It is very important to know how to make the most of the nutritional value of food, for this we must know which are healthier, raw or cooked vegetables. It turns out that the famous myth that “all vegetables are healthier if eaten raw” is not entirely true, since there are certain vegetables that must be cooked, and others that, if you eat them raw, will bring you a greater benefit.
Which ones are better? Raw or cooked vegetables?
Cooked foods with more properties
Let’s start with the tomato , this vegetable contains Lycopene, an antioxidant found in red fruits such as tomatoes, papaya, watermelon, among others. A study conducted at Harvard University showed that people who consumed high amounts of lycopene had a lower risk of heart attack and cancer .
The most important thing to know about lycopene is that, to obtain its benefits in greater proportion, we must cook food. This was demonstrated by Rui Hai Liu, Professor of Food Science at Cornell University.
To make the most of lycopene, we can accompany it with certain good fats such as olive oil, avocado or olives.
Other vegetables that are preferable to consume cooked are asparagus, carrots, spinach and mushrooms , because when cooking them, they increase the antioxidants they have, such as carotenoid and ferulic acid. And the best way to cook them is steamed or boiled.
In the specific case of carrots , cooking it increases the levels of beta-carotene , which is an antioxidant from the group of carotenoids. Beta-carotene, once it enters the body, becomes vitamin A , which is essential for our body as it promotes night vision, the immune system, fetal development – if you are pregnant, the carrot will come in handy- , red blood cell production and bone growth.
Raw foods with more benefits
When it comes to raw foods, two of the vegetables that are most beneficial when eaten raw are broccoli and cauliflower . The heat damages the sulforaphane , which is very good at preventing cancer and destroying the cancer cells that have been generated. The only bad thing about eating these vegetables raw is that they are difficult to digest, so they can cause gastrointestinal upset.
Beets are another vegetable that should be eaten raw. When you cook it, you lose all the folate, which helps generate new cells and proteins in the body.
What you must do to take advantage of all the benefits of raw or cooked vegetables is to eat them in a varied way and follow the advice that we mention here . What you should always remember is that the best way to prepare cooked vegetables is steamed, in this way less nutrients and vitamins are lost, being more beneficial to your health.
When to eat raw or cooked vegetables
When eating raw or cooked vegetables, keep in mind that some are good at certain times of the day and others at other meals.
In the morning
At this time, when you wake up, it is best to eat raw vegetables because they cleanse the body and digestive tract thanks to their fiber.
At noon
At mealtime, you can also eat raw vegetables, although you can alternate with cooked vegetables.
At night
At night, try to avoid raw vegetables because they cause bloating, so it is best to select some of the vegetables that will give you the most benefits already cooked.
References
- Betsy Stephens. (2016). Health. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
- Sushma Subramanian. (2009). Scientific American.
Retrieved February 12, 2019. - Nutri-facts. (2013). Nutri-facts.
Retrieved February 12, 2019.
