At Revive we want food that is genuinely healthy, tasty and looking great, but not too different for mainstream people.
My objective was to get normal people eating healthier ... people who are currently eating the traditional western diet which would include meat, processed flour, sugars, pies, muffins, copious amounts of dairy, soft drinks and coffee.
The key differences of Revive food is as follows:
- Use plenty of fresh produce.
- Use whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, bulghur wheat and wholemeal flour which are significantly healthier than the processed grains found in most meals.
- Use honey or date puree instead of processed and refined sugars.
- Use a range of natural flavourings, herbs and spices and avoid black pepper and flavour enhancers.
- Minimal use of dairy products, and only use soft cheeses (like feta and brie). Avoid the hard cheeses like cheddar and parmesan which are hard to digest.
- Where possible combine whole grains with legumes/beans to form complete proteins. For example hotpots with chickpeas and brown rice.
- Use fresh local produce so the menus are varied seasonally.
- Instead of meat we use great protein sources such as chickpeas, beans, tofu, lentils and nuts.
- Do not deep fry foods but use sparing amounts of rice bran oil as this is known to be better resistant to heat than other oils.
- By nature of our healthy food, many dishes are gluten free. While there is nothing wrong with gluten in the diet, the western diet is full of it in highly refined wheat products which is why there are so many allergies.
- Use free range eggs.
- Instead of caffeine, alcohol or sugar based soft drinks we offer healthy juices, pure water and smoothies.
- Avoid unhealthy additives like shrimp paste, cows rennet, flavour enhancers, and preservatives where possible.
While I respect that everyone will have their own food choices, I do want to ensure that when people come to Revive, they are nourished and leave with their body in better condition than when they arrived.
On the streets of the two Revive cafes there are more than 40 other eating outlets. (These outlets are virtually poisoning people with their food and beverages.) They mostly offer coffee, muffins, sweets and highly refined food that will damage peoples bodies, deplete their energy, vitality, quality of life and most likely shorten their lives.
I truly believe, and science backs it up, that if you put quality plant-based foods into your body you will have a very high chance of a long happy life full of vitality.
I hope we may inspire you to eat healthy and have a pure lifestyle so you can enjoy a more energetic and quality life.