There are some foods we wouldn’t even think of eating raw, but there are plenty of fruit and vegetables that are best eaten raw.
It has already been proven that unhealthy diets are the main cause of obesity, which is now a widespread disease, as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, which are affecting more and more people. The consumption of large quantities of refined, preserved foods, enriched with flavor enhancers and additives, is not good for the human body.
Even if you don’t follow a raw diet, what you can – especially vegetables and fruit – should be eaten raw, as these foods are not cooked, retain many of the vitamins and minerals, and the high water and fiber content of raw foods makes you feel full and helps digestion.
Onions
Some of the active substances in onions are better used raw and others when cooked. Purple and red onions have more valuable substances than white ones. Onions start to lose their valuable substances after heating for more than 5 minutes.
Garlic
Raw garlic, like onions, protects the cardiovascular system. After just 20 minutes of heating, its antibacterial properties are gone and just one minute of microwaving destroys its anti-cancer properties.
Courgettes
Courgettes are a vegetable that we like to grill or fry, and eat with meat or sauce, but can also be served raw.
Zucchini salad is an excellent addition to grilled dishes.
Just cut it into slices, sticks or slit thin strips with a peeler, drizzle with olive oil, and lemon juice, mix with finely chopped parsley, dill, or mint, and top with feta cheese. Zucchini can be an interesting alternative to the classic cucumber salad. Slice thinly, pour sour cream or yogurt over it, add fresh dill, and season with salt and pepper. Choose small, fresh courgettes for these dishes.
Red California peppers
Roasted bell peppers are quick and easy to prepare, so they are good for almost any meal. However, it’s better eaten raw as it’s a great source of vitamin C and high temperatures can significantly reduce its vitamin C content.
Beetroot
Beetroot immediately loses 30 percent of its valuable vitamins (vitamins A, B1, B2, and C, as well as folic acid, phosphorus, sulfur, sodium, potassium, and magnesium) when cooked. Its detoxifying, hepatoprotective, and hematopoietic effects are best when eaten raw. It is delicious as a salad with apples.
Cauliflower
It is widely used in soups, stir-fries, and grilled and is eaten by all.
But eating it raw not only saves time, it also saves your kitchen and your nose from unpleasant smells.
Hard and crunchy, tender cauliflower is also perfect as a salad on its own. How to prepare it? Chop the cauliflower head into small pieces or put it in a slicer, rinse, dry, and mix with yogurt or mayonnaise, seasoned with garlic, salt, chili, and chopped dill, or parsley and chives. Such a salad is ideal for grilled dishes, for example.
Broccoli
Broccoli is usually cooked or blanched, but can also be eaten raw. It can be made into a salad in the same way as cauliflower.
It is also increasingly popular in smoothies with other vegetables and fruits.
What is good to combine with broccoli in such a drink? You can use oranges, bananas, kiwi, or pineapple, add mint or spinach leaves, or pair with cucumber or celery. It’s a really refreshing vitamin bomb.
Fennel
Fennel is best eaten raw – grated and added to salads and pasta. Planed and thinly sliced, it is ideal in coleslaw salad or mixed with Greek yogurt and chopped mint leaves. It makes an ideal crispy snack served with dipping sauce.
Author
Last updated: September 24, 2023