First of all, here’s the most important point: Eating vegetables in any form is something people should be doing more of. Whether they’re raw or cooked, veggies supply important nutrients for very few calories—so if you love raw carrot sticks, don’t hesitate.
That said, cooked vegetables can sometimes be a slightly more nutritious option (which is good to know as the weather cools down and salad grows less appealing). “Common wisdom says cooked vegetables have fewer nutrients than fresh ones, but that isn’t always the case,” says Amy Keating, a dietitian at CR. “Some nutrients in fruits and vegetables are bound in the cell walls. Cooking breaks those walls down, releasing the nutrients so your body can absorb them more easily.”
Below are seven vegetables you may want to heat before eating to unleash their full potential in terms of nutrition and taste—plus one vegetable you should always cook for safety’s sake.