Raw vs. Cooked Vegetables: Which Is Healthier, Better for You? - GoodRx (2024)

Only about 10% of American adults consume the recommended amount of vegetables each day. So, for most people, the best vegetables are whichever ones you will actually eat.

But if you want to maximize the amount of nutrients you get from each bite, there may be certain instances where you’ll want to opt for either raw or cooked vegetables. Here is what you need to know.

Is it healthier to eat vegetables raw or cooked?

It depends on the vegetable. Raw and cooked vegetables both have pros and cons (more on this later). And while people tend to assume that raw vegetables are better and contain more nutrients, this is not always the case.

Ultimately, eating any vegetables is better than eating none.

Do cooked veggies lose nutrients?

Yes and no. Many vegetables do go through a certain degree of nutrient loss when heated, but the amount they lose depends on the type of vegetable and the way it is cooked.

Plus, as we will cover below, some vegetables can end up having higher concentrations of certain nutrients when cooked. Here is a closer look at the factors that can affect nutrient loss.

• Vitamin and mineral content: Nutrient loss depends on what kinds of vitamins and minerals the vegetable contains. For example, water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin C and folate, can be lost to boiling, while fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A and E, may be more easily lost during frying.

• Cooking methods: Certain cooking methods, such as boiling, can cause veggies to lose more nutrients than they would if they were cooked another way, such as steaming or microwaving. This is because steaming or microwaving doesn’t use as much water as boiling (or as much oil as frying). Although steaming is better for nutrient retention than boiling, even boiled green vegetables still retain 55% of their vitamin C and 60% of their folate content.

• Length of cooking time: The amount of time a vegetable is exposed to heat can also affect how much nutritional value it loses. This seems to be the case regardless of the cooking method used.

• Temperature: The higher the temperature, the more heat a vegetable is exposed to. As a result, more nutrients are lost at higher heats. So if you’re going to cook vegetables at high temperatures, try to cook them for a shorter period of time. This might mean briefly grilling or stir-frying them. Also, cooking vegetables at lower temperatures (think slow-roasting) can help offset some of the heat-related nutrient loss.

Which vegetables are healthier eaten raw vs. cooked?

There are studies looking at the nutrient profiles of raw vs. cooked vegetables, but their results aren’t always consistent. This is because methods differ from study to study, and nutrients can differ between vegetables. Even within the same vegetable, nutrient levels can fluctuate over time.

That said, here is a list of 11 common vegetables and a glimpse of what the science says about how cooking affects their nutrients.

1. Broccoli

Cooking broccoli lowers its vitamin and mineral content, with the exception of lutein and beta-carotene, which increase. Consuming the water broccoli is cooked in, such as in a soup, helps retain some vitamin content.

Best way to eat it? Raw
Runner up: Steamed or microwaved

2. Cauliflower

Cauliflower loses nutrients in nearly all cooking methods, but boiling and blanching lead to the greatest loss of protein, minerals, and phytochemicals.

But if you prefer your cauliflower cooked, keep cooking it. Steaming, stir-frying, and microwaving reduce the nutrient loss to only a small amount. Or you can consider baking cauliflower into a casserole or roasting it on low heat, which also has a smaller effect on nutrients.

Best way to eat it? Raw
Runner up: Steamed, microwaved, or roasted

3. Spinach

Spinach is full of lutein, a carotenoid that is important for eye health. Uncooked spinach retains more lutein and more vitamin C than cooked spinach. But cooked spinach retains more beta carotene.

Also, raw spinach consumption has been linked to a lower risk of fatty liver disease.

Best way to eat it? Raw
Runner up: Steamed or quickly sauteed

4. Red onion

Red onions contain flavanols, which are compounds that have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Some flavanols are retained when these aromatic vegetables are grilled or even fried, but you’ll get the most benefit if you eat them raw. One lab study found that raw onions were linked to a higher presence of beneficial gut bacteria. Raw red onion also showed the potential to help fight harmful bacteria.

Best way to eat it? Raw
Runner up: Sauteed, preferably with olive oil, which allows your body to absorb more polyphenols (a type of beneficial phytochemical)

5. Asparagus

Asparagus is usually eaten cooked, because it has a tough texture when raw. However, in addition to softening the vegetable, the heating process also increases its antioxidants.

However, cooking also lowers the vitamin C content of asparagus.

Best way to eat it? Cooked — preferably steamed, microwaved, or sauteed for a short period of time
Runner up: Raw

6. Carrots

Cooked carrots are not only easier on the teeth than raw ones, but studies show that cooking carrots may improve the bioavailability of their carotenoids — even when you boil them. Carrots are rich in the antioxidant beta-carotene, which also increases when cooked.

Best way to eat it? Cooked — preferably steamed, roasted, or microwaved
Runner up: Raw, paired with a source of healthy fat, such as avocado, to help your body better absorb the nutrients

7. Chard

Chard is a leafy green that is usually eaten cooked. Even though chard loses almost all of its vitamin C content when boiled, it retains more vitamin K in its cooked form than most vegetables do. Likewise, cooking increases the vitamin E and beta-carotene content of chard.

Best way to eat it? Microwaved or lightly sauteed
Runner up: Blanched

8. Mushrooms

Cooking mushrooms quickly (around 3 minutes) is thought to be the best way to optimize their nutrient profile — namely by increasing antioxidant activity. However, cooking for longer periods of time (15 minutes or more) can reduce the beneficial flavonoids in mushrooms.

In addition, some types of mushrooms produce vitamin D if they are exposed to the sun. Keep in mind, you should only eat mushrooms purchased at a grocery store; picking mushrooms on your own (foraging) can be dangerous, since toxic varieties are easy to mistake for edible ones

Best way to eat it? Cooked — sauteed, pressure cooked, or roasted for a short period of time.
Runner up: Cooked for long periods or times or fried

9. Peas

Peas hold up well during cooking. For instance, one study found that no cooking method led to significant decreases in their folate content. Interestingly, boiling seems to retain more folate than other cooking methods. For dried peas, soaking them before cooking them also helps reduce anti-nutrients, such as phytates or tannins, which prevent the body from absorbing and using beneficial nutrients.

Best way to eat it? Cooked — quickly blanched or boiled
Runner up: Raw, from the pod

10. Potatoes

Potatoes are healthier than you might think. They’re rich in magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Frying may lead to a decrease in beta carotene and polyphenol content. But cooking potatoes at high temperatures can help break down solanine — a chemical found in many nightshade vegetables that can lead to symptoms like stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Potatoes are almost always eaten cooked. If you do eat raw potatoes, there is a small chance of solanine toxicity. So you’re better off sticking to cooked potatoes.

Best way to eat it? Roasted or sauteed
Runner up: Boiled

11. Tomatoes

Tomatoes are technically a fruit, but we’re going to consider them vegetables because of the types of foods they’re usually used in. Tomatoes are best eaten cooked. They are rich in the nutrient lycopene — which gives them their bright red color — and studies have shown that lycopene is more easily absorbed from cooked tomatoes. Cooking with olive oil might also make it easier for your body to absorb beneficial polyphenols.

However, frying tomatoes may lead to lycopene loss.

Best way to eat it? Cooked
Runner up: Raw

Benefits of raw vs. cooked vegetables

Apart from being rich in vitamins and minerals, raw vegetables have some additional benefits:

• A large analysis found that eating more raw veggies was associated with a lower risk of heart disease. That relationship was not apparent for cooked vegetables.

• One study found that eating raw vegetables and fruits was associated with improved mood and reduced depression — a correlation that was not as strong for cooked vegetables.

• Some people may find raw vegetables to be more refreshing — especially during warm weather.

Are there risks with eating raw vegetables?

Raw vegetables should always be washed before eating, to lower the risk of food poisoning from harmful germs like salmonella, E. coli, and listeria. Vegetable sprouts are particularly susceptible to germs, because they need a warm, humid environment to grow — and that’s just the environment that germs like, too.

For people with lower immunity — who are at great risk of infections — it might be safer to cook vegetables rather than to consume them raw. Otherwise, for most people, raw vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber and can be a part of healthy eating habits.

How to decide when to eat vegetables raw or cooked

Vegetables are so rich in nutrients that you’ll be getting a healthy dose even if you lose some nutrients in the cooking process. Here are some considerations to help guide you:

• Personal preference: You might like snap peas freshly snipped off the vine. But other vegetables — like brussels sprouts — you may prefer roasted. It’s fine to eat vegetables the way you enjoy them most.

• Cultural preferences: Although salads are a staple of the Mediterranean diet, some cuisines tend to eat vegetables cooked or pickled instead. You can eat vegetables in a way that honors both your cultural roots and taste buds.

• Your health: Knowing your own health priorities can help you decide how you’d like to eat your vegetables. For example, if you have dental concerns that make it hard to chew, you might want to opt for cooked vegetables because they’re softer. Or if you have gut problems, you may find that cooked vegetables are easier to digest.

• Availability: Sometimes you might not be able to find certain kinds of fresh vegetables —maybe because they’re out of season or just not in stock at your grocery store. Remember that it’s perfectly fine to get canned or frozen vegetables instead. You’ll still get plenty of nutrients.

• Budget: Frozen and canned vegetables are often more affordable than fresh ones. But you might find fresh vegetables available for cheaper at a farmer’s market. Choose what best fits your budget.