Here’s why a raw vegan diet could be harmful to your health
According to proponents of this diet, cooking causes ingredients to lose essential nutrients and enzymes.
They believe that eating raw plant foods will boost energy levels, prevent (and even reverse) disease, also improve overall health.
Vegan diets have grown in popularity over the years, particularly among people looking to improve their health. Indeed, a growing body of evidence suggests that plant-based diets (including vegan) can have numerous health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease and lower body weight and cholesterol levels.
Some people, however, take the vegan diet to its logical conclusion, eating only raw plant foods that do not require cooking. Some people also avoid foods that have been altered or processed from their natural state (such like oat or almond milk).
According to proponents of this diet, cooking causes ingredients to lose some essential nutrients and enzymes. They believe that eating raw plant foods will boost energy levels, prevent (also even reverse) disease, and improve overall health.
However, research suggests long-term raw vegan diets may cause more harm than good. This is why:
According to research, some raw foods may be healthier than cook foods. Cooking, for example, causes brussels sprouts and red cabbage to lose up to 22% of their thiamine content. This is a type of vitamin B1 that helps to keep the nervous system healthy.
While some vegetables lose nutrients when cooked, others have a higher nutrient content. This is because some nutrients are bound within the cell walls of vegetables. Cooking breaks down cell walls, allowing nutrients to be release and absorb more easily by the body.
Cooking spinach, for example, makes it more comfortable for the body to absorb the calcium it contains. According to research, cooking tomatoes reduces their vitamin C content by 28% but increases their lycopene content by more than 50%. Lycopene has been linked to a reduce risk of various chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and heart disease. Other vegetables that become more nutrient-dense when cooked include asparagus, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, kale, and cauliflower.
Cooked vegetables can also provide more antioxidants to the body. These molecules can fight free radicals, a type of harmful molecule that can damage cells and eventually lead to disease.
