The Cold Truth About RAW FOODS
There has been a lot of controversy pertaining to the Raw Food Diet. Two of the most misleading claims by Raw Food enthusiasts are “Cooked foods are dead foods” and that “Cooking leads to nutrient loss”. Let’s take a closer look at what goes on during the process of cooking and evaluate the facts from a Western and Chinese medicine perspective.
1) “Cooked foods are dead foods”
Western medicine has identified certain proteins as “enzymes.” Every living thing needs “enzymes” to catalyze chemical reactions. In humans, we secrete enzymes in our digestive juices to break down the foods we eat. It is a common misunderstanding that eating raw foods is easier on the digestive system because the living enzymes they contain will contribute to its break down once ingested, making it less work for our stomach. Unfortunately, the enzymes in plants only exist to serve the plant’s purpose not ours. Plant enzymes get digested by our digestive secretions along with the rest of the food and are absorbed and utilized as nutrients.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, raw foods weaken digestion and may harm the Stomach and Spleen in the long term. Due to the cool thermal nature of raw foods, it requires more stomach energy to warm the ingested food to be digested and absorbed. Cooking is pre-digestion, breaking down the plant cell walls making food easier to be assimilated in our bodies. It requires less time, less stomach energy and less work for the system.
2) “Cooking leads to nutrient loss”
It is true that foods subjected to high heat especially when fried or barbequed may form toxic compounds. Water-soluble nutrients may also be lost with over-cooking. As a result, low-temperature cooking such as boiling or steaming is optimal as many water-soluble nutrients such as Vitamin C may survive even when heated up to 10min of low temperature cooking. As well, Acrylamides, the most recognized heat-created toxin are not formed with moisture-based cooking methods.
From a Western medicine perspective, cooked plants are far more nourishing than raw plants as cooking breaks down cell walls liberating minerals to our bodies and actually activating many vitamins. Cooking corn significantly boost its antioxidant activity despite a slight reduction in vitamin C. A phytochemical in corn called ferulic acid has been shown to have anti-cancer properties and can only be released and made available for the body after cooking.
From a Chinese medicine perspective, cooked foods are more “building” and nourishing and is more suited for people with normal health or deficient type. Raw foods may be more cleansing but is only suitable for excess robust individual customized to a rich diet. Even still, a raw food diet is harmful long term and should only be adopted for a limited time period.
Optimal digestion and balanced nutrition will help us feel great from the inside out. For more information on Healing with Whole Foods or dietary guidance you can contact Adrienne@sknclinic.ca