5 reasons to include raw foods in your diet:
- Raw foods contains all their water which helps keep us hydrated
- Raw foods retain their alkalinity – cooking can make some foods acidic and high acid levels in our bodies promote disease-conducive conditions
- The natural state of most fruits and vegetables is such that we can eat them raw, meaning less processing and handling and cleanup
- Most foods contain the enzymes to help us digest them but the enzymes are reduced or lost during cooking.
- Cooking vegetables at high temperatures caused some loss of heat-soluble nutrients – especially Vitamins C and E
5 vegetables that you’re better off eating raw:
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Kale
- Bok Choy
The above are all cruciferous vegetables (named because they have 4-flowered leaf arrangements that look like a cross). Cruciferous vegetables contain enzymes called glucosinolates that are converted to cancer-fighting compounds called isothiocyanates when the vegetables are shredded – chopped for a salad or chewed when eaten. However, much of the enzyme is destroyed when it is cooked so it’s still good for you but not as great as it started out being.
5 vegetables that are better when cooked:
- Tomatoes – release lycopene which helps to prevent cancer cells from forming
- Carrots – low heat helps carrots to produce antioxidants known as carotenoids and ferulic acid
- Spinach – cooked spinach releases more lutein which helps with maintaining eye health
- Asparagus
- Mushrooms
5 ways to include raw foods in your diet this weekend:
- Smoothies
- Salads
- Crudités plate
- Fresh fruit for snacks
- Add sprouts to your meals
Eat Right, Live Right, RUNWRIGHT!
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Thanks. Good stuff. I was wondering what ‘Cruciferous’ means.
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I just found out myself 🙂
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Your foods that you should eat raw are all the foods I like cooked. Guess I should start making smoothies so I can add them to that.
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Haha. I understand but we have to mix things up to get the best of both worlds – deliciousness and nutrition.
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Broccoli is a hard one to eat raw – but I found that raw broccoli slaw is tasty. I use a Greek yogurt dressing and eat it as a salad – yum!
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That’s such a great alternative, Ashley. I enjoy broccoli florets with dip for appetizers but I can’t eat a lot of it. Broccoli slaw is so much better!
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So true about all of this. Im not always successful in eating raw but Im trying to be better!
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That’s the goal! Eating healthier, a little bit at a time. Good for you!
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This is interesting! It was especially interesting to read about the ones that should be eaten cooked. I can’t eat cooked carrots; there’s something about the taste and the texture. But I only like spinach cooked, so I’m glad to hear that’s one that should be eaten cooked!
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Interesting. I use to have the same preference to avoid cooked carrots. But now I roast/bake them with my other vegetables and it makes them sweet. Delicious! Maybe you’d like to try that and see what you think.
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Interesting about the cooked spinach!
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Isn’t it! Thanks for commenting.
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hmmm…interesting to read but not something i’ll be trying anytime soon 🙂
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Haha. I understand.
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Check out how I’m incorporating the raw foods. I am not going extreme either, just a little at a time. https://runwright.net/2015/04/01/6787/
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