We bet your mom always told you to eat your broccoli when you were a kid (whose mom didn’t?), but she may not have told you that it’s better to eat it raw than cooked.
Onions are loaded with health benefits, including cancer-fighting ones, thanks to high concentrations of the flavonoid quercetin.
Like onions, garlic is an allium vegetable that also has antiplatelet agents, but that means its properties that fight cardiovascular disease are also affected by heat.
“Blueberries contain more antioxidants than any other fruit, largely due to the high amounts of polyphenols,” Julie Joffrion.
Roasted peppers are a quick, easy addition to any meal, but you may just want to eat those veggies raw. Red bell peppers are a great source of vitamin C, and heat can destroy vitamin C.
A cruciferous vegetable, kale contains compounds called glucosinolates, and when they come into contact with the enzyme myrosinase, they turn into a different, disease-fighting compound.
This may come as a surprise to some, but yes, you can eat beets raw. In fact, they’re actually a bit healthier for you that way. Beets contain high levels of fiber, folate (a form of vitamin B9).
Grilled pineapple may be an exotic addition to any barbecue menu, but eating it could deprive you of important health benefits, says acupuncturist and natural healer Elizabeth Trattner.