Digestion problems raw vegetables
Digestion problems raw vegetables
The human digestive system is a beautifully designed structure that includes sub-processes for digesting all the different types of food that we ingest. From the mouth all through the anus the digestive system is the most extensive in the body after the nervous system. It includes a large number of organs which utilise several chemicals and enzymes to digest food. Digestion allows the food to be broken into smaller pieces and the nutrients to be absorbed by the body. The food that we eat can be categorized into various groups depending on the nutrient content. These groups include carbohydrates, proteins, fats and oils, vitamins and minerals. The human digestive system has chemical processes to digest carbohydrates, proteins and fats and oils separately and in different amounts of time. Carbohydrates (with the exception of cellulose) are the easiest to digest, proteins take some more time while fats and oils take the longest to digest in the gastrointestinal system. Carbohydrates are digested using amylase in the mouth and in the small intestine. Proteins are digested with protease enzymes in the stomach and small intestine. Fats and oils need lipase to be digested. These three food groups make a large part of our diets. But along with these, we also consume large amounts of fruits and vegetable containing these nutrients. In matters of eating vegetables, there has always been a debate about the benefits of eating cooked vegetables versus eating raw vegetables. For those people with digestion problems, raw vegetables might be a part of the diet. The biggest problem with eating raw vegetables is that the nutrients in the vegetables are often embedded in a complicated mesh of fibres. This fibre is not digested by the body and in trying to do so there could be some aches and pains in the digestive system. For people experiencing digestion problems, raw vegetables are probably not being digested properly. For example, when eating raw potatoes only 30% of the starch is absorbed. On cooking potatoes, 98% of the starch can be digested by the body. Raw vegetables contain cellulose which is one component of food that is not digested by the body. Although we need some amount of fibre to help in healthy bowel movements, eating raw vegetables is burdening the digestive system with excess fibre, probably more than it can handle. Hemicellulase enzyme is required to breakdown plant material. With growing age, the amount of this enzyme drops. Hence raw vegetables aren’t broken down as much as they would be. Cooking helps alter the molecular structure of the vegetables making them easier to digest. So although for people with digestion problems, raw vegetables may be a cause, not all vegetables cause trouble. Cucumber, carrots, celery can be eaten safely because of low fibre content. Otherwise, cooking is the safest and best option to avoid unnecessary trouble.
