Before years ago, I heard about raw food movement, and how cooking can be very harmful for our health. I was startled, it never across my mind that cooking can be dangerous. I always knew that raw food may cause food poisoning. After reading a lot about it, its time to clarify things, what should be eaten raw or cooked, let’s start by explaining the most common myths about raw food.
Myths: Cooking destroys enzymes in plants
Fact: Enzymes in plant are necessary for plants not for humans. They can’t help us in digestions. Our body release the needed enzyme’s during digestion process.
Myth: All Vitamins & Minerals destroyed by heat
Fact: That not necessarily true! The B-Vitamins are sensitive to heat and air, but the most crucial one is vitamin C. because Vitamin c is abundant in most fruits and vegetables its encouraged to eat raw fruits to get vitamin C. For other vitamins like vitamin A and beta-carotene, and other antioxidants like. Lycopene are increased with heating here this study in the” journal of agriculture and food chemistry”. It’s better to choose tomato paste or cooked tomato like in stews rather than eating it raw, and the same goes for carrots are better than raw ones. For garlic, onion, and crucifies like broccoli and cauliflower, you can eat them both raw and cooked. Always avoid dicing them into tiny pieces, and let them stand for 10 minutes, so Sulfur containing compounds get time to develop. Here in this study they support that.
Here are some known fruits and vegetables that you prefer to it raw or cooked
| Fruits and vegetables | Raw | Cooked |
| Kale, Spinach | √ | |
| Onions, Garlic, Broccoli | √ | √ |
| Asparagus | √ | |
| Tomato, Carrots, Butternut Squash | √ | |
| Fruits like orange, pineapple, avocado, banana | √ | |
| Mushrooms | √ |
What is the best cooking method?
Studies found that cooking method may not have an effect for all nutrients, because each food has different nutrients that may alter with low or high temperature or not at all. Steaming or Microwave is very efficient and fast”I tried the mixed bags of vegetables, they don’t have excessive salts and delicious”. Boiling can be harmful in some cases, you should use minimal water, and less cooking time. Roasting and baking also good options. Frying is the worst option because in this case you will lose any nutrients that sensitive to heat, air and fat.
What not to eat raw
Raw nuts may have some harmful substance but its not the case with all nuts, soaking nuts can be beneficial also roasting can release the harmful compounds, but some nutrients may affected like vitamin E. Phytates (anti-nutrients) and oxalates in greens vegetables such as kale and spinach may be block the absorption of iron and other minerals so its better to eat it cooked. However, you can get other benefits when you it raw like folate, so try to eat them both ways. Here I made raw kale salad and cooked Kale both of these dishes were so delicious.
So what to do?
Eating raw or cooked vegetables may decrease the risk of some diseased like cancer, and heart diseases. So whether you eat it raw or cooked you will get the benefits. Focus on eating a balanced diet with at least seven servings of fruits and vegetables, be physical active, and don’t be obsessed with small details, and look at the big picture.
