We should prepare vegetables in whichever manner entices us to eat the greatest quantity.
Lycopene Benefits: Raw vs. Cooked Tomatoes
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Other studies just out show the same phenomenon. Roasted almonds healthier than raw. The cholesterol-lowering effect of all sorts of good veggies improved by cooking. This new study found that long-term raw foodists had low levels of the phytonutrient lycopene, compared to the general population. Lycopene is the wonderful cancer-fighting red pigment in tomatoes. Well, cooked tomatoes provide four times more lycopene than raw tomatoes.
And, cancer prevention is just the beginning. Tomato juice can lower our bad cholesterol 13%. Can successfully treat seasonal allergies, and may even help treat asthma. Treating asthma with tomato sauce. But, when we eat tomatoes raw, we’re losing 75% down the drain.
Raw foods are not necessarily healthier. My recommendation is to prepare vegetables in whichever way will get you to eat the most of them.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Dianne Moore.
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- I. Garrido, M. Monagas, C. Gomez-Cordoves, and B. Bartolome. Polyphenols and antioxidant properties of almond skins: Influence of industrial processing. J. Food Sci., 73(2):-106, 2008.
- T. S. Kahlon, M. C. M. Chiu, and M. H. Chapman. Steam cooking signicantly improves in vitro bile acid binding of beets, eggplant, asparagus, carrots, green beans, and cauliflower. Nutrition Research, 27(12):750{755, 2007.
- A. L. Garcia, C. Koebnick, P. C. Dagnelie, C. Strassner, I. Elmadfa, N. Katz, C. Leitzmann, and I. Hoffmann. Long-term strict raw food diet is associated with favourable plasma beta-carotene and low plasma lycopene concentrations in germans. Br. J. Nutr., 99(6):1293-1300, 2008.
- Allergol Int. 2007 Sep;56(3):225-30. Epub 2007 Jun 1. An evaluation of the clinical efficacy of tomato extract for perennial allergic rhinitis. Yoshimura M, Enomoto T, Dake Y, Okuno Y, Ikeda H, Cheng L, Obata A.
- L. G. Wood, M. L. Garg, H. Powell, and P. G. Gibson. Lycopene-rich treatments modify noneosinophilic airway in ammation in asthma: Proof of concept. Free Radic. Res., 42(1):94-102, 2008
Image thanks to Garry Knight via Flickr.
Other studies just out show the same phenomenon. Roasted almonds healthier than raw. The cholesterol-lowering effect of all sorts of good veggies improved by cooking. This new study found that long-term raw foodists had low levels of the phytonutrient lycopene, compared to the general population. Lycopene is the wonderful cancer-fighting red pigment in tomatoes. Well, cooked tomatoes provide four times more lycopene than raw tomatoes.
And, cancer prevention is just the beginning. Tomato juice can lower our bad cholesterol 13%. Can successfully treat seasonal allergies, and may even help treat asthma. Treating asthma with tomato sauce. But, when we eat tomatoes raw, we’re losing 75% down the drain.
Raw foods are not necessarily healthier. My recommendation is to prepare vegetables in whichever way will get you to eat the most of them.
To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring, watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by Dianne Moore.
Please consider volunteering to help out on the site.
- I. Garrido, M. Monagas, C. Gomez-Cordoves, and B. Bartolome. Polyphenols and antioxidant properties of almond skins: Influence of industrial processing. J. Food Sci., 73(2):-106, 2008.
- T. S. Kahlon, M. C. M. Chiu, and M. H. Chapman. Steam cooking signicantly improves in vitro bile acid binding of beets, eggplant, asparagus, carrots, green beans, and cauliflower. Nutrition Research, 27(12):750{755, 2007.
- A. L. Garcia, C. Koebnick, P. C. Dagnelie, C. Strassner, I. Elmadfa, N. Katz, C. Leitzmann, and I. Hoffmann. Long-term strict raw food diet is associated with favourable plasma beta-carotene and low plasma lycopene concentrations in germans. Br. J. Nutr., 99(6):1293-1300, 2008.
- Allergol Int. 2007 Sep;56(3):225-30. Epub 2007 Jun 1. An evaluation of the clinical efficacy of tomato extract for perennial allergic rhinitis. Yoshimura M, Enomoto T, Dake Y, Okuno Y, Ikeda H, Cheng L, Obata A.
- L. G. Wood, M. L. Garg, H. Powell, and P. G. Gibson. Lycopene-rich treatments modify noneosinophilic airway in ammation in asthma: Proof of concept. Free Radic. Res., 42(1):94-102, 2008
Image thanks to Garry Knight via Flickr.
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Lycopene Benefits: Raw vs. Cooked Tomatoes
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Content URLDoctor's Note
For more on phytonutrient absorption in raw and cooked foods:
Raw Veggies Versus Cooked for Heart Disease
Kale and the Immune System
Second Strategy to Cooking Broccoli
UPDATE: Note there are some relatively high fat and protein plant foods such as nuts and soy products; so, I no longer recommend toasting nuts and would steer clear of roasted tofu.
And for more on the benefits of the phytonutrient lycopene:
Treating Asthma With Fruits and Vegetables
Why Might Vegetarians Have Less HPV?
The Fruit Whose Juice Is Healthier
Also, check out Raw Food Diet Myths.
For more context, check out my associated blog post, Stool Size and Breast Cancer Risk.
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