From Raw Salad Fears to Cooked Veggie Gold: How to Eat Healthy Without Worrying About

Parasites or Cyclospora

This morning, I woke up to some unsettling news: over 2,000 people across 30+ US states have gotten sick from cyclospora, a nasty single-celled parasite that causes severe diarrhea and stomach cramps. More than 80 people have been hospitalized. The outbreak is particularly bad in Michigan, which has seen over 1,500 cases—roughly 30 times their normal rate. Ohio has about 400 cases. Here in Massachusetts, we’ve had 18 cases so far, which health officials say is seasonally normal, but still. It got me thinking.

My friends love eating raw salad. And I get it—it’s quick to throw together, it feels healthy, and there’s something satisfying about the crunch of fresh greens. But now we’re caught between a rock and a hard place: we need vegetables to prevent colon cancer and maintain good health, yet raw vegetables are suddenly looking like potential parasite delivery systems.

So what do we do?

The Problem Nobody Wants to Talk About

Here’s the thing that’s been bothering me: we’re told to eat more vegetables. We’re told that vegetables prevent disease and keep us healthy. But now we’re also being told to be careful with raw vegetables because of contamination risks. It feels like a catch-22.

But here’s what I’ve realized after years of cooking different cuisines: the solution isn’t to stop eating vegetables. It’s to stop eating them only raw.

Why I Never Liked Raw Salad Anyway

Full disclosure: I’ve never been a big fan of raw salad. There, I said it. While my friends are crunching away on their iceberg lettuce and ranch dressing, I’m thinking about all the delicious cooked vegetable dishes I could be making instead. And honestly? Cooked vegetables are nutritionally superior in many ways. Cooking breaks down cell walls, making nutrients more bioavailable. Plus, it kills any parasites or pathogens lurking on the surface.

So instead of feeling deprived, I started experimenting with different cooking methods that make vegetables absolutely delicious.

My Go-To Veggie Dishes (That Are Actually Exciting)

Blanched and Seasoned Spinach

This is my quick-and-easy favorite. I blanch fresh spinach for just a minute or two, then season it however I’m feeling that day. Sometimes I add garlic, sometimes a touch of sesame oil. It’s simple, it’s healthy, and there’s zero parasite risk.

Steamed Cabbage with Vinegared Gochujang Sauce

Now this is where things get interesting. I steam cabbage until it’s tender but still has a slight bite to it, then toss it with a sauce made from gochujang (Korean red chili paste), vinegar, and a little sesame oil. Serve it with rice, beans, or corn, or pair it with sautéed eggplant. Trust me, once you try this combination, you’ll understand why Koreans eat vegetables at every meal.

Steamed Vegetable Salad with Sesame and Nuts

Here’s my answer to people who insist they need a “salad”: make a steamed vegetable salad instead. Here’s how I do it:

Steam your favorite vegetables for 5 to 7 minutes—beets, carrots, cabbage, purple cabbage, asparagus—whatever you love. Steam some eggs too (they pop right out of their shells when steamed). Chop everything up and combine it with blanched cilantro, a drizzle of sesame oil, crushed nuts, fresh lemon juice, and a good extra virgin olive oil. Season with just the right amount of salt.

You get perfect nutrition, cooked vegetables with the added protein of steamed eggs, and none of the parasite worry. And here’s the important part: no cheese, no yogurt, no butter. Just clean, simple vegetables and healthy fats.

Soy Paste Vegetable Soup (Korean-Style)

This is my go-to when I want something warming and deeply satisfying. Here’s my method:

Heat up some avocado oil in a pot and sauté thin-sliced shallots for about a minute. Then add whatever vegetables you’re craving—I love spinach, zucchini, cauliflower, radish, potato with jalapeño (I like spicy), or seaweed. Stir-fry for a few more minutes, then add water. Let it boil for 5 to 7 minutes, depending on how thick your vegetables are. Finally, stir in soy paste (I prefer it to miso—it has more depth) and let it simmer for 2 to 3 more minutes.

Want to add more flavor? Use dashi (available at any Chinese or Korean grocery store) instead of water, or swap the water for chicken or beef broth. Both options take this soup from good to absolutely incredible.

Why Asians Got Vegetables Right

You know what I realized? Asian cuisines have been cooking vegetables for thousands of years, and they’ve figured out something we’re only now rediscovering: cooked vegetables are not only safe, they’re better.

Walk into any Korean, Chinese, Japanese, or Vietnamese home, and you’ll see steamed vegetables, stir-fried vegetables, boiled vegetables, blanched vegetables. They’re not worried about parasites because they’re not eating raw produce. But they’re also not missing out on nutrition—in fact, they’re getting more nutrition because cooking makes those nutrients more accessible to our bodies.

The Bottom Line

Do you need to give up vegetables? Absolutely not. Do you need to stress about every piece of raw lettuce you eat? No—just rinse it carefully, and you’ll be fine most of the time.

But here’s what I’m suggesting: use the cyclospora scare as an opportunity to expand your cooking horizons. Learn how to steam vegetables properly. Master a good stir-fry. Try making a vegetable soup from scratch. Once you do, you might find—like I did—that raw salad was never the destination. It was just the easiest option.

And ease? That’s not worth sacrificing flavor, nutrition, and peace of mind.

So tomorrow morning, skip the raw salad. Try a steamed vegetable bowl instead. I promise you won’t miss the parasite risk.

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What’s your favorite way to cook vegetables? Do you have a go-to recipe that makes eating healthy feel exciting rather than like a chore? Share your favorite cooked veggie dishes in the comments below—I’d love to try something new!