Healthy Eating: 6 Vegetables You Should Never Eat Raw
Following a 100% raw diet means only consuming uncooked and preferably organic food.
Eating raw food has become popular nowadays and there is no problem with it – the more vegetables you eat, the better, right?
But the truth is, not all vegetables are best when eaten raw… Some are dangerous to eat uncooked and others are much more nutritious when baked, cooked, or roasted.
Here are six vegetables you should cook before eating:
1. Broccoli
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and other members of the cabbage family can be eaten raw by most people. But some may experience issues.
Broccoli contains a compound sugar called raffinose. It is not absorbed by the body and instead gets broken down by bacteria in the large intestine. This results in feeling bloated and passing foul-smelling gas.
To make these vegetables easier on the stomach, bake them. They will also be easier to chew and digest!
2. Eggplants
Eggplants contain a compound known as solanine, which can reduce calcium absorption and irritate the gastrointestinal tract.
Consuming too much can cause stomach pain, diarrhea, and other symptoms like vomiting, headaches, nausea, and dizziness.
If you eat raw eggplant and experience any of these symptoms, seek medical attention immediately.
Cooking eggplants neutralizes the solanine.
3. Rhubarb
You may have heard that rhubarb can be toxic when raw.
But it is actually only the leaves that you should avoid. They contain a high level of a poison known as oxalic acid, which can be dangerous. So, don’t eat too much of it!
4. Potatoes
Raw potatoes are usually not toxic, but if they are unripe and exposed to light for a long time, they can contain dangerous amounts of solanine – even in half a potato.
You will know a potato is bad if it starts turning green. Do not eat it, or else you risk vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, or, in severe cases, central nervous system paralysis.
5. Red Kidney Beans
If you eat raw kidney beans straight from the plant, not only will they taste terrible, but you will also suffer from nausea, vomiting, cramps, and stomach aches.
This is because they contain a naturally occurring poison called lectin. To be safe, soak the beans in water for at least five hours before cooking them!
6. Tomatoes
Your body can absorb more lycopene from cooked tomatoes, according to a study by Cornell University where the body’s ability to absorb lycopene was measured at different temperatures.
Tomatoes were heated for two minutes, 15 minutes, and 30 minutes. The nutrient level gradually increased as they were cooked longer.
Lycopene has been proven to help prevent cancer and heart diseases – so why not get the most out of the tomatoes you eat and make sauces or soups?
I always thought all raw vegetables were safe and nutritious. How wrong I was! Press the SHARE button to give your friends a better idea of which vegetables they shouldn’t eat raw!
