Raw broccoli contains three times more than cooked broccoli (Getty)
Some believe that raw foods are more nutritious than cooked ones and that eating them leads to better health, but some cooked foods have clear nutritional benefits. Here we list the benefits of both raw and cooked foods.
Scientific arguments for raw food supporters
- Cooking destroys the enzymes in food
Raw food contains enzymes that aid digestion. When exposed to high temperatures, almost all digestive enzymes are inactivated at temperatures above 47 ° C. But science hasn’t shown any negative health effects of eating cooked foods that contain denatured enzymes.
- Raw foods contain more nutrients than cooked foods
During the cooking process some nutrients escape from the food and water-soluble vitamins such as vitamin C and vitamin B are particularly vulnerable to loss during cooking. Boiled vegetables can reduce their content of these vitamins by 50-60%.
Scientific arguments for supporters of cooked food
- Cooked food is easier to chew and digest
The body can digest cooked food much easier than raw food, as eating some raw foods causes bloating due to gas. Cooking helps break down fibers and plant cell walls, which makes it easier for the body to digest and absorb nutrients, and cooking also helps improve the taste and smell of food, which makes it more enjoyable to eat.
- Cooking increases the availability of antioxidants for some vegetables
Antioxidants are important because they protect the body from harmful molecules called free radicals, and a diet rich in antioxidants is associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. Studies have shown that cooking some vegetables increases the availability of antioxidants, such as beta-carotene, lutein and lycopene.
- Cooking kills harmful bacteria and microorganisms
Some foods are best consumed cooked, as the raw types can contain harmful bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Listeria, which are not killed without cooking and exposure to high temperatures (60 ° C).
The conclusion that eating raw or cooked food depends on the type of food.
Foods that are recommended to be eaten raw
- Broccoli: Raw broccoli contains three times the amount of sulforaphane, which is an anti-inflammatory plant compound for cancerthan cooked broccoli.
- Cabbage: Cooking cabbage destroys the enzyme myrosinase, which plays a role in cancer prevention.
- Onions: Raw onions contain an antiplatelet factor which contributes to the prevention of heart diseaseThis beneficial effect is reduced during cooking.
- Garlic: Garlic contains sulfur compounds that have anticancer properties, but cooking garlic destroys these sulfur compounds.
Cooked foods are recommended
- Meat, fish and poultry: may contain meat Raw fish and poultry contain bacteria that can cause foodborne illness, and cooking these foods kills harmful bacteria.
- Asparagus: Cooking asparagus breaks down fibrous cell walls, making folic acid and vitamins A, C and E more absorbable.
- Spinach: Nutrients like iron, magnesium, calcium, and zinc are more available for absorption when spinach is cooked.
- Tomatoes: Cooking tomatoes increases antioxidant lycopene by over 60%.
- Carrots: Cooked carrots contain more beta-carotene than raw carrots.
- Mushrooms: Cooking mushrooms helps break down a carcinogenic potential present in mushrooms (agaritin) and cooking helps release one of the powerful antioxidants found in mushrooms (ergothioneine).
- Potatoes: The starch in raw potatoes is indigestible unless it has been cooked.
- Legumes: raw or undercooked legumes contain dangerous toxins called lectins which are eliminated through adequate soaking and cooking.
