Yucca. One word: Cyanide! This root vegetable, a staple of South American cuisine, is packed with vitamins and minerals. But it's also hiding a sneaky, potentially lethal ingredient.
In most cases, raw broccoli is safe to enjoy with little or no risks. However, like most vegetables in the cruciferous family, both raw and cooked broccoli may cause excessive gas or bloating in some people. Broccoli may cause digestive distress, particularly in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) ( 12 ).
Raw meat and poultry are most likely to cause food poisoning. They can have all sorts of bacteria from E. coli to salmonella, which can make you very sick.
Nightshade vegetables, like peppers, potatoes, and eggplant, are are controversial, because many claim they can cause inflammation, according to Cynthia Sass, a registered dietician. This can lead to some pretty serious complications down the line: heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, to name a few.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Vegetables that belong to the cabbage family such as cauliflower, Brussels, broccoli, and sprouts should never be consumed raw. These vegetables contain sugar that is difficult to digest. Eating these vegetables raw may lead to a number of gastronomical problems.
Carrots are a versatile vegetable. People can eat them raw, steamed, boiled, roasted, or as an ingredient in soups and stews. Boiling vegetables can reduce or eliminate some of the vitamin content. Raw or steamed carrots provide the most nutritional value.
1. Spinach. This leafy green tops the chart as one of the most nutrient-dense vegetables. That's because 1 cup (30 grams) of raw spinach provides 16% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin A plus 120% of the DV for vitamin K — all for just 7 calories ( 1 ).
Diabetics should avoid fruits with a high GI or eat them in moderation so that their blood sugar levels do not spike abruptly. Pineapple, watermelon, mango, lychee, and banana have a high GI, so these are the worst fruits if you are diabetic.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers it safe to use in-shell raw eggs if they are pasteurized (14). Raw eggs may contain a type of pathogenic bacteria called Salmonella, which can cause food poisoning. Using pasteurized eggs lessens the possibility of contracting a Salmonella infection.
Nightshade Vegetables
Eggplants, peppers, tomatoes and potatoes are all members of the nightshade family. These vegetables contain the chemical solanine, which some people claim aggravates arthritis pain and inflammation.
Vegetables that belong to the cabbage family such as cauliflower should never be consumed raw. These vegetables contain sugar that are difficult to digest. Eating these vegetables raw may lead to a number of gastronomical problems.
We saved the best (and easiest) for last – eating raw Cucumbers is by far the most nutritious way to enjoy this refreshing superfood. Eat them as an on-the-go snack, chop them up for a light salad, or slice up and dip them in your favorite spreads – it's hard to beat the refreshing crunch of a raw Cucumber.
Nutrients. Cucumbers are packed with them. In just a single cup of cucumber slices, you'll get 14% to 19% of the vitamin K you need for the day. You'll also get vitamins B and C along with minerals like copper, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium.
Do You Need to Peel Carrots? "There is no need to peel carrots before eating—many people enjoy eating them with the skin on," says Alan Hilowitz, former communications director at Bolthouse Farms. "However, since carrots are grown in the ground, washing/scrubbing is important if you do choose not to peel," he adds.
Pineapples too are rich in weight-loss-friendly fibres. It contains an enzyme called bromelain, which has anti-inflammatory properties. This enzyme helps in metabolizing proteins that help cut down belly fat. A bowlful of strawberries may prove very instrumental in shedding belly fat.
Lemons. Lemons have been widely regarded in the health industry as the world's healthiest food. The sour fruit is an alkalising powerfood; they have strong anti-inflammatory qualities and can even help to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
The most difficult vegetables to digest are the cruciferous ones, like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. The reason is that these vegetables contain a compound called raffinose.
These foods are likely to produce gas:
Beer and other alcohol, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chewing gum, cucumber, dairy products, dried beans, eggs, hot drinks, lentils, melons, mushroom, nuts, onions, pop, radishes, strong flavoured cheese, sugar, sweet potatoes, turnips, and yeast.