Can you reverse diabetes with a raw food diet?

Every two days, a new name appears as “diet trend”. We all find it fascinating and the thought of giving it a shot always crosses our minds. So why is this? This is because they promise you to achieve your goals in a short time with shortcuts. The “raw diet” is a trend that claims to reverse diabetes. This method has gained a lot of popularity now, but it has been followed for ages.

What is a raw food diet?

The raw diet, often referred to as raw eating or raw veganism, is made up mostly or entirely of raw, unprocessed foods. Proponents believe that cooking food is harmful because it destroys the nutritional content of food.

Also Read: Diabetic Diet: 7 Diabetic-Friendly Breakfast Recipes In Under 15 Minutes

Can diabetes be reversed with a raw food diet?

• First, cooking food will cause a reduction in nutritional content, but we can still minimize losses. Follow proper cooking methods for different foods.
• Diabetes can and has been managed with balanced meals and lifestyle changes. You don’t have to restrict yourself for life to manage diabetes. Mix your foods well so they don’t spike blood sugar. A well-balanced meal contains the right amount of carbohydrates, protein, fiber and good fats.
• Happy gut, happy are you? The raw diet is a gut destroyer because raw foods are difficult to digest and hamper the composition of the gut microbiome. Raw foods contribute to flatulence and bloating.
• Fiber is extremely important when we talk about gut health and even diabetes. The raw food diet is very high in fiber, excess fiber leads to gas, bloating, discomfort and cramps.
• Imagine if you didn’t wash your food well enough and eat it raw? Nowadays, pesticides and fertilizers are used in abundance. Cooking food will help inactivate or kill some harmful bacteria and lessen the harmful effects of pesticides.
• A balance is what you need for a healthy life.
• Fruits: Wash your fruits well, eat them raw, chew them well, and don’t squeeze them for maximum benefits.
• Vegetables: Meanwhile, cook your vegetables as you always have and enjoy them in the form of soups, sabzi, stir-fries.
• Legumes: Soak your legumes well and cook them thoroughly for better digestion and pair them with complex carbohydrates.
• Carbohydrates: Cook and eat whole grains. The raw diet asks you to stay away from processed foods, but so does a balanced diet. To manage your gut health and diabetes, you will need to avoid processed and packaged foods high in refined sugars, simple carbohydrates, sodium, additives, etc.

Finally, it is very difficult to meet your daily nutritional needs if you follow a raw diet. Even though the nutritional content decreases slightly during cooking, cooking food properly ensures that your nutrients are well absorbed and assimilated by your body. With the increasing cases of diabetes in India, we should not be focusing on shortcuts and tricks but on holistic lifestyle management which includes balanced meals combined with physical activity for lasting change.

About the Author: Ms. Prachi Shah is a Clinical Dietitian, Consultant Nutritionist and Founder of Health Habitat.

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