Many food experts will agree that eating fruits and veggies raw is the best way for the body to absorb all the necessary nutrients. You might be surprised then to hear that some veggies are actually much healthier when thoroughly cooked. One such veggie is tomato.
Tomatoes are popular in salads, but this widespread veggie (according to some a fruit/berry) is actually far healthier when processed at 190.4 degrees for 30 minutes.
According to a study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a potent antioxidant called lycopene is released when tomatoes are cooked, and individuals who follow a raw- food diet actually have reduced levels of lycopene in their body.
Lycopene has been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease, various types of cancer and degenerative problems of eyes and muscles, just to name a few. When tomatoes are cooked, the absorption of lycopene in the body increases by a respectable 35%.
