> is there really
>that much difference between raw and rare (or even
>medium rare>Specifically, does rare meat still retain undenatured
>proteins and/or enzymes? >Any thoughts would be appreciated.

AS long it is so rare that most of the piece of meat is left red and didn't
reach the " fever point"  ( 42 degree celcius) beyond which enzymes start to
be destroyed, no change occured in the structure of the cells . At the
temperature where the cells are bursting open necessarely there is chemicals
reactions happening that change the "nature " of the cells creating new
compounds that where not there in the first place ( this can be observed
with the naked eye , color is changing, juice is running etc.) . note that
bursting of cells can be obtain by mincing the meat, or freezing and thawing
. Cooking does a denaturation steps farther than mecanical means. Eating
does burst the cells open too,  but it happenning in a controllled
environment with little exposure  to air , at 37 degree celcius and the
cells content is mixed with digestive juices and specific enzymes which must
"guide" the chemical reactions in a different direction.
All the more evolved form of life are happening in the range of temperature
between 0 celsius and 42 celsius, more basic forms are able to live in
higher temperature (specific algeas in hot spring or fish getting frozen and
coming back to life). beyond those
temperatures life in our food is gone.
when i first started to eat unprepared raw meat (i was used to tartar or
soft boiled eggs) i didn't like the appearance and was putting my meat
brievly on the wood stove to get a brown colour on the surface ( few seconds
was enough) the rest was still cold and undenatured. I quickly got tired of
doing this extrawork and went directly to eat it completly raw.

Along the same lines, does
>jerked or dried meat retain these nutrients as well?

at the surface there is necessarely an oxydation happening, more so if it is
minced before drying.
From my experience of drying food , i see a huge difference between a fruit
dried at low temperature (below the fever point) and one died at higher
temperature. They keep their original color ( a strawberry or tomato  will
stay bright red , a banana yellow, a pear white)  and the original flavor is
freed once rehydrated in the mouth. It seems to me that the enzymatic
activity get dormant like in a seed by lost of moisture and continue once
the moisture is reintroduced. in a "cooked  dried" fruit the color turn
brown ( caramelisation) and the flavor is mostly gone only the sweetness
remain and get exarcerbated.
In a dry meat there is a net difference in taste between dried with gentle
heat and dried in the fridge ( way slower process) so there is something
else happening.


>> Is it best to just
>> gradually cook your meat less and less, in order to
>> let your body adjust to the difference?
>
If our cells are genetically expecting a food to be undenatured, all along
of our evolution our body will recognise right away the raw stuff and know
what to do with it > so physiologically i don't see the reason to go
progressively, but emotionally or intellectually , i can see many reasons
why it could be beneficial.
I didn't myself changed cold turkey and i wish i had, i made the journey
harder  for myself than my friend (76 years old) who went from one day to
another ,from his usual french mountain fare ( cheeze, potatoes and
charcuteries) to completly raw.
I think we do what we can do anyway according to our circonstances, so
follow your attraction....
jean-claude