03/25/2026
Raw versus Cooked Foods
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Raw foods protect the nutrients that are most vulnerable to heat, especially vitamin C, folate, enzymes and delicate polyphenols.
Furthermore, B vitamins are water-soluble and highly sensitive to heat and cooking methods. Raw vegetables retain the highest levels of B-complex vitamins—especially folate (B9), thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2)—while boiling and prolonged heat exposure cause significant losses.
Cooking doesn’t destroy everything, but it does reduce many of the compounds that make fresh fruits and vegetables so powerful. Although some antioxidants become more available when heated, raw foods consistently deliver the highest levels of heat‑sensitive vitamins and living phytonutrients.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4252421/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5302259/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6723310/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452247/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4315380/