Tips from Bettina Sarhosoglu: How to Make Raw Vegetables Easier to Digest

Even though they are very good for your health, raw vegetables sometimes irritate the intestines. Bettina Sarhosoglu, dietitian-nutrition doctor, reveals her tips to make digestion easier.

Carrots, cucumbers, beets… Great for taste, raw vegetables are also good friends for health. In addition to the crunchy taste, these vegetables are full of vitamins A, B and C, trace elements, fiber and antioxidants.

What are the benefits of raw vegetables?

Raw vegetables, especially when eaten as a meal, promote satiety, which helps limit the risk of cravings between meals. “Ideally, they should be taken at the beginning of the meal, as they contain digestive enzymes, which affect the glycemic index. By eating them as a meal, the glycemic load of the dish will be less important. This practice helps to reduce glycemic peaks, an asset for people with diabetes or who want to maintain a healthy weight,” notes Bettina Sarhosoglu, according to Femme Actuelle.

Among their many properties, raw vegetables also help to strengthen our immune system. These foods contain antioxidants, which protect the body from free radicals that cause oxidative stress. Another benefit of these raw vegetables? Their action on bowel movement. Because they are rich in fiber, they improve digestion and fight against constipation.

Why do raw vegetables cause digestive problems?

Despite their virtues, it is sometimes difficult to digest raw vegetables if you have a sense of vanity. This is especially true for patients affected by irritable bowel syndrome. “In these people, fiber ferments in the colon and can cause digestive symptoms (gas, bloating, discomfort, etc.).

Some raw vegetables can be poorly tolerated by people affected by SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), a pathology that is mainly manifested by flatulence. In the context of this disease, it is recommended to avoid cabbage and artichoke, because they contain carbohydrates, which feed in the stomach and cause digestive discomfort.

How do you make raw vegetables more affordable?

Several tips can be implemented to better digest raw vegetables.

Eat raw vegetables at the beginning of the meal

Bettina Sarhosoglu recommends eating raw vegetables as a meal and eating them in small amounts at one of two meals, either lunch or dinner. “This helps to calm the intestines, we can also avoid a variety of raw vegetables in the same meal to prevent these digestive symptoms,” she points out.

Take time to chew raw vegetables

Kneading well helps to break down the fibers thus making them more manageable. In addition, the digestive process begins in the mouth. Chewing slowly helps the digestive system fight bloating.

Clean raw vegetables

The seeds and thick skin of some raw vegetables, such as tomatoes, can cause digestive problems. To prevent these risks, you can clean them. Eating these raw vegetables makes them even more nutritious.

Raw Vegetables: The Effects of Aromatic Herbs

When preparing a starter with raw vegetables, you can add aromatic herbs such as mint leaves, rosemary or thyme, which help digestion.

Prepare juice from raw vegetables

If we digest them badly, it is interesting to make juice with these raw vegetables. “Occasional juicing allows the bowels to rest while they benefit from the vitamins in these vegetables,” advises the nutritionist.

Source: Tabu.RO