I’ve been talking a lot lately about the importance of eating vegetables. And for good reason. Vegetables are the most nutritious foods you can put in your body and a key component to a healthy lifestyle. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. They are also important for gut health, mental health and our immune health. 

But, does it matter if your vegetables are raw or cooked? Which is healthier? Which is better? These are questions I often get asked so let me break it down for you.

The most important thing is that you are eating vegetables — raw or cooked. It is recommended that most Americans eat at least 2-3 cups of vegetables per day. I personally recommend you eat more, closer to 3-5 cups of veggies per day. Why? You will feel better and your body will thank you. It is a win-win overall. So before you worry about what form your veggies are in, first make sure you’re eating them.

Fact #1: Some vegetables are healthier cooked.

Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, is significantly increased when cooked. This antioxidant helps to protect against heart disease and certain cancers. So, tomato sauce will have more lycopene than a raw tomato.

Carotenoids are another antioxidant found in carrots, spinach, and asparagus. This also increases when cooked. This study found that cooking carrots boosted beta-carotene content by more than 30%.

Cooking can actually increase the nutritional content of certain foods by breaking down the cell walls, which allow the vital nutrients to be better absorbed. Cooking also improves digestibility of certain foods – every tried eating a raw pumpkin or sweet potato? Not very appetizing.

But, an important thing to remember is that the cooking method matters. Opt for steaming, grilling, roasting, and sautéing as these are the healthiest ways to preserve and possibly boost nutrient content.

 Fact #2: Other vegetables are healthier raw.

You can lose as much as 55% of vitamin C in vegetables during cooking. So eating foods raw, such as papaya, strawberries, bell peppers, and broccoli will get you more vitamin C than their cooked counterparts.

Garlic is another food best eaten raw if you want all the nutritional benefits it has to offer. Garlic contains special sulfur compounds which have anticancer effects. Studies have found that cooking garlic can destroy these compounds. Add garlic after cooking if you want to get the most of these powerful benefits.

Raw vegetables also contain more digestive enzymes, which are also often destroyed in cooking. Our bodies do naturally make digestive enzymes, but getting them in food as well is an added bonus.

The Bottom Line

Make sure you are eating a lot of veggies, regardless of if they are raw or cooked, as there is little difference in nutritional content. Remember, the most important thing is that you are eating veggies at all. So, instead of focusing on whether or not a cooking method is the healthiest way to eat a carrot or broccoli – just start by eating more carrots and broccoli. And then, maybe down the road, we can talk about fine tuning your food intake to make sure you are getting as many nutrients as possible.