Which Is Better: Steamed or Raw?
By vanities
@vanities (11395)
Davao, Philippines
February 18, 2009 3:00am CST
Nothing could be healthier for your heart than a plateful of raw veggies, right?
Actually, a little steam treatment could be even better. New research suggests that steaming might improve the cholesterol-lowering capabilities of certain produce.
Lost in Digestion: When researchers tested the digestive effects of both raw and steamed veggies -- beets, okra, carrots, eggplant, green beans, asparagus, and cauliflower -- something interesting happened. It’s not clear why, but the steamed veggies did a better job of binding to bile acids. And that’s a good thing. It means more bile acids get excreted, which in turn means the liver needs more bad LDL cholesterol to make bile -- which means there’s less LDL circulating in your body.
in my case i like eating veggies when steamed.. although i eat raw carrots..but its only this kind of veggies that i eat raw..what about you guys??
from the excerpts of real age ( http://www.realage.com/ct/eat-smart/food-and-nutrition/tip/8119)
2 people like this
12 responses
@strawberrychocodahi (4818)
• Philippines
19 Feb 09
I can eat carrots raw, but to eat okra , eggplant, french beans raw, no way. I will never ever eat them raw even if they found out that it is healthier to eat raw than to cook or boil.
Vegetables are really good for the body and is essential for daily consumption. But if we eat raw foods specially hard to digest ones, don't you think your digestive system would also complain.
Steaming them is a good idea. Not too hard, not to soft or over cooked. Because the essence of veggies still remains intact and much better to eat that way.
@girlie_techie12 (48)
• Philippines
19 Feb 09
well it depends on the dish.
If I'm going to eat salads, I preferred it to be raw.
but for viands,
I'd prefer eating it steamed.
raw or steam, I think it doesn't matter, as long as you enjoy your food and make it sure that your eating the right one :)
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
19 Feb 09
I know people that eat food in its natural state, as nature presents them to us, fresh and uncooked, and all the vegetables that are mentioned are not ideal foods for humans. They are ok when it is a matter of survival and can't get anything else. But I am talking ideal here. The ideal foods that are ideal for humans are fruits and greens (celery, romaine, lettuces, spinach to some degree). These foods are eaten without any additions of condiments whatsoever. These people that eat this way are the healthiest and energetic I've met. They also exercise daily, get enough sleep, and enjoy life to the full.
@murugezh (273)
• India
19 Feb 09
Hi vanities my deep concern and advice after reading a lot about cooking of vegetables please eat only steamed vegetables, because I found lot of articles that saying many fungus and GIT diseases were commonly caused to raw eaters because of the green vegetable they had themselves. It should be properly washed and cooked well. We can't find many worms they can't be identified with our eyes.
Many of the flies and insects they do them eggs on the plants and vegetables. Many of the fungi live inside the seed of the vegetables. They highly vulnerable to the human health and digestive system. I found some articles that saying some nervous system failure and GIT diseases might spread through vegetables. So my kind advice is its better to be cooked before we eat them.
@Nancy312 (282)
• China
19 Feb 09
i like eating raw tomatos and cucumbers,sometimes i also eat raw carrots.
and other vegetables i like steamed.It's said that steamed vegetables can absorb especially a nourishing ingredient in a food
@lkbooi (16070)
• Malaysia
19 Feb 09
Hi vanities, as far as we know we would live much healthier and energetic if we could take suitable amount of fruits and vegetables daily. Most of fruits are regarded to be too sweet, so vegetable is always the best. Some of my friends enjoy eating raw veggies like carrots, tomatoes, lettuces, cabbages and etc with apple cider and virgin olive oil added to them.
I don’t have much appetite to eat such raw stuffs as my meals most of the time though I know they are good in our health. I would like to take raw tomatoes and lettuces only before eating meals. I like eating stirred fried or steamed vegetable together with plain rice as my meals. I then the majority of the Asian people prefer to eat in this way.
Anyway I’m happy to learn that the latest research suggests us to eat slightly steamed veggies which are believed would bring benefit to our health more than those row ones.
Thanks for the information and happy 
posting.
posting.
@max1950 (2306)
• United States
19 Feb 09
i myself think steaming brings out the flavor of the veggie while keeping the color and vitamins in. i like carrots raw, cauliflower with ranch dressing raw,i'll eat just about any veggie but brusselsprouts. i grow my own year round according to the weather, all cruciferous veggies during winter ive got eggplants, zuccini,and cauliflower growing now, beans and snap peas also, now if we don't get a sudden not normal freeze i'll be fine. i lost all my banana tree's 2 weeks ago
@bbsr13 (4196)
• India
18 Feb 09
Hello! I always eat vegetables after steaming and adding salt and spices with it.I can't eat vegetables raw because of its smell.In my opinion steamed vegetables are good for health as these are easily digested.Besides in the steaming process the vegetables losses the harmful bacteria and enhances the nutritional values.thanx.
@mammamuh (582)
• Sweden
18 Feb 09
I'm not fond of warm vegetables - so I eat them raw. I would say that if you eat the vegetables - either rae, steamed or cooked it's way better than not eating them at all *lol*
If I had a problem with high colesterole I might think about it, but sinve I haven't there is no way I would choose steamed vegetables over raw.
I eat a lot of carrots, beets and cauliflower rew (and a lot of other things as well) - yhe only vegetables I eat steamed is broccoli.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
18 Feb 09
Hi vanities! I tend to prefer my veggies steamed! I am not that
fond of eating raw veggies, but I do love steamed veggies!
I didn't really know that they were actually better for you!
I just happen to prefer the taste of them when they are cooked
a bit. Even carrots I find that I prefer steamed better than
raw! I can eat a nice plate of steamed veggies every day and
be very happy with that even without any meat with it!
