHOULD READ THIS BOOK! I BOUGHT ALL THE RAW FAMILY BOOKS AFTER I READ THIS ONE. BUT MOST HAVE THE SAME BASIC RECIPES WITH A FEW NEW ONES. SAME THING WITH INFO. BUT THEY ARE A FAMILY BUSINESS PROMOTING HEALTHY INFO SO I DON'T MIND HAVING THEM ALL! MY RAW FOOD "LIFESTYLE" MUCH IMPROVED FROM THIS BOOK. MY FAVORITE OF ALL THEIR BOOKS!

Victoria Boutenko's family, all had health issues. Converting to raw-fooders, the family was restored to health. I'm convinced by her testimony, that raw-fooding is now my new eating style. In a short while, I began experiencing high levels of energy. I'm going through chemo therapy. Oncologist said the chemo will not cure the cancer. I believe that raw, live foods will restore my live body. Victoria Boutenko met her first raw-fooder who cured herself of colon cancer, being a raw-fooder.

Being well into my fifties I have to say that Boutenko's book fully confirms what I have learned through my professional life as well as experienced on my way towards the best way of healthy living and eating. After reading two of her books (another excellent one is the Green Life) I realized I finally found my guru.

I am 31, and recently diagnosed with breast cancer. I loved meat and dairy food and I loved drinking. It was difficult for me to hear that I had this 'disease.' I came to understand that not only my lifestyle was killing me, but I had to cleanse my body and mind and change my entire lifestyle.

In a nutshell, this book was one of the books that validated that diet is in fact important, not just a vegetarian diet, but a raw diet. We were not born with a pot and stove in our hand, and heat does in fact kill the necessary enzymes that our body needs to fight infections and other maladies.

I would highly recommend this book and other books that the author has. Check out her website rawfamily.com

She leads us all in the right direction. Fruits and vegetables are better than anything. Recipes and visual preparations add, plus care with portions. For this I recommend For The Original Overeaters Anonymous Very Low Carbohydrate Food Plan: Greysheet Recipes. This is a beautiful book. I bought it because I'm on the very low carb food plan. It has great recipes. I really like the protein and vegetable recipes. I can never think of enough things to do with vegetables. Now I know what other people are cooking. I'm glad to learn more about phone and in person meetings. I never knew where the term "greysheet" came from. I have wanted to learn more about it for a long time.

What a terrific book! I highly recommend it for a raw foodist or anyone who wants to better their health. Victoria's enthusiasm, experience and knowledge all blend in a way that not only validate's your journey but set's the footprints to guide you. She is truly a raw food pioneer!!!

This is an excellent, well written and inspirational book for anyone seeking information on how to prepare raw foods and how to eat more of them! Some great ideas.

When I first started reading this book, I was a little doubtful because of how "fanatical" some Raw Food writers/advocates can be sometimes. I'm not really into all the "spirituality" talk that goes hand in hand with some of things I've read but this book surprised me and ended up being a great help and inspiration.

It was a quick read (either that or I just couldn't put it down) but it contained tons of great advice about starting your raw diet.

It is definitely geared more towards someone who is wanting to go 100% raw -- which wasn't my plan at first, but after reading this book, it now is!

The book mostly talks about the temptation that comes with cooked foods and how to overcome it. It also has a great chapter on how to become raw without annoying those around you -- which I think is brilliant. Since starting my raw food venture, I've found that a lot of my friends and even family automatically seem to become defensive about eating cooked food without me even questioning them about it. This book gives great advice on how to get more acceptance and support from your non raw friends and loved ones.

Also -- the recipes are some of the best (and EASIEST) I've found so far.

I've been to 2 movies since reading this book and have been able to avoid my one of my favorite things -- popcorn! -- and I think I have this book to thank for that.

This not only explains how to end your dependency on raw food, it also explains why, the benifits and what to expect. It was a great eye opener and has deffinetly changed my perspective.

While it's not yet my intention to go 100% Raw, I am in the research and experiment phase of this diet. In other words, I have not committed either way.

Ideally, my perfect Raw Food Diet book would provide the following information to the person considering this diet: 1)History and benefits of the diet, 2) The author's personal experience from beginning to present, 3) Cons and nutritional-pitfalls to avoid, 4)Before-and-after photos with testimonials, 5)Great, quick raw recipes with and w/out the pricey equipment, and 6)a 30-day diet plan to start you on your way.

That's asking for a lot but I would be willing to pay a reasonable premium to have all of this info in one place and I suspect others would, as well. After all, it's your health we're talking here.

This book touches on all but 2 of the above (4 and 6). I'm a skeptic about things that seem too good go be true but Boutenko eases those negative thoughts. Her delivery is of a sharing nature rather than preachy. I felt like she covered most of the questions a newbie would have in relation to the first steps one should take to get started on this diet. And she doesn't advocate going 100% raw right away which is very refreshing to someone who likes to try before she buys.

I've tried 2 of her green smoothies and a soup and all were surprisingly delicious. The smoothies I had for breakfast and I was hungry soon after. So you may want to have a nutritious snack on hand like carrots sticks or other raw, organic snack to prepare for those hunger pangs. I'm keeping a journal of how I feel as well and how the recipes taste.

I recommend this book as a great starting point for newbies. I'm glad I only purchased 2 books (the other was "Raw: The Uncook Book" by that kooky but fun Juliano)to come to this realization.

Even if I/you never go completely raw, I believe adding one raw meal a day will make a big difference in my/your health. Good luck to all who choose to pursue this way of life!

I have thought going Raw for years but had no idea or clue how to do it. None of my friends eat raw and some them barley eat healthy. I wanted to get my hair braided because I went natural a year ago and a friend reccommended that I go to a friend she knew. I met the young lady and I can tell immediately she was into all things natural. Prior to our meeting my friend told me this young lady had lost a large amount of weight. She and I began to talk as she braidied my hair and we got on the subject of Raw food because I was talking to her about the Larabar's I discovered. She was well aware of them. She gave me some advice and told me that it was a process. So once she was done with my hair I immediately went to the bookstore to find books about raw food and how to prepare them. But a few of them were too much information to soon. I needed something that would start me off slow and give me direction. I stumbled upon 12 steps to Raw Foods and put it back and thought naw not what I am looking for. Walked away from the book and came back because I thought if I don't find out now I will never do it. I need to get my body in shape and healthy.I have no problem working out but my eating could use some help. I don't have any medical conditons but I could stand to lose 50 to 60lbs. I read this book and it answer questions I didn't know I had. It was exactly what I was looking. I can't wait to get started!! Just think I just ordered The Bigger Looser Cookbook and Calorie Counter. After reading this book I will be returning the books once they arrive this week. I found a RAW Resturant in my area of East Point, GA. They have classes and group meetings. THANK YOU VICTORIA BOUTENKO!!!

I had bought a few other Raw books but got ahead of myself because this diet is not as simple as not eating meat, it is a lifestyle change. So I did some review reading and went with this one which I'm very pleased with.

Although the author tells her life story and makes it seems easier that it actually is, I felt like I understood how to go Raw a lot better after completing this book. She refers a lot to her native Russian diet which I'm not sure if many of us are Russian, but more likely American. I felt comparing to an American diet would have been a more effective way of helping the reader.

I did like how she added a spiritual twist to most of her messages which made it more meaningful and seems like it's coming from the heart. I'm not sure if others out there are spiritual that are going to a Raw diet, but the two lifestyles defiantly cross as she points out.

There's about 20 pages of recipes toward the end, which ironically for a beginner to a raw diet, comes with little to no instructions on how to actually prepare them (ex. using a food processor or a blender). I guess you have to buy her next book "Green For Life" for that.

Overall I would recommend this book to anyone trying to find out if they can even go raw and to see the full (12) steps that are needed to get going in that direction. Thanks!

Wow, I feel awesome. Mostly I have not been sick and feel younger now at 43 then I did at 33. I jump out of bed every morning with energy, ready to start my day. I have now been eating 90% Raw consistently for 3 months. (The non-raw food I consume is 'ezekiel bread'.)
No one is born with a stove on their belly, try this and you will see what the author and now I mean to share with the world. Once you know the information and once you feel the difference by eating raw, you can not go back to eating cooked foods since it does not achieve a feeling of health. Wow, talk about putting power into your hands! If you want to be a power house, you can do it on raw foods. Raw dairy, Raw cheese, Raw greens, Raw veggies and much more taste then you ever could achieve with cooked foods, not to mention the clean up is much easier then cooking. Just try it, you have nothing to lose! Oh, but you will lose one thing, extra weight.

Though 12 Steps to Raw Foods: How to End Your Dependency on Cooked Food features plenty of recipes, its purpose is to be the antithesis of "cookbooks" per se - author and raw-food diet teacher Victoria Boutenko extols the benefits of raw foods and the disadvantages of cooked foods (notably that cooking often destroys nutrients) to the extent of describing a diet of cooked foods as a "dependency". Now in a revised and expanded edition, 12 Steps to Raw Foods is also a vegan food preparation book, eschewing all meat, milk, egg-based foods. The preponderance of 12 Steps to Raw Foods is devoted not to recipes, but to convincing the reader to switch to an entirely raw-food vegan diet, as well as tips, tricks, techniques for making the transition. The main segments are "Why Raw Food?", "Human Dependency on Cooked Food", "How to End Your Dependency on Cooked Food" and "Recipes". The first three segments are filled with tips, tricks, and techniques for dealing with cravings for cooked food, and the recipes range from raw green smoothies to gazpacho to nut or seed cheese, non-cooked vegan burgers, non-cooked vegan pizza, and much more. A "must" for anyone interested in exploring the health benefits of a raw-food vegan diet.

I'm really glad I purchased this book. Amazon and it's sellers always give me the best service and I receive exactly what I want very quickly.

I found this book to cover both the benefits of a raw foods lifestyle and the drawbacks of the standard American diet, especially about food addiction and ages. The book stresses the importance of a green smoothies as a way of getting all your greens in without holding your nose!

Unfortunately, I was not impressed with this book. My first exposure to Mrs. Boutenko was via her book "Green for Life," which I very much liked. I cannot say the same for this one. My major complaint concerning "12 Steps to Raw Foods" is that some of the same material used in "Green for Life" was used in this book, word-for-word. That is extremely irritating, particularly when one pays what I did for this book new, and is also the main reason for my lower rating.
I cannot give this book high marks. It's monotonous, boring, tedious, and repetitive. From the raw family website, her writings, and all that she does to help others eat healthier, it's quite obvious Victoria is passionate about this subject. She seems to genuinely care about others, but this book just didn't do it for me.....

Of all the raw food books I own, this is hands down the best. Viktoria Boutenko is very thorough, providing scientific information as well as anecdotes and advice. I especially like Chapter 7, What the First Humans Ate - its a completely different view of our diet based on Jane Goodall's work on Chimpanzees, as well as early hominids. Makes you think... hmm... raw foods does make sense.

The second thing I really enjoyed about 12 Steps to Raw Foods was the spiritual emphasis of raw foods, because when it comes down to it, its not JUST a diet. We must all battle our addictions, preconceptions, and social pressure in order to be successful.

Oh! And there are some great recipes at the end of the book!!

Don't get me wrong. The first version is not bad, but the second version ROCKS...!

I have read probably 2 or 3 dozen books on raw foods and this is definitely one of my favorites. I "gobbled up" this book!

I bought this book as a second option, not being able to get hold of the Boutenko's first book 'Raw Family', either here or Stateside.
It is a really interesting read and one has to applaud the tenacity and determination of the family to go raw, when they had so little support and knowledge. For example, Mum got rid of her pots and pans and covered the top of the oven with a large chopping board. Not many people would make such an immediate and final decision.
I am a bit concerned that an example of an average day's food intake in the book seems pretty sparse; especially so having read now other books on the subject that include a fantastic array of dishes and ingredients. However, this book is a good general 'introduction' to going raw, and I recommend it.

I read the earlier edition of this book over two years ago, along with all the previous Raw Family publications. Victoria's characteristic Russian warmth and passion always come through, and I so appreciate the love and dedication she brings to her readers. Starting with Green for Life, though, she now also offers scientific evidence, studies and research to support her stories, suggestions and claims. If Green for Life impressed me, the revised and expanded edition of 12 Steps to Raw Foods blew me away!

This book is so thorough that even a skeptic would find it difficult to argue. Victoria includes 12 pages of footnotes and a one and a half page bibliography. As her chapter on clarity explains, one need not turn away from intuition to listen to experts; however, it's also nice when spiritual nudges, personal experience and science converge.

In addition to the scientific and psychological references, Victoria has clearly grown as a teacher during the past seven years. She has become a teacher of teachers, and this shift works to empower her readers. Throughout the text, she reminds us that we each have gifts to share and encourages us to find our purpose. Perhaps the most refreshing thing about this book is Victoria's reminder that the "main goal" is not to become a raw foodist. Rather, a raw food diet provides energy that we can use to propel dreams into reality. By assuming that each reader can go on to teach raw food "cooking" classes or encourage others on their spiritual path, Victoria also reframes the way new raw fooders view themselves. Instead of perpetual students grasping for answers, Victoria treats her readers as future teachers who will have valuable insights and experiences to share.

Although I eat a high-raw vegan diet, I am not myself a 100% raw fooder. I would still recommend this book to anyone who wants to lose weight or who finds him/herself obsessing about food, body image, or health issues. Reading 12 Steps to Raw Foods goes beyond just trying to change one's diet. Victoria asks us to look at our relationship to food, to ourselves and to the entire world, but she does so in such a humble, graceful way. This is a book whose wisdom unfolds over the course of time, and thus a book that offers rewards in each rereading. Victoria ends by asking, "How many people can you influence in your lifetime directly and indirectly? Eventually, I think, the whole planet. Is it worth a try?"

After spending any time with Victoria through lectures or her books, the answer bubbles forth as an emphatic, "Yes!"

I just finished reading the revised 12 Steps. Although I read voraciously, I rarely finish a book feeling so overwhelmed with warmth and gratitude. I sat motionless, hugging the book to my chest, as I was reflecting on its message for a good twenty minutes. As a writer I share one quality with Victoria: I approach my subjects from a very personal perspective. If I ever doubted that is the best way to reach people, I know after reading this book that it is the only way.