Foods of animal origin should not be eaten raw – Nutritionists
Nutritionists say that some raw foods, especially those of animal origin, must be properly cooked and strict hygienic practices must be observed during processing to avoid contamination and food poisoning .
According to experts, with the exception of fruits and vegetables which can be eaten raw, other foods should be cooked before consumption.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with PUNCH HealthWise, the President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Professor Wasiu Afolabi, said that with the exception of fruits and vegetables, there is no not good to eat raw food.
Afolabi, a professor of community nutrition in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta, Ogun State, however, said that nutrients from certain Vegetables are best maximized when cooked than eaten raw. .
The nutritionist has stated that there are nutritional factors that will reduce the ability to utilize protein in foods when eaten raw.
Don explained, "Fruits and vegetables can be eaten raw. But there are also certain categories of vegetables that, when eaten raw, contain anti-nutrient factors that can interact with the nutrients they contain to reduce absorption, which reduces the nutritional benefits you can get from them.
"Apart from this, legumes and some cereals are also known to have these anti-nutrient factors, some of which we call phytic acids which are antitrypsin factors. These are factors that will reduce the ability to use the proteins contained in these foods.
"Then some of these anti-nutritional factors also bind to the minerals in these grains and legumes, so they are not easily absorbed by human beings when they are consumed.
"So cooking these foods and processing them reduces the level of these nutritional factors and also makes the minerals and vitamins we are talking about available for human consumption. So, with the exception of fruits and vegetables, it is not good to eat raw food."
Prof. Afolabi also noted that consuming raw animal foods is risky, pointing out that these foods could be contaminated during processing.
"With regard to certain foods of animal origin also, the risk of contamination during human handling is there. When eaten raw, there are also risks of contamination - injection of microbes which are introduced during processing and which will prove to be poisonous to human beings, which is why it is generally not good to consume these foods raw.
"When meats are processed at the slaughterhouse, you must cook them properly. The way we treat food in this country is poor. The risk of contamination is high. Food must be processed observing strict hygiene practices.
"So cooking them is very important because by cooking them, you would have destroyed microbes that could cause food poisoning in humans.
"Except fruits and vegetables which can be eaten raw and it is allowed, the others must be cooked", he said.
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Nutritionists say that some raw foods, especially those of animal origin, must be properly cooked and strict hygienic practices must be observed during processing to avoid contamination and food poisoning .
According to experts, with the exception of fruits and vegetables which can be eaten raw, other foods should be cooked before consumption.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with PUNCH HealthWise, the President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Professor Wasiu Afolabi, said that with the exception of fruits and vegetables, there is no not good to eat raw food.
Afolabi, a professor of community nutrition in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta, Ogun State, however, said that nutrients from certain Vegetables are best maximized when cooked than eaten raw. .
The nutritionist has stated that there are nutritional factors that will reduce the ability to utilize protein in foods when eaten raw.
Don explained, "Fruits and vegetables can be eaten raw. But there are also certain categories of vegetables that, when eaten raw, contain anti-nutrient factors that can interact with the nutrients they contain to reduce absorption, which reduces the nutritional benefits you can get from them.
"Apart from this, legumes and some cereals are also known to have these anti-nutrient factors, some of which we call phytic acids which are antitrypsin factors. These are factors that will reduce the ability to use the proteins contained in these foods.
"Then some of these anti-nutritional factors also bind to the minerals in these grains and legumes, so they are not easily absorbed by human beings when they are consumed.
"So cooking these foods and processing them reduces the level of these nutritional factors and also makes the minerals and vitamins we are talking about available for human consumption. So, with the exception of fruits and vegetables, it is not good to eat raw food."
Prof. Afolabi also noted that consuming raw animal foods is risky, pointing out that these foods could be contaminated during processing.
"With regard to certain foods of animal origin also, the risk of contamination during human handling is there. When eaten raw, there are also risks of contamination - injection of microbes which are introduced during processing and which will prove to be poisonous to human beings, which is why it is generally not good to consume these foods raw.
"When meats are processed at the slaughterhouse, you must cook them properly. The way we treat food in this country is poor. The risk of contamination is high. Food must be processed observing strict hygiene practices.
"So cooking them is very important because by cooking them, you would have destroyed microbes that could cause food poisoning in humans.
"Except fruits and vegetables which can be eaten raw and it is allowed, the others must be cooked", he said.
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