Nutrient wise, is it better to eat vegetables raw or cooked?

Answer 1

Nutrient-wise, it is generally better to eat anything raw than cooked (veggies, fruits, dairy, meats even). However, some methods of cooking don't harm food as much, some methods do make absorbing other nutrients easier, and to be honest, many people find it easier on the palate and the digestion to not eat everything raw, although others swear by raw diets, where nothing in the diet is cooked at all. Couple of things to keep in mind:

1. All cooking methods reduce nutrient levels in vegetables to some degree. Many vitamins are sensitive to heat exposure.
2. Water used for cooking can dissolve and wash away even more of those vitamins. (Drinking that water, mashing it into cooked veggies, or using it as soup stock would be ways to preserve those vitamins.)
3. Microwave cooking is a good way to preserve nutrients in vegetables because it requires only a minimal amount of water and cooking times are very short. Pressure cooking and steaming are also good methods - all better than boiling.
4. Avoid washing or cutting vegetables before you're ready to use them.
5. Rinse quickly rather than soak.
6. Use a sharp knife when cutting fresh vegetables; bruising vegetables can deplete them of valuable vitamins.
7. Cut off only the inedible parts of vegetables. Sometimes the best nutrients are found in the skin (or just below the skin and in the leaves).
8. Avoid peeling vegetables such as potatoes and beets until after cooking.
9. If you must boil vegetables, cook them only until crisp and with only a small amount of water.
10. Use a lid to avoid steaming away precious vitamins.
11. Avoid cutting vegetables up into small pieces. Prepare them whole, if possible.

Answer 2

Fran, when you say cooked, you have to be more clearer. We know when you over cook a vegetable you loose a lot of the nutrition, thus where the Asian style is concerned the vegetable still has that crispness or bite to it. To retain most of the nutrients. Steamed vegetables is the better way to go. A lot of vegetables, yes you can eat raw, that's what I recommend for platters with a healthy dip, for parties or when you just have people over for drinks. Fran to conclude, I always make batches of broth divided up in containers and freeze. When I want to make lets say a vegetable and shrimp soup with Asian noodles, I heat the stock or broth, and my already cut vegetables are cooked in order of firmness, if you gather where I am coming from. Chris

Answer 3

I have always heard that veggies should be somewhat cooked because our bodies cannot digest and process all the nutrients of raw veggies by the time they exit.

By cooking them for a bit, at begins the *digestive process* so our bodies can finish it and absorb the nutrients.

I have often been interested in finding out this enigma for certain, but I don't know if modern science etc. ever has *certains* these days.

Answer 4

The BBC had a program on a few weeks ago where 8 people had to eat raw fruit and veg, like a gorilla to see how this benefitted them The nutritionalist claimed they had to eat 5 kilos of fruit and veg to get adaquate benefits so they were basically eating all day long.

Their claim was it was better to par cook, al dente, the veg for best benefits, as part of a balanced diet.

Answer 5

If you want to paint vegetables with a broad brush, I think raw is best. It really does depend on the vegetable. Tomatoes give off lycopene when they're cooked, making them nutritionally better for you if they're not raw. It just depends....
If you decide to cook your veggies, just make sure you don't overcook them until they're limp. That means they carry nothing of value whatsoever. Also, don't put a lot of syrups, sugar, butter, salt, etc. on them. That makes them unhealthy too.

Answer 6

I think it depends on which vegetables and as well as how you cook it. Raw is usually better, but when cooking it is better steamed then it is fried. PLus whatever you add (example butter or oil) when cooking can just make something healthy rather unhealthy

Answer 7

Raw is better, as they can lose nutrients when cooked, especially if they are cooked for too long

Answer 8

Raw

Answer 9

Well they do loose nutritions in the cooking process but it also helps the body absorb the nutrients

Answer 10

I feel steamed vegetables seal in the nutrients and at the same time you can enjoy the taste.