Eat raw, these foods

Cooking can break down certain vitamins and minerals, while some foods benefit from the enzymes and antioxidants present in their raw form.

Raw broccoli
is a sulforaphane superstar. This compound, known for its potential anti-cancer effects, is significantly more potent in raw form—but even just lightly steaming it can drastically reduce its presence.

Garlic’s superpower—allicin—is a fleeting one
This heart-healthy compound is created only when garlic is chopped or crushed raw and left to sit briefly before cooking. Heat destroys it quickly, so raw garlic is the winner here.

Bell peppers contain more vitamin C than oranges!
A single raw red bell pepper can pack nearly three times the vitamin C of a medium orange—but cooking strips much of it away.

Spinach shrinks when cooked
but more than just volume is lost. While cooking may enhance absorption of some minerals, it wipes out a good portion of vitamin C and folate, two nutrients crucial for immunity and cell repair.

Roasting nuts smells great but costs you nutrients
Heat can degrade vitamin E and damage healthy fats in nuts and seeds, which are otherwise champions for heart health when consumed raw.

Eating raw isn’t always better, of course—but it’s neat how some foods secretly shine brightest in their natural state.