Cooked vs. Raw: What’s the Difference? Proper nutrition is critical to optimal wellness. Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, organic whole grains, nuts and seeds is a habit that can ensure you look and feel your best as you age. But does the way you prepare these foods make them better or worse for you? While the Hallelujah Diet focuses mostly on promoting raw, plant-based eating, we still break down our regimen into a daily consumption of 85 percent living foods and 15 percent cooked foods. That means both ways are beneficial and important for optimal health. Understanding the Difference When your diet consists mostly of fruits and vegetables, you’re giving your body an abundance of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals to fuel your system and boost your energy. While cooked vegetables are certainly beneficial, raw options offer the most nutrients because they avoid the heating and cooking process. Unfortunately, heating reduces the nutritional value in vegetables and can also