You should add some raw, fresh or lightly processed foods to optimize nutritional value and protect health.
Here are 5 types of food that should be eaten raw to absorb maximum nutrition.
Red bell
According to the USDA (US Department of Agriculture), raw red bell peppers provide more than 150% of your daily vitamin C needs with just 1/2 fruit.
However, vitamin C is easily broken down when exposed to heat. Cooking bell peppers at high temperatures can lose up to 35-50% of vitamin C.
Slice thinly with salad, wrap garlic, or juice with apples and lemon.
Broccoli (green cauliflower)
Raw broccoli contains sulforaphane, a plant compound with strong antioxidant properties and supports liver detoxification.
Sulforaphane has the ability to activate enzymes that protect cells from DNA damage, helping to prevent cancer. However, when cooked at high temperatures (boiled, steamed too much), sulforaphane can lose up to 70%.
Can be prepared by chopping raw mustard flowers, mixing with olive oil, lemon, apple or carrots in salads.
Fresh garlic
Garlic contains allicin, a sulfur compound that has strong effects in antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and blood pressure improvement.
However, allicin only forms when garlic is chopped raw and left in contact with the air for at least 10 minutes. Research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH, USA) shows that high temperatures can destroy allicin, significantly reducing the biological efficiency of garlic.
Use chopped raw garlic mixed with salad, or eat it with olive oil, honey (for the person who eats it to be more enthusiastic).
Kale
Kale is a leafy green vegetable that contains vitamin K, vitamin A, lutein and beta-carotene, powerful antioxidants that protect the eyes, brain and cardiovascular system. Cooking kale at high temperatures can reduce beta-carotene and lutein levels by 15-30%.
Mix raw kale with sesame oil, lemon juice and roasted sesame to increase the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins in the oil.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers contain more than 95% water, rich in potassium, silica and anti-inflammatory flavonoids. When cooked, most of the water and natural digestive enzymes in cucumbers are lost.
Cucumbers should be eaten raw to supplement water, support digestion and cool the body, especially in the summer.
Can be eaten raw, mixed with salad or pressed with mint leaves to make detox water.
