Is fresh, rare food dangerous?

The risk of food poisoning from eating raw or undercooked food far outweighs the nutritional value. Cooking food makes it easier to digest and safer. There are some foods that are very nutrient-dense but cannot be eaten raw, such as beans, whole grains and lean proteins.

Some people have a misconception that heating food destroys natural nutrients and enzymes that promote digestion and fight chronic disease. They believe that traditional cooking methods will make food more toxic, losing its inherent goodness. According to this concept, eating only raw or minimally processed foods can reduce headaches and allergies, boost immunity and memory, as well as improve arthritis and diabetes.
In fact, vegetables and fruits are low in calories, fat and sodium, and high in fiber. Thus, eating a lot of fresh green vegetables can help stabilize blood pressure, lose weight and prevent or control type 2 diabetes, as well as limit the risk of stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease.
These natural, raw foods are only suitable for vegans and gluten-free people. Note that if you want to eat raw vegetables, you need to wash food more thoroughly and carefully, especially with risky varieties like sprouts, raspberries, green onions and lettuce.
Certain foods, especially of animal origin, if not cooked or pasteurized, have been linked to food-borne illnesses. Excluding animal meat from your diet will prevent you from getting enough essential nutrients, such as protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B12, etc. It is easy to see that this menu is very limited in choice, causing nutritional deficiencies and difficult to maintain in the long term.
Furthermore, due to the risk of food poisoning, a raw, undercooked diet is not recommended for pregnant women, young children, the elderly, people with weakened immune systems, and people with chronic medical conditions. (such as kidney disease).

Made with raw fish meat, vegetables and avocados, sushi can be a good snack, providing plenty of vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids. But sushi can also contain bacteria and parasites, causing vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach upset.
Young children, pregnant or lactating women and people with immune problems should not eat raw or undercooked fish. People should also avoid marine fish that are high in mercury, such as swordfish, bigeye tuna, and shark.

Oysters can carry viruses and bacteria from living water. If undercooked, raw or undercooked oysters can infect Vibrio bacteria, making you very sick. This type of seafood can also transmit the hepatitis A virus. Therefore, should not eat raw food, eat rare food, but must cook oysters before enjoying.

Some raw seafood, like shrimp, can be marinated in lime juice and chili to form a salad. Like sushi, this dish also has the potential to harbor bacteria and parasites that cause food poisoning. Raw or undercooked fish and seafood should not be eaten, especially if you are in a high-risk group, such as pregnant, nursing or immunocompromised women. Seafood should be cooked to a minimum of 63 - 74°C.

Raw or undercooked pork can carry bacteria such as salmonella, E. coli and listeria . Besides eating undercooked pork directly, you can also get germs from cutting boards, countertops, and kitchen utensils that touch raw pork. Pork must be cooked to a minimum of 63°C, then allowed to cool for at least 3 minutes before serving.

Many people do not like to use beef that is overcooked, but beef that is too raw is not safe. Beef Steak is a popular dish that is rarely cooked. Raw meat and poultry are more likely to cause food poisoning because they contain all kinds of bacteria from E. coli to salmonella. To stay safe, use properly cooked meat.

Fresh eggs can carry salmonella typhoid bacteria that causes food poisoning. The best way to avoid getting sick is to cook eggs until the whites and yolks are thick. Eggs or egg-containing dishes should be refrigerated immediately after cooking. For dishes with raw egg ingredients, such as mayonnaise, use only certified pasteurized eggs.

The green sprouted potato contains solanine - which is bitter and causes diarrhea, fever, headache and vomiting. The sprouts should be cut off and the potatoes should be washed before processing. Only fully cooked potatoes should be used and never raw.

Eating 4-5 raw beans can make you very sick. Legumes - especially the red ones - contain the protein lectin, or PHA. This substance is often destroyed during food processing. Dry beans should be soaked for at least 5 hours, drained, then boiled for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Do not stew beans in a slow cooker (slow cooker) because it will not be hot enough to destroy all toxins. You can use canned beans because they are cooked and safe.

Some wild mushrooms have toxins such as agaritine and amatoxin. These compounds can damage your liver and cause other serious health problems. Even raw or spoiled mushrooms have toxins that cause vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach upset. You should clean and cook mushrooms before eating.

Raw taro has oxalate compounds, which can cause swelling and irritation in your lips, mouth and throat. The method of cooking taro with milk will help reduce the effects of these toxins.

Cassava, also known as tapioca, if eaten raw can contain cyanide. Should peel off the roots, peel and cook cassava before eating to ensure safety. If eating raw or undercooked cassava, it can lead to diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting.
Overall, cooking not only makes food easier to digest and safer, but it also increases certain nutrients, like beta-carotene and lycopene, and kills bacteria, helping you avoid food poisoning. . There is no scientific evidence that eating raw or raw food helps prevent disease. But it is clear that the risks from rare, fresh foods are much greater than the nutritional value.
Reference source: webmd.com