Health and gut practitioners strongly believe that there is science behind not mixing cooked and uncooked foods, said registered dietitian Garima Goyal. Giving an example of having fruits with main meals, Goyal mentioned that have them at least 30 minutes before a meal or two hours later. "This will help to avoid the gas formation in the stomach and prevents bloating," said Goyal. She elucidated further: *It complicates the digestion process - Mixing raw and cooked foods complicates the process of digestion. "When talking about cooked foods, it is very easier for our digestive tract or gut to digest them as they are already cooked and body will easily digest such foods by activation of the body enzymes upon consumption. But the rate of consumption of raw foods is slower," mentioned Goyal. *It causes digestive troubles - When we mix raw and cooked foods in a meal, it leads to digestive issues and discomfort such as belching, gas, indigestion etc. This is because it needs significantly high energy and effort of our body to digest raw foods than cooked ones. Chewing the food is the first step of digestion and when a food is improperly chewed, it causes digestive discomfort. "When a food is cooked, some of the food’s fibre and plant cell walls break and this eases the process of food digestion and nutrient absorption," said Goyal. *It affects the food’s digestibility - Any food that you consume is healthy if you are able to receive all of its health benefits and absorb its nutrients well. This is known as food digestibility. Whenever the food you consume is in cooked form rather than raw form, it’s more digestible as well as lacks anti-nutrients. Anti-nutrients are compounds that inhibit the body’s ability to absorb nutrients in plant foods. They even are responsible for the gas formation in the gut, said Goyal. Clarifying that the emphasis is not on the consumption of cooked foods over raw ones, Goyal said that the idea is to make a meal pattern wherein you don’t consume them together for a healthy gut. "Both raw and cooked foods have their own sets of advantages and limitations too. So the inclusion of both is crucial for our health, but not together!" Dr Dimple noted. Dr Dimple Jangda, an ayurveda and gut health coach too shared an informative post on the subject on Instagram. "Never mix cooked foods with uncooked foods! It leads to bloating," said Dr Jangda. View this post on Instagram A post shared by DrDimple, Ayurveda & Gut Health Coach (@drdimplejangda) "Remember bloating is not a disease - it is a direct consequence of the foods you have eaten, the combinations of wrong food items, undigested foods, and waste that has not been eliminated from the previous day," she added. Sharing that cooked foods like grains, vegetables, lentils, pulses, and beans are cooked with cooking oil, spices, salt, and herbs ready for consumption, Dr Jangda said that they can be easily digested, absorbed, and assimilated by the body. Also, the process of cooking changes the chemical complement of these food groups. On the other hand - raw foods like fruits and vegetables salads have active fruit acids, fruit and vegetable enzymes which are alive! There are live bacteria in these foods," said Dr Jangda. Concurring with Goyal and Dr Jangda, Mohini Dongre, dietician, Narayana Superspeciality Hospital Gurugram said that our bodies digest cooked and uncooked foods differently. "Cooking breaks down complex molecules and makes the nutrients more readily available for absorption. Mixing cooked and uncooked foods can disrupt the digestion process and potentially lead to digestive discomfort or nutrient imbalances," said Dongre. Moreover, mixing cooked and uncooked foods can potentially pose risks to our health due to differences in food safety and digestion, Dongre asserted. "Cooked foods are subjected to heat, which helps kill harmful bacteria and parasites, reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses. On the other hand, uncooked foods, such as raw meats, seafood, and eggs, may contain pathogens that can cause food poisoning if not properly cooked," said Dongre. When cooked and uncooked foods are mixed, there is a possibility of cross-contamination, mentioned Dongre. "The raw juices from uncooked foods can come into contact with cooked foods, leading to the transfer of harmful bacteria. This can occur through utensils, cutting boards, or even hands. So, what should be done? Dr Jangda listed some tweaks: *If you are having a cooked meal - ensure to eat only that and drink water after half or one hour. *If you are having uncooked foods like fruits or vegetable salads - ensure to eat only those. (don’t mix fruits with vegetables - eat one group at a time). And wait for two hours before consuming cooked meal. "This single habit of not mixing cooked and uncooked foods can save your gut so much trauma and discomfort that comes from wrong combinations of foods," said Dr Jangda. 📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don't miss out on the latest updates!
