Is it possible to reverse diabetes by consuming raw foods? Here's what a dietitian has to say about it

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• Nov 13, 2022 | Kabir Chakraborty

However, unlike a vegan diet, foods not cooked over 40-48 degrees Celsius are only eaten in a raw diet.

Digital Desk: According to studies, changing your eating habits and other aspects of your lifestyle can help you reverse diabetes. Since they don't contain sugar or salt and retain nutrients lost through cooking, raw foods are typically regarded as healthy.

According to dietitian Garima Goyal, "Raw food diet or raw veganism is one of the diets which eliminate all of the processed and ultra-processed foods. Consisting primarily of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds this diet is quite similar to veganism. However, unlike a vegan diet, foods not cooked over 40-48 degrees Celsius are only eaten in a raw diet.

Advantages of raw meals for diabetics

Raw foods can be advantageous for diabetes in a variety of ways.

"Firstly, those who are overweight can achieve their aim of weight loss by avoiding processed foods, which is to say, junk foods. In the end, this diet allows you to avoid any additional sweets and preservatives that would otherwise induce blood sugar increases. Consuming raw foods, such as lightly sautéed fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, vegetable juices, and salads, is a great way to obtain enough of fibre and stay full for a long period. They ensure steady blood sugar increases without sharp peaks since they digest slowly. Additionally, these unprocessed foods still contain a lot of vitamins and minerals, which may be advantageous "Goyal explains.

But can raw foods really reverse diabetes

According to Goyal, even though the diet may appear glitzy, it cannot be your only option for curing diabetes. For total health, you also need other components of a balanced, healthy diet.

"Raw foods can add fibre and other nutrients to your diet, but you don't have to change your entire diet. Without them and other cooked meals, your diet would become inadequate in calories, protein, and other essential components. Cereals and pulses are cornerstones of the Indian diet "Goyal explains.

According to the nutritionist, diabetes cannot be reversed by modifying diet alone and ignoring other aspects.

"Intensive lifestyle intervention, including a healthy diet, exercise, and stress management, is extremely important for an effective reversal at the early stages. However, you cannot neglect your medications. It is important to be on par with all these interventions for both reversal and controlling your diabetes," the expert concluded.