why limit raw broccoli, spinach and cauliflower? any negative effects of eating too much of any of these?
Vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, kale, mustard greens, rutabega, and watercress contain goitrogens (thiocyanate) that can disrupt thyroid function by blocking idodine use. A little bit is ok, but excessive consuption of these raw veggies is not good. It could possibly ruin your attempts to get lean!
The good news is that cooking gets rid of this problem.
Spinach contains oxalic acid, which inhibits the absorption of calcium. Again, cooking gets rid of this problem. I’ve heard of people with kidney stones having trouble with eating a good amount of raw spinach.
Some people say raw veggies are best, some say all steamed is best (to avoid these chemical issues).
I would take a moderate approach. For the vegetables mentioned above, try to steam them (or ferment in the case of cabbage, i.e. sauerkraut). Some raw is fine, but don’t eat ONLY raw. You can make sure you get extra iodine in your diet if you eat some of these raw, which you could do with kelp or other sea vegetables.
A lot of veggies contain some bad chemicals, but they also contain a lot of GOOD chemicals that might make up for the bad ones.
Choosing a middle of the road approach, steaming some and eating some raw will make sure you the best of both worlds. Just add a little butter to your veggies to help utilize the nutrients and you’re golden.