Raw Food Diet Myths

Some nutrients are destroyed by cooking but some nutrients become more absorbable.

August 29, 2010
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  • Veguyan

    I heard that the lycopene boost from raw tomatoes in a Vitamix is just as potent as the lycopene boost from a cooked tomato sauce. I heard this from a Raw Fooder.

    What do you say?

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    • Michael Greger M.D.

      I’m afraid your raw fooder friend may have been misinformed. As you can see here, the heating itself seems to improve the bioavailability of lycopene. I would not be surprised if the blending helped too, though, so you could blend and heat and have the best of both worlds :)

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  • myjolina

    Fact or Fiction? raw foodists insist on sprouting all their seeds and nuts for the best digestive consumption. Is it really necessary? If I don’t sprout my sesame seeds before I add them to my kale chips am I really losing out?? If I grind my flax seeds vs. sprouting them – is there really a difference in the way they are metabolized in my body?

    Do you have a whole list, other than those mentioned here, of veggies that are better for us when cooked?

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  • Toxins

    I am curious to know myjolina’s question as well. I always here about lycopene but thats just one single anti oxidant. What else is benefited nutrition wise from cooked food vs raw food.

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  • Jennifer C.

    I agree with the above posts. A review of the foods that are better eaten raw would be a great idea for another video on Nutritionfacts.org. (Hint, hint!) :-)
    There are two videos already posted on cooking methods and nutrient absorption: http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/raw-food-nutrient-absorption-2/ and http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/raw-food-nutrient-absorption-3/
    It is my understanding that a mixed raw and cooked approach is best. Cooking certain foods can increase their nutrient content, and in addition, help to decrease “anti-nutrients” (that bind to essential minerals) and inactivate certain substances that may be problematic if consumed in high amounts (like goitrogens). For example, cooking may help inactivate the goitrogenic compounds in broccoli. Soaking and boiling beans, leavening grains, and heating tomatoes are other good examples of traditional cooking techniques that may be beneficial. On the other hand, fruits and nuts (like pineapples, avocados, and almonds) are generally considered healthier in their raw state.

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  • Jubilee

    I stumbled across the
    so called 80 10 10 diet on http://www.30bananasaday.com

    Can you tell me if this diet is great and healthy? Or do people following it risk malnutrition?

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  • GeorgeI

    Bravo!

    The vegan community is overrun with even intelligent people promoting raw foodism, simply on the force of personality rather than actually reading anything about the validity of the beliefs.

    It has gotten so bad I just keep my mouth shut about it so I don’t end up friendless.

    This video is going on my blog and my Facebook page.

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  • JamesKB

    Modern fruits a pale shadow of the fruits we used to eat. Where does this come from? What do they lack?

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    • Toxins

      Fruits have actually become more nutritious and hardier due to domestic “breeding”. Greens on the other hand have been grown to be less bitter and this bitterness accounts for very powerful phytonutrients which are now in lesser amounts.

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      • JamesKB

        I’m after references

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        • Toxins

          It is in one of Dr. Greger’s videos, I forget which one exactly.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ana-S-Cunha-Vestergaard/700425545 Ana S. Cunha Vestergaard

    This video is available with Portuguese subtitles at my blog’s youtube channel:
    Este vídeo está disponível com legendas em português no canal do meu blog no youtube:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x94sddClErI

    Ana C Vestergaard
    http://www.deolhonoseuprato.com

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    • http://www.nutritionfacts.org/ Michael Greger M.D.

       Eu realmente aprecio sua ajuda difundir esta informação para salvar vidas

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