While the raw food trend has its merits, not all vegetables are created equal when it comes to munching them uncooked.

While the raw food trend champions fresh produce, some vegetables are simply not meant to be eaten straight from the garden.

Green leafy vegetables, also called dark green leafy vegetables, leafy greens, or greens, are edible plant leaves. A person can eat some leafy greens raw, while others may require cooking.

The term vegetable doesn’t exist botanically. Instead, vegetables are classified as the roots, stems, leaves and flowers of edible plants.

Sea vegetables — or seaweed — are all different types of algae. Algae grow in marine environments. They use sunlight for energy and naturally absorb vitamins and minerals from the ocean.

James Beard, the American chef and food writer, is credited with bringing crudités — as the French term raw or cured vegetables served as a premeal bite — to the United States by way of his ...