Healthy Vegetables to Eat Raw

You probably already know that vegetables are good for you, but you may not realize that raw vegetables have different nutrient profiles than cooked ones. In some cases, raw vegetables are better for you; however, some, like tomatoes, provide more nutrition after being cooked. To know what are healthy vegetables to eat raw, read ahead.

There’s no right or wrong way to eat vegetables, but knowing which are best raw and better cooked can help your body absorb more vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

What is a Vegetable?

Most people will concur that a carrot is a vegetable and an apple is a fruit. However, arguments over whether tomatoes and melons belong in the fruit or vegetable category often become heated. Researchers at the World Vegetable Center are occasionally asked to define vegetables, but the response is not always clear-cut.

Fruits are flowering plant components that contain seeds and emerge from ripened ovaries in botany. Therefore, from a botanical perspective, fruits include melons, tomatoes, and chilies. Likewise, a carrot is a root, a broccoli stalk is a blossom, and spinach is a leaf. Plant components, not the entire plant, are described in this botanical terminology, and a vegetable has no botanical definition.

Vegetables are typically considered edible greens, herbaceous (non-woody), short-lived plants grown in gardens, or plants consumed as young plants. There are, however, some exceptions. For instance, not all vegetables are green; some, like the moringa tree leaves, are grown on trees, and tomatoes taste better when fully grown.

What are the uses of Vegetables?

The definition of a vegetable is frequently determined by its use in cuisine or culture. In part, because most fruits are sweet and most vegetables are not, vegetables are often eaten during the meal’s main course rather than as a snack or dessert. Distinguishing between vegetables and root crops like potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, and yams is also crucial.

These root crops are often regarded as vegetables and occasionally referred to as root vegetables in horticultural courses worldwide. However, these starchy vegetables stand out in culinary applications because they are high in energy and give us a feeling of fullness but are poor in important minerals and vitamins.

Healthy Vegetables to Eat Raw

Broccoli, spinach, and lettuce, which are all high in vitamin C, are some of the healthiest vegetables to eat raw because cooking can destroy a lot of the vitamin C.

Depending on how they were cooked, vegetables high in vitamin C lost between 9 and 55% of their vitamin C when they were cooked. The least important change was steaming while boiling destroyed the most nutrients. Raw vegetables that are high in vitamin C are:

• Brussels sprouts
• Kale
• Broccoli
• Lettuce
• Green beans
• Snow peas

The 2018 Food Chemistry study compared raw vegetables to traditionally cooked ones cooked using the sous vide method, which involves sealing vegetables in a plastic bag or glass jar and then cooking them in boiling water. It found that:

• Green bell pepper
• White onion
• Spinach
• Parsley root
• Leek

Another study, which looked at the beta-carotene in vegetables and was published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture in April 2014, found that cooking has a good effect. In other words, your body can absorb beta-carotene better from cooked vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and pumpkin than from raw ones. This is because cooking softens the walls of the plant and makes it easier for your body to absorb some of the nutrients.

Of course, eating cooked vegetables is better than not eating any at all. If you don’t like raw vegetables or prefer them cooked, you can get the most nutrition by cooking them just enough to make them soft (but not so much that they become mushy and soggy).

Shayna Komar, RD, a licensed and registered dietitian at Thomas F. Chapman Family Cancer Wellness at Piedmont Health, says that overcooked vegetables lose their nutrients and eating too many overcooked and processed foods can cause long-term health problems.

So where’s the best place to cook? Every vegetable is different, but some general tips can help. Instead of boiling, use dry cooking methods or methods that use only a small amount of water, such as roasting, baking, or steaming. You keep more nutrients when you use less water and less heat. Cook vegetables until just tender, not mushy. If you boil vegetables, you can save water and use it in soups to keep all the nutrients.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says that keeping vegetables in bigger pieces can be helpful when cooking since less surface area means fewer nutrients are lost. Some vegetables, like potatoes, cucumbers, and zucchini, are better with their skins.

A lot of the nutrients in vegetables are in the skin or under it, and the skin also helps the vegetables keep more nutrients when they’re cooked. Make sure to wash the vegetables well before you cook them.

The amount of vegetables you need depends on age, gender, and activity. But generally, you should eat between 2 and 3 cups of vegetables daily. Raw and cooked vegetables count toward your intake, but the USDA says that 2 cups of raw leafy greens, like spinach, count as 1 cup of cooked leafy greens.

A good way to eat a lot of raw vegetables is to eat salads. Start with spinach or kale as the base, then add white onion, green bell peppers, and broccoli. You can even get more nutrients by adding cooked vegetables like beetroot that has been roasted. Add a dressing made of heart-healthy olive oil and apple cider vinegar to help your body absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in the vegetables.

You can also make a raw vegetable snack to eat between meals. Mix raw green bell pepper and broccoli with a side of hummus, which is high in protein and can help you feel full until your next meal.

Boiling, Blanching and Steaming