Ask any doctor whether or not they think vegetables can help prevent cancer. Chances are that they'll say yes. However, ask them if consuming raw vegetables is better than cooked ones, and you'll get varying responses.
There are numerous studies that support each camp. And it can be quite difficult to decide which of them you should believe since both sides have enough proof to support their case. This article presents you the argument of each side and a suggestion on where you should stand on the issue.
Raw Vegetables Retain Their Anti-Cancer Properties
Proponents of this camp say that eating raw vegetables is more effective in fighting cancer because it retains the anti-cancer components that make them effective in the first place. Cooking only disintegrates or deactivates these anti-cancer components, according to them.
That's what happens in the case of broccoli. A 2000 article showed that broccoli is less effective as an anti-cancer vegetable when cooked. According to the article, the enzyme in broccoli called myrosinase releases antioxidants that fight cancer when you chew raw broccoli. Microwaving this vegetable deactivates the myrosinase which makes broccoli less effective. Cooking broccoli reduces its potency by a third, according to the same article.
Cooking Vegetables Make Them More Effective In Fighting Cancer
Then there's the camp that says that cooking vegetables make them more effective in fighting cancer. Some studies that support this claim show that cooking breaks down the cell walls that contain antioxidants and other nutrients found inside the vegetable. It then makes these healthy and cancer-fighting components easier to absorb by the body.
An example is a study that compared the difference between raw and cooked carrots in terms of the amount of carotenoids absorbed by the body. Carotenoids is a class of phytochemicals which include alpha and beta carotene, and that which gives plants and fruits their colors (e.g. the red in tomatoes, orange in carrots, etc.). The study found that the body absorbs as much as 15% of carotenoids when carrots are cooked compared to only 5% in raw carrots.
Which Camp Should You Belong To?
Confused already? Looking at the examples from each camp seems to suggest that some vegetables are better consumed raw than cooked, and vice versa. Now do you really have to know which vegetables are better eaten raw and those that are better when cooked? Well, not really because that would be very time-consuming and impractical.
So what should you do then? What we suggest is that you create a balance between eating raw and cooked vegetables. For example, eat raw broccoli for lunch and snack on steamed carrot sticks. Balancing raw and cooked vegetables ensures that you are getting the best of both worlds.
Aside from that, you should always include vegetables in your daily diet. Eating vegetables is better than not having them in your diet at all. Reduced anti-cancer properties or not, the effectiveness of vegetables in fighting cancer cannot be discounted.