Raw Foods Fact vs. Fiction: Beans, Grains & Legumes

In the first piece in our Raw Foods Fact vs. Fiction series, let’s clear up any confusion that might have been caused during an interview with a famous vegan doctor on the topic of the raw vs. cooked food vegan approach.

Dr. Michael Klaper, MD, is a prominent physician and educator recognized internationally for his expertise in whole food, plant-based nutrition. Over a medical career spanning more than 50 years, he has dedicated his life to teaching healthcare professionals how to utilize nutrition to arrest and reverse chronic diseases. This highly respected, dedicated physician in a prominent position to influence health choices, especially when it comes to nutrition-related topics.

In an interview featured on his channel, Dr. Klaper was asked about the merits of a vegan diet vs. a raw vegan diet. If you watch the clip, you will see that he essentially suggests that a raw vegan diet is limited to only fruits and veggies, with virtually no access to important plant-based protein foods, such as beans, legumes, and grains, which Klaper says must be cooked to be edible.

Here’s where we set the record straight. Virtually all uncooked beans, legumes, and grains are made accessible to the body by sprouting. Like cooking, the sprouting process neutralizes anti-nutrients like lectins, which hinder digestion.

Sprouting makes dry beans, grains, and legumes edible by neutralizing natural defense mechanisms and breaking down complex compounds, all of which makes these foods significantly easier for your body to digest. It transforms the dormant seed into a growing plant, “pre-digesting” the food so your stomach doesn’t have to.

In fact, sprouted beans, grains, and legumes are significantly healthier than cooked versions as they are literally alive, teaming with beneficial enzymes to support healthy digestion, all of which are destroyed, along with many nutrients, when foods are prepared at high temperatures.