Veggies, Vegetarians, and head games page

[Milty]

I have two questions:

1) Is it more/less beneficial to eat vegetable raw? Should they be grilled/cooked/boiled? I ask because my vegetarian roommate always cooks all of her veggies. However, maybe it's just a head thing for me, but I see (most) raw veggies as more appealing and am more willing to eat that way. It's probably because I went most of my life avoiding veggies. It's only now that I am starting to incorporate them into meals, unfortunately they are often boiled which makes me most often unwilling to try. My first salad was probably 4 years ago. First carrot this past summer. First bite of turnip, last weekend. And such. Soups and broths I simply cannot do for this reason as well. This is my hangup trying to get off grains.

B) Again, I live with a vegetarian and thus I feel like I do not get enough meat into my diet but certainly not non-existent. I cannot even make bacon because the grease/fat in the air from cooking it gives her a bad migraine. I do enjoy eggs fairly plentifully though. I could likely have at least 1 large egg everyday.

[iniQuity]

There are arguments for and against raw, eat your veggies however you like. I mostly cook mine, I almost never boil them though, usually saute. I only boil starchy tubers I'm going to mash, or cauliflower if I feel like some mash cauliflower.

Sucks about your room mate being a complete dumbass, but I guess you'll have to wait until she's not around to cook meat. The whole headache thing is in my opinion just an excuse for her (it's usually a girl...) to give you crap about your meat eating ways, or make it so that you don't have to do it around her.

[Griff]

Boiling vegetables tends to leach a lot of nutrients out of them. Raw is usually better. If you're going to cook them, I'd avoid boiling them - saute' them, or roast them, rather than boiling them.

And why only one egg per day? My partner and I go through three dozen a week!

[jqbancroft]

My not totally researched answer that it probably depends on each vegetable. I've heard boiling leeches some of the nutrients out, but that roasting, steaming, and sauteeing are fine. However, I think some vegetables have more nutrients if cooked. Like, I think canned tomato has an increase in something that's good for you that a raw tomato wouldn't (can't remember exactly) and I think that's true of others as well.

Still, I'm pretty sure any way you eat a vegetable is a good way to get nutrients.

[Milty]

Are there any veggies in particular that definitely should be cooked?

It's definitely not an excuse. She couldn't care less if someone's eating a huge steak in front of her. She just can't stand the feel/texture of it in her mouth (yeah, don't go there lol).

[Milty]

And why only one egg per day? My partner and I go through three dozen a week!

Oh God, I could totally do that too! Eggs are my favourite. It's just a matter of money more or less, less being key here...

[FairyRae]

Goitrogenic veggies (think brassica family--broccoli, cauli, cabbage, etc) have lower goitrogen levels when cooked (goitrogens inhibit the uptake of iodine). I believe veggies high in oxalates (spinach etc) have lower oxalates when cooked as well.

Also, some people tolerate cooked veggies (from a digestive standpoint) better than raw ones. But raw veggies have live enzymes which is something discussed often in raw food circles as being very good/important. Fermented veggies are live, full of enzymes *and* probiotics, but also broken down making them somewhat easier to digest (and can help you to digest your other food as well.)

FTMP, just do what works for you. There are pros and cons to either, but keeping a lot of variety in your diet is helpful in avoiding/decreasing the amount of plant toxins consumed, in general. I've read of folks with thyroid problems who ate tons of goitrogenic veggies moving to whole foods diets, and did better healthwise than when they were avoiding them and eating more SAD type foods...

Follow your body and appetite, and experiment to see what tastes and feels good to you! Also, if cooking meat is a no-no in your house, pre-cooked rotisserie chickens may be helpful meal choices along with canned salmon, tuna, etc--no cooking necessary.

I'd look into another cooking set up--that would drive me crazy personally. There are portable single burners that you can buy, maybe you could cook somewhere else using one of them? Or maybe get a small portable grill, cook your meat outside on the grill, then add it to your plate of veg after? We use the grill in the winter at times here on the deck (north-east US--pretty harsh winters, but sometimes its worth it for that yummy grill taste!)

[FairyRae]

In terms of protein options, eggs are about the cheapst source--and cheaper than veggies per serving for sure, IME.

[Cavebot 3.0]

Eggs are like 2 dollars a dozen... I have 4-8 a day.

[EGYnutrition]

What about purchasing an outdoor grill? You don't necessarily have to get a large expensive ones, but the george foreman sized outdoor one's could help. The smell won't come inside, you'll get your meat and everyone stays happy.