There are a few important things to know before you decide to consume that bowl of raw salads;

• It’s said that plants release gases when herbivores are around to warn other plants about their presence. When consumed raw, they release similar gases inside our stomachs, which can lead to bloating, gassiness, and indigestion for many people.
• Raw vegetables are not easily digestible. Our body needs 300% more digestive fire to break down those raw vegetables.
• In Ayurveda, it’s recommended that we at least blanch, if not boil, the vegetables before consuming them. You can choose to cook your vegetables however you like – blanch, boil, sauté or cook those thoroughly
• The cooking process helps humans consume and assimilate nutrients better
• The digestive fire is already reduced to 50% at night, and consuming salads at night weakens it even more.
• All that fiber build-up and lack of digestion can lead to frequent bathroom visits at night, disrupting the normal sleep patterns
• The undigested food can lead to AMA, or undigested metabolic waste and toxins, in the body.
• The recommendation is to steam the vegetables at least and add some carminative spices like ginger, cumin, coriander, and fennel.