A raw diet is a lifestyle change that aims to benefit from the healthful benefits of uncooked plant foods. While some vegetables are better for you when eaten raw, others have the potential to be dangerous and should be avoided entirely. To help you keep yourself healthy and avoid an upset stomach, we’ve rounded up our top ten rules for a successful raw food diet.
Eating raw vegetables can help you feel healthier and shed pounds. But many vegetables — like sprouts, leafy greens, and tomatoes — are also a breeding ground for bacteria that can make you sick. To avoid illness, use these techniques to remove harmful germs and make sure your food is safe.
Potatoes
Cooked potatoes are a nutritious and tasty alternative to cookies, chips, and breads. That said, you should never eat raw potatoes or even leave them out at room temperature. Like other vegetables, uncooked potatoes contain solanine, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps if consumed in large enough quantities.
Kidney Beans
Kidney beans are considered toxic to humans because they contain a compound called phytohaemagglutinin, which can cause severe nausea and vomiting even in small doses. This toxin makes up around 1% of the uncooked bean, but boiling the beans removes it. Always discard boiling water afterward to ensure you don’t eat anything you shouldn’t.
Cassava
While the nutritional value of vegetables makes them an important part of a healthy diet, eating some raw can lead to severe nausea, low iodine level, and, in extreme circumstances, paralysis or death. Cassava may also contain pesticides and trace metals, as they readily absorb pollutants as they grow. A thorough soaking and boiling will remove all of these from the vegetable, but be sure to discard the water afterward to avoid ingesting any dangerous chemicals.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are one of those foods you should always cook before use. While most mushrooms bought from the store will only cause mild symptoms if eaten raw, cooking appliance bring out the majority of the nutrients and flavor. However, wild mushrooms are a different matter altogether
Elderberries
If you love eating a diet rich in raw vegetables, it’s important to remember that some foods are better off cooked. While not all vegetables are safe to eat raw, there are many health benefits of adding them to your meals. Elderberries can be eaten uncooked, but they can also cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea if eaten raw. As with other foods, boiling gets rid of the toxins and makes them safe to eat.
Elderberries are a favorite of many because they are commonly used to make jams and jellies. These berries have wonderful health benefits that can be enjoyed, but first they have to be cooked. Before being prepared in any other way, elderberry seeds must be cooked or cooked with heat to eliminate the cyanide alkaloids within them. Once boiled for no less than 20 minutes, the toxins dissipate and can be safely eaten without causing any problems at all.
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