When I was a kid, I would watch my mom in the kitchen. To my knowledge, my mom never got sick from these practices. But today, we have plenty of reasons not to eat certain foods raw. Most of us are aware that uncooked meat and poultry can harbor harmful bacteria that are easily destroyed with cooking. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling raw chicken, for example. Studies show that washing raw chicken can actually spread more bacteria.
And why should we cook potatoes? Yes, it does. A medium potato contains about 17 milligrams of vitamin C while an orange contains 75 milligrams. And a half cup of sweet red pepper has a whopping 95 milligrams.
Adult females and males need 75 and 90 milligrams of vitamin C a day, respectively. The main reason to cook potatoes is to make them more digestible. Lectins are easily destroyed with heat, however. Bake it with the skin on, say food scientists.
When exposed to light, potatoes may sprout and start to turn green. That process can cause the plant to produce a toxin called solanine that protects it from bugs and fungi. Good for plants but not for humans who ingest it. So eat your potatoes before they start to sprout.
And cut off any green parts. Tomatoes are a mixed bag. Eaten raw, they provide more vitamin C. But when cooked, they release more lycopone, a potent antioxidant that has been found to protect against heart disease and prostate cancer in men.
