I am new to raw foods, I eat 1/2 raw and 1/2 cooked..Got my juicer and was VERY excited to juice things like potatoes.. then I found they are TOXIC raw.

Apparently our digestive system did not evolve to digest these foods raw (they make us sick). I wonder if our digestive system evolved to eat such foods "cooked"?

The evolving human may have avoided eating foods that made them sick raw .. that is until we found that once cooked they became tolerable or good to eat. But does that mean we should eat these foods cooked or are the best avoided!

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Below is a list of the most common unsafe raw foods that you should avoid when embarking on your new raw food diet and lifestyle.

Potatoes - Potatoes contain solanine and chaconine which can be potentially hazardous to your health. These minerals, though still present once cooked above the raw food temperature limit, are limited to less amounts. Solanine and Chaconine in raw potatoes are not toxic to the body on their own, unless they are consumed in large quantities, so limit intake to minimal proportions.

Mushrooms - While mushrooms vary according to poisonous and non-poisonous species, it is advised that eating mushrooms raw be limited if not avoided altogether. Studies have shown that some of the more popular generic mushrooms found in grocery stores cause cancers in mice. Best to avoid eating raw mushrooms altogether. Unless you are eating 100% Organic mushrooms, but even then, eat as small amount as possible.

Alfalfa Sprouts - Alfalfa sprouts, like potatoes, should be avoided in large quantities, and if the raw foodist prefers, avoided altogether. Recent studies have found that a key ingredient, Canavanine, when fed to monkeys, creates a Lupus-like disease. For the human, it would take quite a bit of uncooked alfalfa to cause a similar condition, but of course that is up to the individual.

Beans - One would think that since beans as a food are so similar in taste and appearance, that their physical makeup would be identical, right? Not at all. Here's a look at the most common beans found toxic when consumed raw:

    * Soy beans – soy beans when ingested raw, have been known to cause everything from estrogen issues to thyroid problem. Definitely avoid eating raw.
    * Flava beans- This is where the disease, favism, comes from. Though Favism is predominantly a genetic disease, it's best to avoid eating these beans raw as well.
    * Kidney beans – in small quantities, raw kidney beans have been proven to cause death. Avoid eating raw kidney beans altogether.

Grains - Most grains contain antinutrients which make ingestion of them raw-toxic. This is why it is recommended that if you do want to eat grains raw, that you first soak them in accordance to safe soaking instructions.

Spinach/Rhubarb - Both spinach and rhubarb contain oxalates. The only issue with oxalates is that they interfere with calcium absorption. Spinach and rhubarb eaten raw is absolutely fine as long as they are not eaten in large quantities.

Parsnip - Parsnip is actually both toxic cooked and raw. Parsnip contains psoralens, which is toxic at either state of chemistry, so you should not eat raw.

Taro - Taro, though not overly popular, contains lectins and trypsin inhibitors which are toxic to the system. Do not consume raw.

Flavanoids - Flavanoids are a broad grouping of foods that offer both positive and negative effects when eaten raw. Due to the fact that flavanoids effects when eaten raw range from potentially serious to positive, it is best to either thoroughly investigate and research your foods with flavanoids or remove them from your diet overall.

source: http://www.triedtastedserved.com/raw-science/toxic-foods.php

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As the consumption of raw foods gains popularity, some potentially unsafe foods have re-entered the diets of humans. However, the following list includes many foods which are rarely promoted by the educated proponents[citation needed] of raw foodism, especially beans or legumes.

    * Buckwheat greens are toxic when raw, particularly if juiced or eaten in large quantities by fair-skinned individuals. The chemical component fagopyrin is known to cause severe photosensitivity and other dermatological complaints.[30]
    * Kidney beans, including sprouts, are toxic when raw, due to the chemical phytohaemagglutinin.[31]
    * Alfalfa sprouts contain the toxin canavanine.[32]
    * Some types of raw cassava or cassava flour can be toxic.
    * Raw eggs contain avidin, a vitamin B7 or biotin inhibitor, which can cause “egg white injury”. As many as 24 egg whites would have to be eaten to inactivate biotin. Avidin is denatured by heat.[33][34]
    * Raw seeds of the genus Lathyrus (peas), can cause lathyrism.
    * Raw Brassica species can contain glucosinolate.
    * Several seeds contain poison, such as apricot kernels, which contain the toxin amygdalin. See Seed#Poison_and_food_safety
    * Raw parsnips contain furanocoumarin.
    * Raw foods, particularly raw meat, may contain harmful bacteria and their associated bacterial toxins.[35][36] Other parasites and viruses may also be present, such as Toxoplasma,[37] Trichinella,[38] or rotavirus,[39] which may cause serious foodborne illnesses.
    * Raw milk may contain Mycobacterium bovis (which can cause non-pulmonary tuberculosis)[citation needed] and Brucella bacteria that cause undulant fever and spontaneous abortion.
    * Raw sweet potato, cabbage, cauliflower, turnips, rutabaga, canola oil, cassava, pinenuts, mustard, millet, soybeans and peanuts contain small amounts of goitrogens which can interfere with iodine metabolism and worsen hypothyroidism.[40]

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_foodism#Avoiding_poisoning

I want to disagree with the raw milk part and raw eggs part.. But again, did our digestive system evolve to drink cow/goat milk and eat eggs?

These are what we think of as farm-foods that the evolving human may not have had. Or did they? Could the cave man (hunter-gatherer) have domesticated a few chickens and cows?? 

Finally, since I 1/2 my diet is cooked,  I MUST ask you ... If these "foods" are TOXIC raw, should I even be eating them cooked?  

I also wonder if the cave man drank any teas?  does this mean I should not drink any tea? or any plant oils (since they probablyc ouldnt press the oil).. for that matter one should not even juice since the cave man did not press juice either...

My MAIN question is ...  If some foods are TOXIC raw, should I even be eating them cooked?
 

What do you think?