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Conventional belief is that raw vegetables are always healthier than cooked, but this is not true depending on the plant foods eaten according to lab testing and anthropological evidence by experts in the field.
I stopped by one of my favorite healthfood stores today to pick up a large glass of fresh juice made from organic raw vegetables for an early lunch on the go. As usual, I asked for the a carrot, celery, beet, spinach and cucumber blend. But, hold the spinach. I definitely skipped the green smoothie too!
While this request is usually met with a simple nod by the juice bar attendant, this time the guy looks up and says, “Why no spinach? We have a lot of people that come in here and love the spinach in their juice.”
Ah! Great question!
The truth is that not everything should be eaten raw, especially vegetables!
Some raw vegetables must be cooked else you are actually harming yourself. Below is a rundown of what veggies should not be eaten raw either in whole or juiced form.
Cruciferous Raw Vegetables
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but cruciferous vegetables should be cooked before eating as they contain chemicals that BLOCK the production of thyroid hormone in your body! Considering that 2 out of every 3 Westerners are either overweight or obese and this is projected to jump to 75% by 2020, this is of particular importance as folks struggling with weight usually suffer from borderline to full-blown hypothyroidism.
Hypothyroidism is a condition where the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone, so someone suffering from this condition surely does not want to be eating foods that will block what little thyroid hormone is being produced in the first place!
Symptoms of hypothyroidism include cold hands and feet, thinning hair, fatigue, reduced or nonexistent libido, coarse dry hair, constipation, difficulty losing weight, and depression among many others.
Cooking crucifers reduces the goitrogenic substances by about 2/3. Fermentation does not reduce goitrogens in these veggies, but since fermented crucifers such as sauerkraut are typically eaten as a condiment and, hence, in small amounts, consumption is fine if the diet is rich in iodine.
Here is the list of common cruciferous vegetables that you do not want to be eating raw if you want to protect your thyroid gland!
Arugula, broccoli, kale, maca root, cauliflower, cabbage, turnip, collard greens, bok choy, brussels sprouts, radish, rutabaga, and watercress.
Notice that many of these vegetables are commonly included in fresh veggie juice blends or in salads. While an occasional arugula salad or cup of coleslaw is not going to do harm to most folks, it would be wise not to make a habit of eating/drinking any of these vegetables in raw form. Kale chips are a safe choice too.
Raw Vegetable Greens
Some veggie greens contain a chemical called oxalic acid. This substance is a very irritating to the mouth and intestinal tract. It also blocks iron and calcium absorption and may contribute to the formation of kidney stones.
The good news is that oxalic acid is reduced by a light steaming or cooking. Just be sure to discard the vegetable cooking water.
Veggies containing oxalic acid include spinach, chard, parsley, chives, purslane and beet greens.
Hmmmm. Spinach is known for being high in iron, yet eating it raw will not necessarily give you the iron you want because of the oxalic acid?
Yep, that’s right. Cook that spinach first if you are seeking an iron boost without the indigestion and don’t get hooked on the raw spinach salads!
Don’t stress about munching the parsley garnish on your next gourmet dinner, though. A little bit here and there is not going to cause a problem. Eat a big spinach salad everyday and it is virtually certain you will eventually succumb to kidney stones, according to Dr. William Shaw, Director of The Great Plains Laboratory for Health, Nutrition and Metabolism.
Other Raw Vegetable Cautions
Other vegetables that are best to avoid eating raw include:
- Raw potatoes contain hemagglutinins that disrupt red blood cell function.
- Raw sweet potatoes will give you gas.
- Raw, edible mushrooms such as the common white mushroom contain toxic substances such as agaritine, a suspected carcinogen. These substances are heat sensitive and are neutralized by cooking.
- Raw alfalfa sprouts are mildly toxic and inhibit the immune system. Eating large quantities regularly can make the skin overly sensitive to the sun or trigger autoimmune symptoms that mimic lupus.
Dr. Weston A. Price on Raw Vegetables
A good rule of thumb when considering the best way to consume your veggies is to remember the letter that Dr. Weston A. Price wrote to his nieces and nephews in 1934. In this letter, he strongly urged them to eat their vegetables cooked in butter. His research found that the bulkiness (fiber) of raw vegetables interfered with the human body’s ability to extract minerals from them via the digestive process.
So, should you drink your veggies raw? Of course. Raw vegetable juice made from veggies that are safe to consume uncooked is a wonderful way to get a fast infusion of easy to digest, colloidal minerals. It is also highly alkalizing to the body and a proven way to gently detox the gut.
The great thing about veggie juice is that the fiber is removed, which is the “bulkiness” that Dr. Price found interfered with the mineral absorption.
However, if you are going to eat the fibrous portion of the vegetable, it is best to cook them in butter as advised by Dr. Price to enhance the availability of the minerals. The fat in the butter permits greater absorption of the minerals, and besides, buttered veggies taste fantastic!
References
Nourishing Traditions
The Role of Oxalates in Chronic Disease, William Shaw PhD (Director of The Great Plains Laboratory for Health, Nutrition and Metabolism)
More Information
Best Green Juice for Congestion
Nightshade Vegetable Contraindications
Cleansing Myths
I am a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. Many SDAs are vegetarian or even vegan. We eat a large amount of beans and nuts, as well as many veggies and whole grains. Loma Linda, California was identified as one of the few Blue Zones in the world, where people live much longer than others. SDAs in Loma Linda specifically live 8-10 years longer than other Americans.
Research such as the China Study have shown that animal protein is directly linked to cancer. Inject a rat with cancer cells, and then feed the animal casein, and the cancer grows. Stop feeding the animal casein and the cancer shrinks.
What do you do with this research?
I’m kind of vegan. voice actor. i never get sick, and work clearly productively. i see no point in eating meat for protein; only for the stable saturated fat. i eat cheese whenever i poison myself with raw veggies like (tomato) did that today.
pretty much every raw food is useless except for ICEBERG, and the lettuce family.
i’ve realized this food journey has been letting go of “food”, and relying on ahem; lettuce for organic hydration. plus it’s protected from pesticides. i don’t really need anything else.
…
How do you make a green smoothie? Do you make it in a blender or a special appliance? How often can I have them? I have kidney stones and have began having frequent UTI’s.
What do you think about green smoothies with ingredients like raw English spinach or kale with water and some flavouring such as fruit?
so purslane should be added to butter cooked other greens and it will still have the good omega 3’s? the vitamin C i know is not heat resistant and will go by the way side… once it comes up and before it blooms, or just as it blooms i pick the tender tops off and add it to salads….
I am a raw vegan and I am not pale or underweight….Please go to meat.org to see what you are REALLY eating! I feel so much better without it now.
How do you know what I’m eating? As a matter of fact, that website represents all that the WAPF and people like Sarah are AGAINST. Typical CAFO, if you know what I mean… The animals I choose to eat are not treated like that and are not killed in a way to prolong suffering. I really do take offense at that. Vegans and vegetarians are not the only ones who care about what they eat. Humanely raised, pastured meat IS NOT BAD FOR YOU!!!
So… I read this and found myself in tears after I was done. I’m pretty much the only one in my family who attempts to eat healthy and I don’t have many friends that do either. I’ve been so proud to make a green smoothie every single day for my toddler (and myself). Spinach and kale are one of the main ingredients. Now, I’m so discouraged and have no idea what to put in his smoothies.
I used to eat kale and spinach raw in smoothies – now I simply lightly steam them, then freeze and use in smoothies. It does require a small extra step, but it works nicely!
Every single thing in mass amount can be harmful. Too much alkalinity can also be bad for the body. You are best off if you add a few light seasonings not add fatty butter every single time , and some days don’t freak out about veggies and fruits and simply allow yourself a tuna sandwich, pb&j on sprouted bread and or soup 😉 Soup can also be delish and there are still many webpages under raw food and healthy eating that will benefit everyone. Including those that own dehydrators , juicers and blenders 😉
Do see : Gerson therapy documentary and Fat Sick and Nearly Dead for extreme health cases but otherwise treat your body like the temple that it is 😉
This seriously frustrates me! Every time I turn around SOMETHING ELSE is bad for you! Grains are bad, grains that aren’t done a certain way are bad, dairy is bad unless it is raw, too much fruit is bad, now eating raw vegetables are bad! AGGGGGHHH
I’m ready to give up and crawl into a hole. I am trying to change my family’s eating habits, but the more I read, the more frustrated I get because nothing seems to be good for you. Everything has to be done this way or that way or else it will do more harm than good. Sorry to gripe, but I’m seriously feeling like too much information is just not a good thing. I just want to be able to feel confident that I’m feeding my family right. And lately all I have been doing is second guessing myself because of all the conflicting information.
I just read your post after I submitted mine. I am feeling the same exact way you do. So sorry for your frustration! I feel so discouraged as well. 🙁
Thanks Amy for your kind comment. I always think I’m on the right track, and bam, something else that I thought was good is not. I hope your journey gets a little easier. 🙂 Anna
i feel the exact same way! i’ve been trying to go down a path towards health for the past 3 years. i was a raw vegan, then just raw (brought back in raw diary) and that didn’t work. just went back to eating ‘normally’ which for me meant not too much thought, but all whole foods. i’m currently eating an scd/traditional foods/paleo hybrid… i love these 3 because there is SO much overlap which makes me feel like i must be on the right track…
but it’s really hard when there’s so much conflicting information out there and i’m constantly second guessing myself. i love food and don’t have a hard time sticking to a certain plan, i just wish i could feel sure…
Lauren, Anna, Amy, et al…
PALEO/PRIMAL is state of the art, knowledge-based, scientifically the best general form of human nutrition known, at this moment….
http://www.misterpaleo.blogspot.com
Can you email me with a few hints on how you made this website look this cool , Id be thankful!