After hearing an interview with author David Wolfe in 1998, Matt was inspired to eat a exclusively raw food diet virtually overnight. Since then he and his wife, Janabai have opened raw food cafes in Santa Monica and New York City. They have their second book coming out at the end of July, RAWvolution Continues. They are very busy spreading the raw food movement while trying to keep balance with their twin boys.
Nourishment: Congratulations! I hear you and your wife have a new book out. What is the theme?
Matt: Yes, thank you, we’re very excited about it. It’s called The RAWvolution Continues, and it’s one of the largest collections of raw food recipes to ever be published. It has 150 recipes, many of which are served at our café, and that people have been really anxious to get their hands on. It will also contain the most thorough account of raw food luminaries throughout history. People might be surprised to learn that Pythagoras and Gandhi, among others, promoted a raw foods way of life. It’s available for pre-order on amazon.com already, and it will be in stores on July 30th.
Nourishment: How did you initially discover a raw food diet? 
Matt: My wife Janabai and I each had a different initial experience. For Janabai, the path to raw foods was a gradual evolution which led to her healing herself of the chronic irritable bowl syndrome (IBS) she suffered from for years.
Mine was inspired by the teachings of author and lecturer David Wolfe. Janabai and I both experienced profound mental and physical leaps, upon adopting a raw vegetarian lifestyle.
Nourishment: You have been in the raw food world for well over a decade. What has changed for you?
Matt: Well, I certainly eat more reasonable food than I did in 1998, when I began on the raw food path. For my whole life, until that point, I ate what some people call a S.A.D. diet, which stands for “Standard American Diet”, which included fast food, fried food, soda, candy, and a lot of processed food. I now eat only fresh, organic, real foods.
The movement has changed immeasurably as well. Many, many more people are at least aware of the concept of consuming foods in their natural state, and there are tons more resources than there once was, as far as books, online videos, raw restaurants, prepared raw foods, exotic ingredients and superfoods, etcetera, etcetera.
Nourishment: What is your favorite food?
Matt: Perfectly ripe, seeded, organic watermelon.
Nourishment: Janabai is a raw food powerhouse as well. How do you both keep balance or find down time amongst all of the hard work?
Matt: We don’t always, but we certainly try. We also have twin boys that are just beginning to walk, so between them, and our businesses, we certainly have our hands full. Luckily, our diets help to provide us with energy to get through the long days.
Nourishment: What raw food chefs inspire you?
Matt: I’m inspired by chef Krisztina, the dessert and pastry chef at our café, RAWvolution. She is such an incredible natural talent, and the desserts she turns out are second to none. Her creations could take the Pepsi challenge with traditional egg-sugar-flour desserts, any day of the week. People simply cannot get enough of her raw cinnamon rolls.
Nourishment: Can you give advice for someone who is flirting with the idea of becoming raw?
Matt: I would say that they should not feel like it’s an all-or-nothing thing, and that they can fairly easily begin to add more raw, living foods into their diets, and see the results for themselves. It’s great for anyone experiencing health challenges, minor, or acute, or anyone who wants to cleanse, or simply feel better and have more energy on a daily basis.
Nourishment: What changes should people expect in their body and the way they feel when making a transition from cooked and processed food to raw food?
Matt: People will tend to have more energy, as I said, and everything from clearer skin and brighter eyes, to weight normalization and cessation of disease have all been experienced by many who’ve increased the amount of raw plant foods they consume.
Nourishment: What are 3 top foods you feel are the most nutrient dense or nourishing?
Matt: I would say any of the dark, leafy greens, as well as spirulina, and seaweeds. Nourishment: Your restaurant is called Rawvolution. What are your dreams or where would you like to see the evolution of raw food go in the future?
Matt: Our restaurant, raw meal delivery service, and books, etcetera, are just small bits of a larger RAWvolution that I believe is already in motion, and that will spread like all great revolutions, built on truth do and create a significant change that takes place over time. Arthur Schopenhauer said “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.
For further information visit: http://www.rawvolution.com/
To order The Rawvolution Continues click here: http://www.rawvolution.com/the-rawvolution-continues-the-new-book-by-matt-and-janabai-amsden
DON’T MISS! New Book release party at RAWvolution Cafe (2301 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405) on Tuesday August 13th at 7pm – with live reading and book signing by Matt & janabai and we will have a menu of featured recipes from the new book.
Check it out here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/149253155264127/
