Raw food needs to swim. Tip of the week 15
Raw food has to swim. Now where did that come from? Yet it is true. If you eat a lot of raw vegetables while losing weight, you will feel more satiated if you drink a glass of water with them. In addition, water promotes the digestion process of the more difficult to digest raw vegetables.
Is raw food really that healthy? Yes and no. Raw vegetables are high in vitamins, minerals and fibre but it is important to keep eating prepared vegetables alongside them. (So again: let the raw vegetables swim or paddle in cooking juices!)
Only a limited number of vegetables can be eaten raw. Some vegetables should be boiled, stir-fried or braised first anyway because they become more digestible to us that way.
Preferably do this with the lid on the pan in not too much water, because many good nutrients remain in the cooking water. Preferably do not cook vegetables in the microwave either, as many important nutrients (antioxidants) are lost in this way!
Steaming is still the best option, losing only 10 to 20 per cent of key nutrients in the process.
Because our bodies can digest it more easily, more nutrients are absorbed from cooked or steamed vegetables. Moreover, a weak gastrointestinal system cannot always digest the fibre in raw vegetables easily which can irritate the stomach.
One ounce of raw vegetables a day plus two ounces of prepared vegetables with your hot meal is recommended. Vegetables that can be eaten raw (do rinse well due to possible bacteria) are:
- cucumber
- tomato
- radish
- onion
- root
- salad
- white cabbage
- red cabbage
- pepper
- celery
Mixed ready-to-eat raw vegetable salads are available at the supermarket or greengrocer's, you can eat these just fine without additives or, if necessary, season with a light (natural or yoghurt) dressing.
Handy to know: Cucumber contains almost no calories and digesting cucumber takes more calories than the cucumber contains. So cucumber makes you lose weight!
This week you may also weigh yourself! Click >HERE for handy weighing and measuring tips.
The above text previously appeared in the Balance book. The book is now sold out, but may still be available to order second-hand via the link below.
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