Crudivorism advocates a diet without cooking: what impact on health?

When we enumerate with Mathilde Touvier the so-called benefits of raw food, the Inserm expert suggests a smile. Scientifically, “none of this is established”she decides, even if “some positive elements can be put forward” in favor of a raw diet.

“To say that certain cooking processes induce an alteration or loss of certain vitamins is sometimes true, in certain circumstances. This is also why certain cooking methods, such as steam cooking, are favor to preserve these nutrients.” Thereby, “there are plenty of vitamins left in cooked fruits and vegetables. The fibers and antioxidants they contain are present and sufficient to meet our needs”assures the Inserm expert.

From a scientific point of view, “it doesn’t go any further”. Moreover, the studies do not address the general question of a raw/cooked comparison, adds Mathilde Touvier, “far too broad a subject”. On the other hand, we know much better about the potentially harmful effects of certain types of cooking, that of barbecued meat for example. The fat burningwhen it falls on the embers, can indeed generate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as benzo[a]pyrene, considered a carcinogen. In addition, the coating of certain utensils used to cook food may cause “the migration of certain contaminants to food matrices” with potential adverse health effects.

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