Q&A: Microbiome – Cooked or Raw Veggies?

Q&A: Microbiome – Cooked or Raw Veggies?
Written by Fritz Nugent

Q: In regards to the microbiome, what are your thoughts on cooked vs raw veggies?

A: Some people have a microbiome which does very well fermenting raw vegetables, and some people do not. For most people, starting with cooked vegetables and adding in small amounts of raw veggies can help acclimate the gut to digesting raw vegetables. I think both cooked and raw are valuable, so once again, make it a semi-controlled scientific study of one: you. Test a food out, cooked or uncooked, and see how it goes for you. Retest. Take notes or commit to memory, then move on to others. 

Here’s a client example: I suggested they increase their vegetable intake, so they ate A TON of raw vegetables and then became constipated for a few days. Think about this – if you haven’t eaten a lot of fiber, which is food for bacteria, and then one day you eat A LOT of fiber, your digestion speed, which is largely controlled BY YOUR BACTERIA will slow down. You don’t think that they would let you poop out a huge amount of undigested fiber which they could continue to feast on, do ya? Moderation is key.

For everything you ever wanted to know about the gut microbiome, check out: Welcome to the Microbiome. Post any questions you have in the comments below so Coach Fritz can get you the answers you need!