Use and Care Manual

RAW & LIVING FOODS

In 1963 Dr. Ann Wigmore and Victoras Kulvinskas founded the Hippocrates Health Institute

in Boston, MA where they taught their patients about the benefits of a completely raw, organic

diet. Today this raw food lifestyle has evolved into a worldwide movement, with Ann and

Victoras being recognized as the movement’s mother and father.

What are Living Foods?

Ann Wigmore Foundation: “Living foods or raw foods are uncooked, free from animal products,

organic, easy to digest, rich in enzymes, and highly nutritious. They include home grown

sprouted grains and beans, vegetables, fruits, nuts, fermented preparations, dehydrated

snacks and delicious deserts such as fruit and nut pies and fruit ice cream.”

As you bite into a raw fruit or vegetable, you are experiencing the full potential of vitamins,

minerals, and enzymes in one compact package. There is no nutritional loss caused by the

heat of cooking, nor loss of water-soluble vitamins and minerals. If your produce was organically

grown, it is free of chemicals, color dyes or preservatives.

One of the most important characteristics of raw foods, is they are easier for your body to

digest than cooked food. The enzymes are what make raw foods easier to digest than cooked

foods. When food is cooked the enzymes become deactivated by heat. During the digestive

process, the natural food enzymes assist your body’s digestive enzymes in breaking down

food into digestive proteins. By eating more raw foods, your body does not have to work as

hard to digest the foods, which gives your body more vibrant energy in other areas, making

you feel stronger, healthier and happier.

Dehydration is the best way to preserve the essence of raw fruits and vegetables. Dehydrating

does not subject foods to the high temperatures associated with cooking, or traditional canning

methods. When raw food is heated to an internal food temperature of 118ºF/48ºC or higher,

for an extended period of time, its nutritional values begin to deteriorate, especially enzymes.

Canning also leaches out water-soluble vitamins and minerals, which also depletes the healthy

qualities of the raw-living foods.

Why Excalibur

is Superior for Living Foods

There are two important elements when dehydrating living foods to preserve the enzymes.

The first element is the proper control of temperature, and the second, is the time it takes the

food to dehydrate. If the temperature is too high the enzymes can be destroyed, but if the

temperature is too low, the food takes longer to dry, causing it to spoil or grow bacteria.

With the Parallexx

™

Horizontal-Airflow Drying System and an adjustable thermostat, Excalibur

Dehydrators are uniquely suited for dehydrating raw foods while retaining the highest food

qualities. The adjustable thermostat allows you to control the air temperature, and the rear-

mounted fan that creates the Parallexx

™

Horizontal-Airflow Drying System provides fast and

even drying. With these two features, Excalibur

Dehydrators are able to keep the food

temperature low enough to preserve the enzymes while raising the air temperature high

enough to dry the food quickly, preventing mold and bacteria from growing. Most stackable

dehydrators are poorly designed with no temperature control, or fan to properly circulate the

air, and they dry from the bottom up requiring frequent rotating of the trays.