Raw or cooked? The question is about vegetables. While discussions continue about whether to cook or not, or if cooking, then for how long, it must be noted that there are certain types of vegetables that require heat treatment. Why? Find out for yourself.
Tomatoes
Grilled tomatoes
Needless to say, green tomatoes are toxic and should never be consumed. When it comes to ripe ones, the nutrients are more easily absorbed from cooked tomatoes than raw ones.
Eggplant
Grilled eggplant rolls
The visual unattractiveness of sliced raw eggplant probably results in not many people attempting to eat this vegetable raw. In any case, raw eggplant is toxic and needs to be properly cooked. Eggplant is otherwise a delicious and nutritious vegetable when prepared well, containing potassium, magnesium, iron, manganese, and zinc. It also is worth mentioning that eggplant‘s fat content is zero, which makes it a valuable vegetable for losing weight. Be cautious, however, if you decide on even light frying. Eggplant has a sponge-like ability to absorb an enormous amount of oil.
Spinach
Blanched spinach
Raw baby spinach is often used in salads. Spinach contains folic acid, which is good for the body but shouldn’t be eaten to excess in a raw state. The best way to prepare spinach – reducing the acid while helping to increase the absorption of calcium, magnesium or iron – is called blanching. Blanching is a sudden and quick infusion of the leaves with hot water and then suddenly cooling them off. Blanching leaves spinach leaves with their nutrition intact and beautifully green in colour.
Carrot and Pumpkin
Grilled carrot
Grilled pumpkin
Carrot and Pumpkin have similar characteristics respecting the necessity of cooking them. While comparatively few people consider eating raw pumpkin, crunching raw carrots is not that unusual. It is not a problem if you do, but the body absorbs only about 25% of the carrot’s available nutrition. The carotenoids that are present in both will be absorbed more easily when cooked and, importantly, with the use of oil.
Potatoes
Jacket potatoes
Similar to eggplant, it is very unlikely that anybody would think about eating raw potatoes, but one never knows. Similar to eggplant, raw potatoes contain toxins and, although a small amount does no harm, the toxins in potatoes may still cause at least abdominal cramps.
Photos: Shutterstock
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