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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
MR PALEO
Stacy,
Neither Sarah nor I are allowed to give “medical” advice on a blog. That being said, if it were me, I would not take synthetic thyroid, nor would I eat cruciferous vegetables.
http://www.misterpaleo.blogspot.com
Sarah TheHealthyHomeEconomist
I agree with Mr. Paleo. If I had any sort of thyroid condition, I would avoid all crucifers, especially raw.
stacy
I have hypothyroidism and take a synthetic replacement daily, wondering if my intake of broccoli will effect my levels since I am on medication? trying to eat more kale and broccoli for health benefits and prevention of cancer. thanks!
Shawn
Too much of anything will make you sick. If I eat only raw veggies, I will get sick. Same with butter or fruit or bread or wine or tea or meat or cooked veggies or fermented veggies. Our bodies are designed to take nutrients from the variety. All of these studies give mono diets to mice and look for disease. Of course they will find disease. Moderation and less stress about your food will cure more than cooked broccoli any day. Avoid the GMO, buy organic when possible limits the sugars, do whatever seems appropriate, but quit stressing and beating yourselves up. Stress is the number one cause of disease. Sit down with your family have a interactive conversation and savor whatever is on your plate, even if it’s Taco Bell. There will be a new study out tomorrow telling us something different. Life is simply to short.
Myriam
I believe this all comes down to bioindividuality. We are not all exactly the same nor is our biochemistry. Some people do just fine as a vegan or vegetarian and others can be very healthy while eating meat and dairy. I’m a blood type O and actually believe all the raw green smoothies I’ve been having for the past 18 months may have taken a toll on my thyroid. You need to listen to your body and learn to eat intuitively. I have no desire for meat even though I digest it perfectly well. It’s a personal choice of mine not to eat mammals, but I do eat fish or shellfish on a regular basis besides fruits, nuts, seeds and lots of greens. When I eat only raw, I actually gain weight and do not feel well. I have tested this several times.
Branon
I would like a clarification- so is it ok to eat juiced versions of cruciferous vegitables but not whole versions?
thyroid diet
Yes, raw is always better. no preservatives, no heating, no cooking. although i’m not sure with veggies cooked in butter. i’d rather not.
Kevin Gibbs
Sorry, but..
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=250
Ebony
Cook vegetables in butter? Are you bleeping serious? disgusting. Your leading everyone down the wrong path.
J
Thanks for the article Sarah. Without going into the passionate debate of raw versus the rest, just a question regarding one of your remarks. You say eating raw veggies blocks thyroid hormones, which I am sure it does. But then you also say that if you have a problem with your thyroid then eating raw cruciferous veggies is a bad idea. Not foregoing the presumable downsides for people with thyroid gland issues, or for that matter the beneficial issues for everybody, it seems to be that under normal circumstances (ie a functional thyroid gland) eating raw cruciferous veggies do not seem to cause too much harm in this thyroid gland respect. However there are crucial benefits related to eating raw cruciferous veggies in relation to some forms of cancer such as demonstrated in this research: “Consumption of Raw Cruciferous Vegetables is Inversely Associated with Bladder Cancer Risk” by the Roswell Park Cancer Institute. What’s your take on this?
Laura
I am confused, you stated 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.
so can you have all those juices raw if you juice them?