7 Raw Superfoods to Boost Your Body's Vitality

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Raw Wheatgrass

The benefits of raw wheatgrass range from cancer prevention to heavy metal detoxification (chelation). This deep-green superfood is filled with chlorophyll and important enzymes, all of which bolster the body’s blood flow and digestive system. Moreover, cancer patients who drink wheatgrass juice on a daily basis show a decreased need for bone-marrow-building medications during chemotherapy.

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Raw Goji Berries

Raw goji berries are grown in the Himalayas and contain 11 essential and 22 trace dietary minerals, 18 amino acids, 6 essential vitamins, 5 carotenoids, and are packed with antioxidants. This orange-red superfruit has been used for medicinal purposes in China and Tibet for centuries because it’s neuroprotective, anti-aging, and anti-carcinogenic.

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Raw Noni

Raw noni is a lime-green fruit that grows in Southeast Asia and in some Pacific Islands, such as Hawaii. Packed with electrolytes, this superfruit is an excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin B3, polysaccharides, and essential fatty acids. It's been traditionally used to treat cramps, diabetes, liver diseases, bowel irregularities, and urinary tract infections.

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Raw Cacao [Cocoa] Powder

Cacao powder can actually be eaten raw. It's extracted from the seeds of the cacao pod (fruit), which is grown predominantly in South America, Western Africa, and Indonesia. This superfood is packed with flavonoids, especially epicatechin, which improves the cardiovascular system and the blood flow to the entire body. The benefits of raw cacao powder extend to the brain as well, improving learning and memory.

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Raw Nori

Raw (and sometimes toasted) nori is a seaweed commonly used in Japanese foods, such as sushi and onigiri. This blue-green superfood is about a third protein, a third dietary fiber, and contains iodine, carotene, and vitamins B and C. Nori also has high levels of folic acid and pantothenic acid, which synthesizes and metabolizes proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

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Raw Barley

Raw barley can be soaked in water overnight and then eaten. It has a nutritionally positive impact on cholesterol, cancer risk, blood pressure, the immune system, satiety and obesity. Containing eight essential amino acids, this superfood also regulates blood sugar (i.e. reduces blood glucose response to a meal) for up to ten hours after consumption.

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Raw Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are a great source of protein and zinc, especially when eaten raw. They contain anti-diabetic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. This superfood also lowers LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and contains magnesium, phosphorus, and as much tryptophan as a full glass of milk, helping with the creation of serotonin.