Keeping your diet full of healthy foods like raw vegetables is never a bad idea. But did you know there are some vegetables that shouldn’t be consumed in their raw state? Read on to discover four healthy foods that only get better when cooked.
1. Beans: I know what you’re thinking: this one is obvious because uncooked beans are inedible. But did you know that raw beans actually contain toxic compounds? Luckily, all of those compounds are destroyed when beans are cooked.
2. Corn: According to Vegetarian Times, cooking corn can increase its antioxidant activity. Cooking this vegetable releases ferulic acid, a phytochemical, which fights cancer.
3. Mushrooms: All uncooked mushrooms have trace amounts of carcinogenic compounds. Once you cook mushrooms, however, they’re considered healthy foods full of anti-cancer compounds! In fact, according to a 2009 study published in the International Journal of Cancer, eating cooked mushrooms could decrease a person’s risk of developing breast cancer by 60 percent.
4. Tomatoes: These round red fruits are full of lycopene, an awesome antioxidant. But did you know that once you cook tomatoes, lycopene levels rise? According to the Veg Daily Blog: “Cornell University conducted a study in which the ability to absorb lycopene cooked at varying temperatures was measured; tomatoes were heated for 2 minutes, 15 minutes, and 30 minutes. Levels of these disease-fighting warriors went up with each incremental increase in heating.”
So, what are you waiting for? Take advantage of these healthy foods by firing up the stove!
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