As the variety of foods eaten is limited, it can lack nutrients and energy.It's restrictive and can make eating out difficult.Marinades (containing acids, such as vinegar or lemon juice) are a form of chemical cooking and also change the chemical structure of food. The strictest versions exclude foods that have been refined, pasteurised, treated with pesticides or processed in any way. Proponents of a raw food diet define it as unprocessed and not reaching temperatures higher than 40-48C. But defining 'raw' is more complicated than you might expect. Like many extreme diets, it takes a kernel of truth and expands it into a whole lifestyle.Ī raw food diet unsurprisingly involves eating only raw foods. Raw food diets have gained popularity in recent years, with pretty pictures of smoothie bowls and naked treats all over social media. If you do, you can get more Vitamin B1, which helps you convert carbs into energy.īut some veg goes both ways.Raw spinach doesn’t release as much calcium – and when cooked, spinach loses Vitamin C, but it releases antioxidants, more calcium, magnesium and iron. There’s one raw veg on the block that everyone loves – the little green courgette! And that’s because they do so well in a spiraliser!ĭo you eat raw peas and Brussels sprouts? Maybe it’s time to start!
So crack out the salads – trust me, kale tastes so much better marinated in olive oil and lemon juice!Ĭress and cabbage are better for you raw! You can easily style these up in a simple salad or slaw. Onion and garlic contain allicin – a compound thought to be good for your immune system.Activate it through chopping, then resting the onion and garlic for ten minutes, before quickly cooking.įor maximum impact, eat raw kale, broccoli, and cauliflower.Ĭooking, especially boiling cruciferous veg can ruin the availability of a compound thought to help in cancer prevention. You need to cook green beans, celery and carrots to get the most out of them.Beta-carotene (which converts to Vitamin A which helps cell growth) is higher in raw carrots, but you can absorb more of it when they’re cooked.Ĭelery and carrot can make a great base for soups and stews known as mirepoix.
But juicy vegetables like peppers are a good choice as they help keep the bad bits from forming. High-heat cooking like chargrilling can cause carcinogens whenbrowning. Studies show chopping, cooking and eating tomatoes with olive oil means you get more of the antioxidant lycopene, which can help protect cells from damage.Īlso get a greater lycopene hit by cooking red peppers. I’m going to give you a quick rundown on what veg to eat raw and what to cook.