Here is why you should avoid eating raw food, as per Ayurveda – Times of India, The Times of India

Eating raw food is one of the most popular diet trends these days. People either willing to lose weight or just trying to stay fit, all are opting for a raw food diet as it is believed to be packed with nutrients, low in calories and high in fiber. The idea behind this is that heating any food destroys their nutrients and natural enzymes, which can be bad for the digestive system and can even lead to chronic disease. But Ayurveda has a different take on this issue.
What Ayurveda says
As per Ayurveda, not all food items are good to be consumed raw. You should only eat raw fruit, nuts, and salads, but other than that, it is necessary to cook all other food items. The ancient Indian medical system believes that cooking food helps us in two ways:

– First, warm food increases the flow of blood to your gut and improves the digestion process.
-Secondly, cooked food breaks down easily in the stomach and the nutrients are absorbed by the body properly.

Scientific prove

Not only Ayurveda, even science supports these claims. There are some researches that clearly underlines why eating cooked food is more beneficial than raw food. As per a study, food cooked in water have more antioxidant content. Apart from this, raw vegetables can be hard to digest and can even lead to irritable bowel syndrome.

The bottom line

It is not that you should completely shun having raw food or salads. But you should just be a little careful. It is best to warm your salad a little before having it, especially during winters. This is because our digestive system is stronger in summers as compared to winters. Also, do not consume raw food in monsoon since bacterial and viral infections are at their peak during that time. Washing and cooking the vegetables will kill the bacteria and keep you safe from various health issues.