Eating raw foods has an array of benefits that are backed by scientific research, and the benefits range from sustained weight loss, increased energy levels, and lower cholesterol levels. The diet has high levels of antioxidants, which essentially reduces the risk of chronic disease. We tend to eat a mix of cooked and uncooked foods in our daily lives. Salads such as onions, cucumbers, and green chili peppers can be eaten raw while the vegetables are cooking. So, which foods are actually healthier, raw or cooked?Also read: Can Eating Raw Food Cure Diabetes? This is what nutritionists say)
“The answer is that both cooked and raw foods are good and have benefits, so stick to traditional foods, whether cooked or uncooked,” he said. , nutritionist Bhuvan Rastogi said in a recent Instagram post.
Rastogi then compares cooked and raw foods, listing the pros and cons of both.
Raw foods are rich in water-soluble vitamins
“Cooking loses water and reduces the amount of water-soluble vitamins. For this reason, fruits rich in vitamin C should be eaten raw. Even green chilies, when eaten raw, contain more vitamins than lemons. It contains C,” says the nutritionist.
But why would you prefer cooked food to raw food?
Heat destroys enzymes in food
“Some people also think that cooking requires enzymes to digest food. It claims to make enough enzymes to be digested, but that’s not all conclusive,’ says experts.
Cooked Foods Are High in Mineral and Micronutrient Density
“Making saag from leafy greens such as palak concentrates minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, and antioxidants as it loses moisture. For example, vitamin K, an antioxidant and oil-soluble vitamin, is concentrated when cooked. I will,” Rastogi says.
Cooking kills bacteria and microbes
Rastogi says cooking can reduce the chances of food poisoning, especially when it comes to animal products. “For sprouted foods, it depends on the type of microbe and preparation environment,” he says.
Cooking makes it easier to digest
Heating breaks down some plant cells, making them easier to digest and absorb. So meat is easier to digest when cooked, and cooking grains and legumes improves digestibility, Rastogi says.
Cooking reduces anti-nutrients
“Antinutrients have been shown to interfere with the absorption of certain micronutrients. Cooking reduces known antinutrients such as oxalic acid and phytic acid. It is demonized because it has beneficial functions,” Rastogi says.
So how do you judge raw or cooked?
“Science has not yet determined that one method of consumption is healthier than another, so it is better to stick to traditional eating habits. Eat things raw. Don’t change anything until it’s proven to be conclusively ineffective,” Rastogi concludes. .
