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You can also eat onions raw instead of always frying or steaming them. This is how you benefit from the many healthy ingredients in onions.

Eat onions raw – that’s why it’s worth it

Onions are extremely healthy and have always been a popular remedy for various ailments. The most valuable ingredients of the onion include:
high levels of vitamin C,
vitamin B6 in high quantity,
vitamin B7 (biotin),
antioxidants,
Potassium,
sulfur compounds.
From a medical point of view, the antioxidants and the sulfur compounds are particularly important. But the vitamins and potassium they contain also make onions so healthy. The substance alliin, which studies have shown can prevent and even alleviate cancer, is also particularly interesting.

When heated, many of these valuable nutrients are lost. It is therefore advisable to eat the onions raw.

A blessing for health
As reported by the University Hospital in Freiburg, the onion has an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect and helps with coughs and earaches. Red onions in particular can also lower cholesterol levels. Studies have shown that onions can successfully prevent cancer. Onions can even help with diabetes.

Eat raw onions without complications

The carbohydrates in onions are present as so-called “fructans”. On the one hand, these substances are healthy because, among other things, they activate the intestinal flora and promote bowel movements. However, if you have a sensitive digestive system, these substances can cause stomach pain or bloating.

If your digestion is sensitive, you should only try raw onions in small amounts at first. Alternatively, you can also use the milder spring onions for the time being, which are particularly digestible.
You can also prevent flatulence with suitable home remedies, such as caraway or fennel tea. Ginger or apple cider vinegar can also help with digestive problems.
If, on the other hand, the sharp taste of the raw onions prevents you, you can first sprinkle the sliced ​​onions with a little salt and let it soak in for an hour. This removes the spiciness from the onions. You can also try the milder vegetable onions.

If you want to eat parsnips raw, you are faced with several questions: Is that even possible and if so, do parsnips also taste raw? We explain why you should definitely try parsnips raw and what you have to consider.

The parsnip has gone somewhat out of fashion in Germany. The root vegetable is very healthy, is in season from September to March and can be prepared in many different ways. You can prepare the parsnips in stir-fries, in the oven or in soups – or eat them raw…

Eating parsnips raw: That’s why it’s worth it

If you’ve only ever eaten parsnips cooked or fried, you should definitely try them raw. As with all vegetables, parsnips contain the most vitamins and nutrients when you eat them raw. Parsnips contain, among other things:
vitamin E and vitamin C,
Potassium,
lots of fiber,
Carbohydrates that keep you full for longer
the essential oil Apiol.
Eating parsnips raw is not only healthy, but also delicious. Even if you don’t like the unusual taste of parsnips in many dishes: Uncooked the vegetables taste more tender, milder and fresher.

Prepare raw parsnips

If you want to eat parsnips raw, look for young, small parsnips at the store. The smaller tubers are better suited to be eaten raw as they taste milder and have a thinner skin. You can also eat raw parsnips with the skin on. The leaves can also be eaten raw and, like parsley, prepared as herbs. Like carrots, parsnips don’t stay fresh for very long and quickly become limp and soft. It is best to buy them the same day you want to eat them.

Make sure that you always use organic quality parsnips and that they are locally sourced. Then they have the best ecological balance and no pesticides.

Instructions: Prepare parsnips

Scrub and wash the peel and trim off the bottom and top. Now you can use them for many dishes:
Grated in coleslaw: for example with red cabbage, cucumber, carrots and coriander.
Thinly sliced: with these delicious dips.
With a spiral cutter: as a vegan and low-calorie pasta substitute.
Tip: To prevent a dark discoloration, you can sprinkle the raw parsnips with lemon juice, which also tastes very good. Or you put the vegetables in cold water.

“You shouldn’t eat aubergines raw” is a piece of advice many have heard. We explain what’s behind it and whether you really shouldn’t eat aubergines raw.

Eat aubergines raw – yes or no?

The aubergine belongs to the nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes and potatoes. Eggplants produce the toxin solanine, a weak neurotoxin. In small amounts, solanine usually has no noticeable consequences. But if you eat a lot of raw eggplant, the solanine can lead to headaches, gastrointestinal problems and vomiting. According to the German Society for Nutrition, even more serious health consequences are possible.

Since the proportion of bitter substances at the base of the aubergine and in unripe aubergines is higher, many doctors warn against eating raw aubergines. Nowadays, however, aubergines themselves are hardly toxic even when they are raw, since the toxins only occur in extremely small doses in modern cultivations.

Raw eggplants don’t taste good

In principle, it is possible to eat ripe aubergines raw. Nevertheless, it is not recommended because the raw vegetables taste very bitter and are not tasty.

Despite modern breeding, you should make sure that your eggplant is really ripe before you eat it. This is how you minimize the toxins. You can recognize the inedible parts by the green color – just like with potatoes and tomatoes.

You can see whether an aubergine is ripe by these characteristics:
the skin is smooth and shiny,
the peel is easy to dent and the flesh underneath is relatively soft,
the flesh is white on the inside and not green.
To draw the bitter juices out of the eggplant, it’s often recommended to soak the raw eggplant in salted water and pat dry before baking/roasting. In terms of health, this is no longer necessary thanks to modern breeding. But it’s still worth it, because the eggplant absorbs less fat and is healthier.

There are many diet trends that are gaining more and more followers these days, and going raw and vegan is one of them. Here you can find out what makes vegan raw food special, how it works and what you should consider when making a change.

According to the definition from the Gießen Raw Food Study, raw food nutrition is a form of nutrition that largely or exclusively contains unheated plant-based (sometimes also animal) foods. The raw vegan diet also avoids animal products such as raw milk and dried meat and is therefore a special form of veganism.

Vegetables and fruits, lettuce, herbs and other edible leafy greens as well as nuts, mushrooms, seeds and seeds can be consumed. The main aim is to preserve the heat-sensitive vitamins, trace elements and minerals in the food, which is why they must not be heated and processed at more than 45 degrees.

Behind the decision to eat raw vegan is often an increased awareness of their own consumption of food – most raw vegans therefore pay particular attention to eating seasonal and regional food of organic quality.

It is better not to eat these foods raw

Although raw foods are usually on the menu even with a conventional diet, caution is required when consuming raw foods, especially for raw vegans who are just starting out.

Not all plant-based foods can be consumed raw: this is especially true for potatoes, aubergines, beans, rhubarb, elderberry, legumes and cassava – they must be heated before consumption. One of the few legumes that can also be eaten raw is the mangetout.
In addition, the consumer advice center warns against a high nitrate content in rocket, lamb’s lettuce and lettuce and the consumption of raw spinach and chard.
You should be particularly careful when you go looking for wild herbs and mushrooms that you want to eat raw later – there is often a high risk of confusion with poisonous specimens.
Note: Consuming only raw foods puts more strain on your teeth than a traditional diet. You should therefore make sure that you eat fruit and vegetables not only whole, but also grated or pureed.

Of course, you can continue to enjoy all foods that you usually eat raw when you switch to raw vegan food without hesitation – or try one of the various preparation methods of raw vegan cuisine.

Raw Vegan Diet: Methods of Preparation and Processing

Raw vegans don’t just nibble on raw vegetable sticks, they have a more varied diet than you might think: the various preparation methods, all of which do not require excessive heating, result in an amazing wealth of raw vegan recipes.

Soaking: This method is mainly used for nuts and seeds. On the one hand, they can be processed better, on the other hand, certain seeds start to germinate after a certain soaking time, which should have a positive effect on digestion if consumed in moderation.
Drying: Food is dried for several hours in a dehydrator or at a maximum of 45 degrees in a convection oven, thus preserving it. Among other things, vegetable chips and raw food bread can be made in this way.
Pureeing fruit and vegetables: You can no longer avoid smoothies and vegetable juices made from all imaginable ingredients. Many raw vegan soups are also prepared in this way.
Fermenting: pickling vegetables in water and salt. All nutrients are retained during the fermentation process and lactic acid bacteria are formed, which promote a healthy intestinal flora. White and red cabbage are particularly often fermented, but basically all types of vegetables are suitable.
If you’re planning on sticking with the raw vegan diet for a longer period of time, it’s worth getting certain kitchen appliances, like a food dehydrator or a good blender. If you’re just starting out with raw vegan food, or aren’t sure yet if you want to stick with it, you can make most recipes without these expensive equipment.

Raw and vegan – and still all the nutrients?

A sufficient supply of vitamins A, C and E as well as folic acid, selenium and antioxidants has been found in people who eat a raw vegan diet. Deficiency symptoms, on the other hand, existed for vitamins D, B2 and B12 as well as for zinc, calcium, iron and proteins. It is therefore particularly important with a limited form of nutrition such as vegan raw food nutrition to eat a varied diet and in this way to take in as many different nutrients as possible.

You can get enough calcium from a green vegetable juice made from broccoli, fennel or kale.
You can prevent zinc and iron deficiency by eating pumpkin seeds, unpeeled flaxseed and sesame seeds.
You can also get certain essential fatty acids from high-fat foods such as avocados or olives.
Even pure vegans have problems with vitamin B12: The safest way to get it is through animal products. Plant sources are said to be chlorella algae or fermented foods such as sauerkraut – but this has not been clearly proven.
You can achieve a sufficient supply of other minerals and trace elements with mineral-rich water.

Vegan raw food: tackle the change in diet the right way

There are many reasons to consider switching to a raw vegan diet: Because it largely avoids processed foods, the raw vegan diet is considered extremely healthy. Avoiding animal products is also advantageous in terms of the environment and animal welfare. Last but not least, people are also increasingly concerned with their own consumer behavior and are taking more time for eating again.

However, you shouldn’t rush the switch to a raw vegan diet: It’s better to increase the proportion of raw food in your usual diet step by step – this way you don’t immediately overwhelm your digestive system. Stomach complaints, a feeling of fullness and diarrhea are typical symptoms of switching to raw food too quickly.
Inform yourself well beforehand about the type of diet by exchanging ideas with others or by buying a guide book with detailed tips and information.
If you suffer from chronic deficiency symptoms or illnesses, discuss the change in diet with a doctor.
In general, every person is different and every body has different needs. If you notice that you don’t feel comfortable with an exclusively raw vegan diet, you can also reduce the raw food proportion as you wish. It is important to eat a wholesome diet, in which you pay just as much attention to your own health as to the well-being of animals and the environment.

You can eat sweet potatoes raw, but not regular potatoes. But what about the unhealthy oxalic acid in sweet potatoes? Here’s how healthy raw sweet potatoes really are.

Eat sweet potatoes raw: That’s why they’re the better potatoes

It sounds paradoxical: while you should never eat potatoes raw, that’s no problem with sweet potatoes. But the reason is obvious: sweet potatoes are not potatoes at all. Instead, sweet potatoes belong to the morning glory family and not to the nightshade family like the potato. So sweet potatoes are much more of a root. Compared to potatoes, sweet potatoes also contain no solanine. This is the toxic substance, which is why you should not eat potatoes raw.

Sweet potatoes contain many healthy ingredients. While some are broken down during cooking and baking, when consumed raw you can benefit from:
Carotenoids and anthocyanins (antioxidants)
Potassium (helps against stress, among other things)
Minerals such as calcium, zinc and iron
Vitamin A (good for the eyes)
Vitamin C (strengthens the immune system)
Vitamin E (protects against free radicals)
lots of carbohydrates with a high fiber content, which keeps you full for longer.
Basically, you can eat sweet potatoes raw and benefit from the many good ingredients. However, it contains oxalic acid, which can be harmful to humans.

Oxalic Acid in Sweet Potatoes – What Does It Mean?

Sweet potatoes contain quite a lot of oxalic acid. This damages the kidneys, but can be broken down by boiling or long soaking. At the same time, oxalic acid inhibits the absorption of magnesium, calcium and iron. For this reason, you should be careful not to consume excessive amounts of foods high in oxalic acid. So you can eat sweet potatoes raw, but in moderation and not by the kilo.

The combination is also important: For example, calcium promotes oxalic acid absorption. So when you combine calcium-rich foods like broccoli with sweet potatoes, the oxalic acid will be balanced. You can also combine kale, soy strips or sesame seeds.

According to the Bavarian consumer advice center, it is not a problem to eat sweet potatoes raw from time to time: “Unlike table potatoes, sweet potatoes can also be served raw as finger food or in a salad,” says nutrition expert Silke Noll from the consumer advice center.

You can prepare chicory quickly and deliciously. We will explain to you which types of preparation there are for the winter salad and how it tastes the least bitter.

Preparing chicory: This is how you recognize good chicory

You can buy chicory particularly well at the weekly market from local farmers. It is best to choose organic chicory, as it is not contaminated with pesticides. Mostly you get white chicory. But there is also a red variant that was created by crossing chicory with radicchio. Red chicory tastes a little milder than white. Here are more tips for your chicory purchase:
You can recognize good chicory by the fact that it is relatively firm and has no brown or wilted spots.
Small chicory bulbs are less bitter than large ones.
The greener the leaves are, the more bitter they are. It is best to buy chicory whose leaves are white and only yellow at the tips.
You can store fresh chicory in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator for a few days. If you want to prepare it, you should wash it (cleaning the outermost leaves is usually enough) and cut out the stalk – this is particularly bitter and woody.

Prepare raw chicory in refreshing salads

In a delicious winter salad, chicory provides you with a particularly large number of vitamins. Since raw chicory tastes the bitterest, you should use small, mild bulbs when preparing it in a salad. If you then cut the leaves into fine strips, they mix particularly well with the other flavors of the salad.

What goes particularly well with chicory?

Salads with citrus fruits, apples or pears are classic. In fact, the fruity sweetness is a good balance to the slightly bitter chicory.
Strong cheeses such as Gorgonzola are particularly suitable as hearty counterparts.
You can then mix the whole thing with a spicy-sweet salad dressing and sprinkle with roasted nuts.

Prepare chicory in the pan: fry or steam

When you cook chicory, it loses most of its bitterness and takes on a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. Chicory tastes particularly delicious if you roast it in oil or butter for a few minutes until golden brown:
To do this, cut the tubers into small pieces or just halve them and cut out the stalk.
All you have to do is season the finished chicory with salt and pepper and sprinkle with a little lemon juice if you like.
Then put it in the pan for a few minutes.
It also tastes delicious if you serve the fried chicory with a white wine sauce.
You can prepare chicory particularly gently if you steam it.

It’s enough if you cut the chicory in half.
Place the halves in a pan and cover halfway with water.
If you add a little more lemon juice, you prevent the chicory from turning gray.
Bring the water to a boil, put a lid on the pan and let the chicory simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
Then lift it out of the pan or let the remaining water evaporate. Season the chicory to taste.
Tip: If you add a little sugar to the water when steaming, the chicory will be particularly mild.

Prepare the chicory in the pot

You can prepare chicory particularly quickly and easily if you blanch it.

To do this, bring a large amount of salted water to a boil in a saucepan and add the whole chicory bulbs.
Blanch the vegetables for about five minutes, then rinse them in cold water to keep them crisp.

Prepare chicory in the oven

Chicory takes a little longer to prepare in the oven, but it is also particularly mild. Since the tender vegetables disintegrate quickly, you should not cut them into small pieces, just halve them or separate the individual leaves. Otherwise, all that’s left is chicory slush.

Tip: Roast the chicory in a pan, season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and fresh herbs, place in a casserole dish coated with olive oil and bake in the oven with a strong cheese.

Fennel deserves a place on every plate. Eating it raw is especially healthy. We will tell you which valuable ingredients raw fennel contains.

We are most familiar with fennel as a tea against gastrointestinal complaints. In fact, fennel has always been considered a medicinal plant that can provide relief not only for flatulence and digestive problems. While it is a must in Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, fennel rarely finds a place on the menu in this country – unfortunately. Because fennel is aromatic and versatile.

Fennel contains the essential oils fenchone, anethole and myrcene, which are responsible for the light aniseed scent and taste. Anethold gives the fennel a sweet note, the fennel also makes the fennel taste a bit bitter.

You can prepare fennel in a number of ways: steam, roast, bake, grill, pickle or make into a soup. The easiest way to do this is to eat raw fennel. The crunchy vegetables also retain their valuable ingredients when processed raw. Heat can reduce the levels of certain vitamins, such as vitamin C.

However, fennel also contains substances that are not heat-sensitive, on the contrary: some substances, such as vitamin A, can be better absorbed by the body if they have been prepared with heat.

That’s why you should eat fennel raw

Fennel contains many important nutrients. The white-green tuber contains minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron. Among other things, these substances ensure strong bones, a functioning oxygen transport system, and healthy hair and nails.

The essential oils are particularly effective substances. They have a positive effect on some gastrointestinal complaints. If you want to do something good for your stomach or your digestion with fennel, it is advisable to eat raw fennel. Because the essential oils evaporate quickly in the heat.

Fennel is also rich in vitamins. It contains vitamin C and B vitamins. These vitamins are heat sensitive. On the other hand, the vegetables also contain vitamin A, which can only be properly absorbed by the body after it has been heated.

Fennel therefore contains substances that can and cannot tolerate heat. Raw fennel is extremely healthy, but there’s no harm in cooking fennel from time to time. A cooking method that is very gentle is steam cooking. Only a few vitamins are lost in the process.

Here’s how you can eat raw fennel

Preparing the fennel for consumption is simple:
If necessary, you can remove the outer 1-2 very tough fennel leaves. With fresh fennel, however, this is usually not necessary.
Wash the fennel thoroughly and cut in half.
Remove the woody stalk and cut off the stalks. You can save these for soups.
The tender fennel green is also edible, you can chop it finely and use it as a topping for salads or sandwiches.
You can grate, grate or dice the fennel leaves into thin strips.

Raw fennel is suitable, for example…

As a vegetable snack: You can simply use thicker strips for dipping humus and the like.
In a salad: Finely chopped or chopped, fennel goes well with other raw vegetables, nuts and a light dressing.

Cauliflower is very healthy and can also be eaten raw. Here you can find out why raw cauliflower is particularly healthy and what you should pay attention to when preparing it.

Eat cauliflower raw: popular raw vegan ingredient

When you eat cauliflower raw, the vegetable retains all of its healthy nutrients. The vegetable is easy to digest, so eating raw cauliflower is generally safe.

Only people with thyroid disorders and iodine deficiency should not consume too much raw cauliflower or other raw cruciferous plants. Under certain circumstances, these can inhibit the absorption of iodine in the thyroid gland. As a result, the body can produce or excrete fewer thyroid hormones.

Cauliflower is easy to prep and stays fresh longer than lettuce. In raw vegan cuisine, it is used grated, for example, in a Bolognese sauce. The cauliflower flakes are also suitable as a quick rice-like side dish that you don’t have to cook.

You can also simply prepare the cabbage as a salad. Simply chop the fresh cauliflower with a kitchen grater. Then wrap it in a fresh kitchen towel and vigorously squeeze out the moisture. Mix in a few more vegetables and a dressing – and the salad is ready. This not only tastes good, but is also suitable as a souvenir for a picnic or a barbecue party.

Eat cauliflower raw and get healthy nutrients

The delicious cabbage is rich in fiber but it also contains many important vitamins, such as:
Vitamin A,
B vitamins (B1, B2, B6),
Vitamin C, (especially in Romanesco)
vitamin E
and vitamin K
Cauliflower also contains other important nutrients such as magnesium, calcium and potassium.

Cauliflower is one of the cruciferous vegetables that have mustard oil glycosides. These are secondary vegetable oils that are released when crushed. Among other things, they are responsible for the pungent taste of radish. Cauliflower can also taste slightly spicy if you eat it raw.

However, most of these valuable substances are heat-sensitive – which means they are lost when you cook cauliflower. Therefore, it is usually recommended to cook the vegetables only briefly and gently. But you can also eat it raw.

Tip: You can recognize a fresh cauliflower by its green leaves and the fact that it releases moisture when you chop it.

You can contract salmonella at any time by eating or processing raw eggs. Therefore, when eating raw eggs, caution is everything.

Raw eggs in food: risk of salmonella

Many perishable foods that come from livestock can be contaminated with Salmonella – including chicken eggs. Most people eat raw eggs more often than they think: they are in desserts such as tiramisu, pudding or mousse au chocolat, in fresh mayonnaise, in drinks with protein foam and in raw batter. Ice cream can also contain raw eggs.

Who should be careful with raw eggs?

Salmonella is ingested through the mouth. You can pick them up in two ways: Either they are stuck inside the egg because the chicken’s ovaries are affected. If you process such raw eggs in food, the salmonella can get into your body. Or the pathogens are on the eggshell – if you touch them and then put your fingers to your mouth, you can become infected.

As a rule, healthy adults do not develop salmonellosis that quickly – a diarrheal disease with headaches and abdominal pains, vomiting or fever. They only become infected when they ingest 10,000 to a million germs. However, significantly fewer germs are sufficient for infants, children, old and weak people.

Particularly severe disease progressions such as sepsis are rare. However, if you lose a lot of fluids, you may need to go to the hospital. At body temperature, salmonella multiply at breakneck speed. Therefore, the only way to prevent infection is by handling raw eggs properly.

Hygiene rules for raw eggs

If you want to prepare a meal with raw eggs, you should know: Salmonella is something like the cockroach among the microbes. They survive almost everything – freezing, drying out, subsequent cooling and heat. It only kills the bacteria if you heat them to at least 70 degrees for a longer period of time. With these tips you can protect yourself from salmonella infection from raw eggs:
Use only fresh, undamaged eggs for your meal and chill them in the fridge. They should not be older than ten days. You can calculate the age of the egg using the best before date, which is set at 28 days after laying.
Don’t put raw eggs on your countertop and then put any rags or kitchen towels that come into contact with them in the laundry.
Store the finished food in the refrigerator and only interrupt the cooling chain for a short time.
You should fry scrambled eggs well, fried eggs on both sides. Soft eggs should remain in boiling water for at least five minutes.
Wash your hands! If you clean your fingers thoroughly, you can greatly reduce the number of bacteria on them.

Boiling raw milk is important: Because it is not pasteurized, it always poses a certain health risk. In this article you will find out how long you should boil raw milk and what else you have to consider.

Normally, the milk that you can buy in stores is already preheated and thus preserved. The pasteurization process also kills germs and bacteria.

It’s different with raw milk: it’s untreated, unpasteurized milk from farm animals. Raw milk can contain harmful bacteria such as listeria, campylobacter, EHEC or salmonella. Therefore, you should boil them before you eat them. The heat kills possible bacteria and pathogens.

Boil raw milk: this is how it works

You can significantly reduce the health risk from raw milk by boiling the raw milk before using it further. You can easily do this yourself at home – we’ll show you how it works:
Pour the raw milk into a saucepan.
Heat the milk on high (over 72 degrees Celsius) for 20 to 30 seconds.
As soon as the milk forms small bubbles and starts to foam, you can remove it from the heat.
Buy raw milk: Here it is
You can often buy raw milk at so-called milk filling stations. There you have the opportunity to tap the milk yourself. The milk filling station usually provides glass bottles for this purpose. Of course you can also bring your own bottles and use them for bottling.

Even if you get your milk directly from the farmer, it is usually raw milk. If you are not sure, you can of course ask.

Why you should boil raw milk

You can never rule out the possibility that cows will get sick or that equipment will not be completely clean. Raw milk can therefore contain pathogenic bacteria.

The milk filling stations clean their dispensers regularly and the bottles they offer must meet high hygiene standards. Nevertheless, sometimes bacteria can get into the raw milk. The consumer advice center refers to studies according to which almost every tenth sample of raw milk from milk filling stations contained pathogenic germs.
To be on the safe side, people with a weak immune system, children or pregnant women should therefore avoid raw milk products altogether.
By the way: The bottles at the milk filling stations are sealed and have to meet high hygiene standards. If you use your own bottles, make sure they are extra well sterilized.