Eating Uncooked Vegetables Gives Better Nutrition

Posted by: Tina Fehey on March 13, 2011 Under: Nutrition |

One thing that many people don’t realise is when you cook vegetables; you are actually taking away a lot of the nutrients they contain. Boiling them for instance actually releases some of the essential nutrients inside them. So although they are of course still good for your body, you’re not getting the full benefit.

So what is the answer?

The answer is to eat uncooked vegetables and I’ll share with you 5 of the best ones you can eat below. These have been proven to give lots of essential nutrients when eaten uncooked. So here they are:

Tomato – Is it a fruit or a vegetable? That’s a debate for another day! But yes, tomatoes contain a good supply of vitamin A. This vitamin helps the skin to remain healthy and also helps with eyesight. When eaten cold and uncooked, they give the body a great deal of this vitamin and it tastes great too.

Cabbage – Just like tomatoes, cabbage contains a good source of vitamin A as well as lots of fibre. It’s also good for the skin and eyes. Cabbage is normally one the vegetables that is boiled but when this happens it loses lots of nutrients. But eaten uncooked, you are retaining the nutrients and getting more benefit for your body.

Cucumber – Cucumber is a fantastic source of vitamins C & B and also contains lots of other essential nutrients. It’s one of the vegetables that aren’t usually cooked but you can increase this even further by soaking the cucumber in salty water for around 15 minutes immediately before you eat it. If you do this and then wash it with normal water, you will remove any pesticides that are on the cucumber to keep it fresh. These won’t do your body any good, so removing them is well worth it.

Celery – Celery is packed with vitamin B2, potassium and fibre. It’s great for the internal organs and bowels. The nutrients inside celery are essential for keeping your organs working effectively and it also stops ulcers and other things from forming. Celery is best eaten uncooked with a healthy dip or even just on it’s own.

Chili – Chili is one that might surprise you but it actually helps the body to prevent diseases and illnesses. Consuming chilli on a regular basis helps your body become immune to lots of bad things. They can be eaten on there own or within salads or other dishes. You can remove the seeds if you don’t like your meals too hot.

These are just 5 vegetables that when eaten uncooked will give a massive benefit to your body. So don’t cook all your vegetables if you don’t have to as you’re just boiling away all the nutrients!