From centuries-old raw food philosophies to the notorious new age of #RawLife on TikTok, the claim that uncooked nourishment is healthier seems unending. But before you trade your stove for stone tools, whip out your spectacles; it's time for some myth-busting.

"Raw, schmaw" more like, as the Cleveland Clinic reminds us. While the argument that heat annihilates nutrients seems reasonable, it's far from the gospel truth, especially when your diet primarily consists of whole plant-based foods. And hey, who can resist a juicy steak or a perfectly roasted broccoli?

However, the crowd-pleasers of social media, with their zero chill, have deemed it wise to bend the laws of health and common sense, leaving food safety experts palpably agitated. Uncooked animal product advocates such as the well-followed Liver King and the erudite Carnivore MD, are prancing around spouting potentially harmful advice while people lap it up faster than a cat with a bowl of cream.

Their favorite mantra? "Why eat vegetables when you can eat testicles?" You heard it right, folks. Looks like the #RawLife has gotten… crunchy.

While we're laughing at the utter stupidity of some of this advice, let's take a moment to bear in mind what science says about raw diets. Yes, heat destroys certain nutrients-no arguments there. But wait, there's more! Our friend Don Schaffner, PhD, a professor of food science, brings to light a silver lining. He suggests that cooking not only preserves more nutrients than one might think but in some instances, makes them more accessible.

Moreover, let's face it, in today's time of indulgence, nutrient deficiency is passe. What’s not passe? Well, the potential for foodborne illnesses with these raw savage lifestyles, like campylobacters, salmonellas, the oh-so-nasty roundworms, and tapeworms. Sizzling your steak to a safe internal temperature? Now that's hot, making you less likely to brace the toilet bowl for dear life.

A similar story unfolds for raw milk aficionados. Yes, it's all-natural and straight from the cow, but it comes with a free side order of harmful campylobacter, cryptosporidium, E. coli, listeria, brucella, and salmonella. Delicious, isn’t it?

The magnificent idea of pasteurization was to axe these disease-causing organisms. Contrary to the hippie claims, pasteurization does not deplete milk of its nutrients. However, what it can rid your life of is dreaded diseases like typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and diphtheria. Plus, who needs antibiotic-resistant superbugs bred in raw milk lounging around their gut?

Indisputably, informed eating choices can help you bulk up, but raw meat or milk surely isn't the holy grail. So, let's stay smart, put health over hashtags, get that protein in, and keep those abs popping and biceps bulging. Slap indifference to the absurd back into the social media gurus’ faces, and remember to cook your meat before you eat it. Or… die?