I love raw vegan cakes for special occasions and holidays, if you haven’t already surmised that from previous posts! One of the reasons I think they are so great is because they are the perfect way to show family and friends that healthy, whole, plant based foods (what our grandparents used to call fruits and vegetables) can be delicious and satisfying! The other reason I love raw vegan desserts is to help people transition away from dairy, by realizing you can have incredibly decadent desserts without dairy! Why do I care about that?
DAIRY IS DEADLY
No, that’s not an oversimplification nor is it a dramatization. Dairy contains one of the most toxic forms of protein – casein – that is directly linked to significant increases in cancer risk. T. Colin Campbell studied the effects of casein protein extensively, as have many recent studies which have linked dairy with cancer risk. These studies have suggested that dairy products are linked to increased risk of prostate cancer, testicular cancer, ovarian and breast cancers.
In the Harvard’s Physicians Health Study, which studied more than 20,000 men, those who consumed more than two dairy servings daily had a 34% higher risk of developing prostate cancer than men who consumed little or no dairy products. Several other studies have shown much the same thing. Scientists concluded that dairy consumption increases levels of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) in the bloodstream. IGF-1 is a potent stimulus for cancer cell growth. High IGF-1 levels are linked to increased risk of prostate cancer and breast cancer.
The fact that dairy is deadly is never a popular fact. Every time I post about it on my Facebook page, hoardes of dairy lovers come out of the woodwork to give numerous examples of how they believe dairy is fine if it is: organic, local, raw, from a grass fed cow, from the happy cows on the big ad campaigns, you name it. I get the occasional “my grandma grew up on a dairy farm and drank 5 glasses of milk a day and lived to be 110″. Anecdotal stories aside, science is science, and there is a mountain of scientific evidence on the dangers of dairy. (See links posted below) So why do so many people feel scared, threatened and afraid to hear the truth about dairy?
DAIRY CONTAINS NATURAL OPIOIDS THAT GET YOU ADDICTED JUST LIKE HEROIN
Yes. You did hear that correctly. Dairy contains substances called casomorphins, which are protein fragments derived from the digestion of the milk protein casein. Casomorphins have an opioid effect, just like heroin or oxycontin or morphine. In fact, opioids are among the world’s oldest known drugs. Dependence can develop with ongoing use, and will almost always lead to withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit. Opioids are known for their ability to produce a feeling of euphoria, so it’s not really about using willpower. The minute you consume more dairy, you once again experience altered brain neurotransmitters that keep you coming back for more.
In my many years of experience in the Health and Wellness Industry I can tell you hands down, that dairy is one of the hardest addictions to quit. That’s because it is not about willpower. It’s about recognizing that it is a full blown addiction and having the willingness to quit cold turkey. As with all addictions, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MODERATION. A heroin addict in recovery doesn’t say “Well, I’ll only use heroin on Christmas and Thanksgiving” or “I’ll only use heroin when my family is visiting because they all use it and I don’t want to hurt their feelings or seem judgmental about their deadly habits” or “It’s my vacation and I need to use heroin to enjoy it, but once I come home, trust me, I’m going on a juice fast.” So why is there an opioid in dairy?
IN ORDER TO GET FAT, BABY COWS NEED TO BE ADDICTED TO THEIR MOTHER’S MILK
It is a well established fact that there is one purpose for cow’s milk: to make baby cows get fatter. It is a beautiful thing in mother nature, that she created these addictive substances in the milk in order to keep the calves coming back for more. Kind of like you and I – as human babies, we too were addicted to our mom’s breast milk (if we were lucky enough to have been breastfed) until we were weaned. Ideally, we were weaned when we were able to feed ourselves and obtain our nutrition from whole foods. It was at that point that our addiction came to an end. However, millions of people have gotten themselves hooked and addicted to the breast milk of another species — cows. The lengths people will go to to keep up this addiction can pretty extreme.
GO COLD TURKEY
The best way to get over an addiction to dairy is to quit. Period. Stop eating dairy. Lowering your fat content overall will be an incredible health-affirming act, but of you need to use some foods to help you out of your addiction then switch to plant based fats which are not addicting in the physiological sense. You can use a coconut oil spread instead of butter, coconut or cashew ice cream instead of dairy, avocado on a sandwich instead of cheese. And for dessert?
EAT SOME CAKE!
This cake is one of many on my website and in my Meal Plans which are loved by eaters of all types! This cake is actually very low in fat as it is nut free, but it is also one of the easiest cakes you can ever make! You can lower the fat even more if you wish simply by leaving out the top chocolate layer. I highly encourage you to try these recipes, eat when you are hungry, stop worrying about calories and focus on intake of tons of produce, and before you know it you will no longer be a cheese addict. Enjoy!
BASE LAYER
- 1 cup oats, ground into a flour
- 1 cup Medjool dates, pitted
- 1/3 cup shredded coconut
- 2 tbsp Matcha green tea powder
BANANA LAYER
- 8 very ripe frozen bananas
- 1 tablespoon Non-Gmo soy lecithin
- 1/2 cup coconut milk (can substitute with almond or soy milk or any non-dairy milk of choice)
- 1 teaspoon organic vanilla powder
RASPBERRY LAYER
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
- 6 very ripe frozen bananas
- 1 tbsp Non-Gmo soy lecithin
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 10 Medjool dates, pitted (soaked if not super fresh and plump)
CHOCOLATE LAYER
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
DIRECTIONS:
BASE LAYER: Mix all ingredients in the food processor until combined. Press into a springform pan lined with parchment. That’s it. See? I told you this would be easy. You can use any glass pan too, like a square pyrex dish or any dish really. Just be sure you line it with parchment, or wipe some coconut oil on it so it doesn’t stick. The bottom layer is date based so it is very sticky. Put in the freezer while you make the banana layer.
BANANA LAYER: Mix all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. I use my Vitamix. I tried it in the food processor and it didn’t go as quickly. Vitamix it is! Pour over the bottom layer, and put it back in the freezer.
RASPBERRY LAYER: Mix all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Pour it over the banana layer and stick it back in the freezer while you make the chocolate layer.
CHOCOLATE LAYER: Mix all ingredients in a bowl with a fork until smooth. Pour over the raspberry layer. Freeze for two hours before serving. Voila! Yummy cake.
*You don’t need too much time for freezing in between making the layers since frozen bananas are the base.
**Â A note on the non-Gmo Soy Lecithin. I use Healthforce Nutritionals Lecithin in this and many other creamy recipes. It is one of the most important supplements for raw or high raw vegans, as it is a perfect source of choline and inositol which can be challenging to get in a diet that contains no eggs. Soy-lecithin nutritionally supports healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels, cardiovascular health, nerve function, brain function, liver function, memory, and fat burning. It also helps with beautiful hair and skin, and is a GREAT fat burner, while at the same time imparting a very creamy texture to desserts like this one.
And for more research on dairy and it’s dangers, SEE:
Dairy food may be the most potent factor in the development of breast cancer. Source: Paolo Toniolo et al., “Calorie-Providing Nutrients and Risk of Breast Cancer,” Journal of the National Cancer Institute 81:278-86, 1989
J. Karjalainen et al., “A Bovine Albumin Peptide as a Possible Trigger of Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus,” New England Journal of Medicine 327:302–7, 1992.
Huncharek M, Muscat J, Kupelnick B. Colorectal cancer risk and dietary intake of calcium, vitamin D, and dairy products: a meta-analysis of 26,335 cases from 60 observational studies. Nutr Cancer. 2009;61(1):47-69.
Luopajärvi K, Savilahti E, Virtanen SM, Ilonen J, Knip M, Akerblom HK, Vaarala O. Enhanced levels of cow’s milk antibodies in infancy in children who develop type 1 diabetes later in childhood. Pediatr Diabetes. 2008 Oct;9(5):434-41.
