>I guess I should have been a little more focused in my question. Mostly
>I was curious about his contention that foods like cauliflower,
>asparagus, turnips, potatoes and cereals are not absorbed by the body in
>their uncooked state.  I do eat raw cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus,
>and sometimes raw soaked grains, and I wonder whether anyone knows of
>any evidence to back up his assertion.

The evidences that i have come , from my own experiences. It is clear
to
me that the digestibility of a food is not in the food but in the
relationship between my metabolic state of the moment and the food. In
other terms when my metabolic situation require some specific
nutrients,
my body is preparing itself to receive and digest the specific food
that
carry that nutrient.
When i eat a raw cauliflower and it taste good , it is easely
digested,
if i force the dose after experiencing the change of taste that make
the
cauliflower not so pleasant i am sure to get digestive problems (gas
or
burps). So some foods get dificult to digest when the body doesn't
need
them (the ones in your list are) others might be easely assimilated
despite that the body don't really need them (like fruits) but are
maybe
causing more problems inside than just digestive problems (over
secretion
of insulin in response to exess sugars). In my opinion those  foods
known
to be dificult to digest are safer than the ones who digest to easely
,
because 1st they have often a very strong "instinctive stop" (when not
needed they don't taste good by themselves without seasonning) that
limit
their consomation 2nd they don't get assimilited so easely when not
needed
( the drawback is that the balance of the intestine get disturbed
(fermentation , gaz., change in flora...).
Foods lacking character ( overselected fruits like californian variety
of
grapes) that doesnt taste bad even when not needed ,are way more a
threat
for health IMO that the ones who have a strong "instinctive stop"
(like
wild or wine french grapes and asparagus...)
The same characteristics in a food give a strong instinctive response
either on the wonderful side when needed or awfull side when not
needed.
(the french wines grapes are a good example for me of a rich in flavor
when needed and bitter astringeant when not)
The lack of character in a food give a weak instinctive response in
the
bland side when needed to not too bad when not needed (californian
varieties of grapes is a good example for me , they are so sweety
bland
and don't have flavor).
Jean claude