The Important Health Benefits Of Raw Vegetables

Whether you prefer a raw vegetable salad with a different dressing each day or enjoy simple vegetables like strawberries, cucumbers and broccoli, eating raw vegetables is great for you. It not only cuts down on calories but also provides fiber and antioxidants.

Eating raw vegetables has many health benefits. Once you get used to it, you will likely have more energy, better skin, improved digestion and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

The only preparation required for raw vegetables is that of washing or peeling, which allows you to eat them raw. Because no sauces or high-fat cooking methods are involved, eating raw vegetables may help you lose weight

Avoid overcooking your vegetables

Vegetables are best eaten raw or lightly sauteed. When we eat too much overly-cooked, microwaved and processed foods, it leads to a list of health-related issues. Cooking may actually upset the natural structure of food, robbing it of its essential nutritional value.

The best time to cook your produce

Cooking your produce is better than not eating it at all. For instance, if you can’t stomach raw vegetables like crudités or crisp salads, try stir-frying, roasting or steaming them instead.

You can still get many nutrients and vitamins from cooked veggies and fruits,” says Komar. “In fact, a few provide even more nutrients when they are cooked, such as tomatoes. Some of the compounds that give tomatoes their bright red color — lycopene and beta-carotene — are more available for the body to absorb when cooked tomato products are consumed.

Raw food diets: why do people follow them?

There are many different reasons why people follow raw food diets. Some are trying to ‘clean’ out their eating habits, which is a great thing. Others are trying to decrease disease risk,” she says. “With my clients, I encourage starting slow: 50 percent raw foods and most importantly, getting variety and color in their daily eating

One of the latest diet trends is eating raw foods, such as fruits and vegetables. But is this a good idea for everyone? One study conducted in 2010 by the Harvard Medical School found that people who ate a raw food diet had higher levels of antioxidants and vitamins, which help prevent disease and chronic illness.

The Loss of Nutrients

Vegetables are a staple in a healthy diet. They are rich in vitamins and minerals, but the vitamins present in vegetables may be lost when you cook them. The vitamins in vegetables can be categorized as fat soluble or water soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K are more stable during cooking than water-soluble vitamins such as C and the B vitamins.

If you want to get the most nutritional value out of your vegetables, you should consider eating them raw or partially cooked. However, there are some vegetables that are rich in water-soluble vitamins and others that are rich in fat-soluble vitamins. You’ll want to prioritize eating raw those veggies rich in water-soluble vitamins and cook some of those richer in fat-soluble vitamins.

According to a study published in the journal Food Chemistry in February 2018, the antioxidants in some vegetables are destroyed after cooking, while some become more bioavailable. The cooking method you choose also plays a role. Cooking at high temperatures will usually increase the loss of nutrients, while cooking in minimal water or steam is best for retaining nutrients.

Last Few Words

Consuming raw vegetables is a smart way to stay healthy and maintain your body weight. However, if you don’t wash the vegetables thoroughly, you’ll be consuming all the chemicals from the surface of these vegetables.  Make sure you have the best cooking appliance in your kitchen, as well as washing the food items thoroughly in a vegetable and fruit disinfectant to remove any pesticides or chemicals that may be present.