Benefits of Eating Raw Vegetables

Not all vegetables can be eaten raw; simply because neither are they appetizing when uncooked and nor are they easily processed by our digestive system.

Digesting the food is of greater concern than being able to savor it, because there are many people who have comparatively weaker digestive systems and cannot eat all vegetables raw.

Of course, there are many vegetables which taste delicious in their natural state and can be eaten raw. Some of these vegetables include cucumber, carrots, zucchini, beetroot, pumpkin, and sweet bell peppers.

Raw vegetables are rich sources of essential vitamins, minerals, and enzymes which our body does not receive in adequate quantity when consuming cooked foods. These essential nutrients are easily destroyed as a result of the heat being used to cook the vegetables. Vegetables are also rich in amino acids, which are crucial for building body muscle and tissue. The same gets broken down when cooked, causing it to be stored as fat.

For those who can digest raw vegetables without any difficulties, this diet improves their bowel movements. The reason being that vegetables are rich in fiber which blends with the waste matter and water so as to create proper stool.

This helps keep health problems, such as diarrhea, constipation, stomach ulcers and gas at bay. Secondly the enzymes present in the food help digest the food better, without having to eat too much. Since vegetables take longer to digest, it keeps the stomach satiated and prevents hunger pangs.

Eating raw vegetables or including it in your daily diet will increase your body's resistance to diseases such as common cold, heart and liver disorders, etc. The kidney will no longer need to process artificial sugar. The body will have sufficient supply of glucose, which would have been derived from natural sugar, which is easier to digest and actually helpful for the system. This will help prevent or avoid conditions such as diabetes and kidney failure.

Raw and fresh vegetables contain lots of water, whereas cooked food are saturated with oil or completely dehydrated because of being cooked. The heat evaporates the water stored in the vegetables. The body needs a continuous supply of water, which can be provided though the consumption of fresh vegetables.

Carcinogens are artificially created during the cooking process using oil. The fats in the oil burn and convert into cancer inducing carcinogens. Fortunately, a raw vegetable diet does not contain these deadly substances and is safe to eat. These foods and fruits may actually help prevent cancer and further research still needs to be done, in order to validate this claim.

The many health benefits of raw vegetables certainly prove it that they are good for us. It can be very difficult to suddenly switch your eating habits, which is why you can try eating raw vegetables along with your usual meals. Gradually, you can try to reduce the consumption of oil cooked foods and instead opt for boiled meals, as they retain much of the water and nutrients while in this state. The moment they are cooked with oil, the food loses its nutrients as well as its hydration.

However, it would be safer to try growing your own vegetables at home if you are considering eating them raw on a daily basis. Try growing a small garden at home where you can grow all the vegetables you will require. This small but rather significant step will ensure that you are not consuming contaminated food.

Vegetables these days are treated with pesticides and other chemicals, which are not meant for human consumption. Your own garden will not have these harmful chemicals and the vegetables will be safe. Now that you are a little bit more enlightened about the various benefits of eating raw vegetables, you must try to include these in your daily diet.