Is Consumption Of Raw Food Diet Beneficial In Diabetes?

The consumption of raw foods to treat various ailments, including diabetes, has been practised since the 1800s. Raw food diet, commonly known as ‘raw foodism and rawism’ is a diet type that includes the consumption of foods in their natural state or raw state.

In simple words, raw foodism is based on the concept of no cooking, no microwaving, no genetically engineering, no pesticides and no processing. This is because, it is believed that heating and processing often destroys nutrients such as phytochemicals and micronutrients in the food and make us consume less of the vital nutrients, compared to its natural occurring amount.

According to recent statistics, more than 20 per cent of people below the age of 20 years have been detected with diabetes. Raw vegetables are an important part of a DASH diet, an eating pattern mainly suggested by medical experts for people with diabetes. [1]

In this article, we will discuss how the consumption of raw foods is beneficial for people with diabetes.

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Raw Foods And Diabetes

A nourishing diet is a must in order to treat diabetes. Healthy eating not only helps in controlling blood sugar levels but also helps maintain a healthy weight.

Studies say that incorporating raw foods into the daily diet may help in the management of diabetes. It is a condition in which the body stops producing insulin or the body cells stop responding to insulin, causing both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

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The effect of raw diet on diabetes is mainly due to the non-activated enzymes which are present in the raw foods. These enzymes have potential health benefits on the body, which often get lost in a moderate to the high amount after cooking or processing. [2]

The health experts also suggest that diabetics do not entirely need to revamp their diet to manage the condition. By slowly starting to include more raw vegetables and fruits in the diet, together with workouts and weight management, can help immensely.

What Are The Raw Food Diet Benefits?

A raw food diet has numerous benefits, apart from stabilising glucose levels. It may help reduce cancer risk, boost energy, improve digestion, and helps with weight loss, along with lowering the complications of diabetes such as heart disease. [3]

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A diet that combines both raw juices and raw foods may help to speed up the repair process of the body and help reverse the condition faster. The changes can be noticed within seven days after starting the raw food diet.

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What Does A Raw Food Diet Include?

A raw food diet is high in potassium, fibre, magnesium, phytochemicals and folate and low in sodium. All these properties of a raw diet help in lowering the risk of diabetes and related complications like heart disease and cancer.

A raw food diet mainly includes beans, fresh fruits, grains, seeds, seaweed, nuts, unprocessed organic foods, fresh vegetables, dried fruits and legumes. For a sweet tooth person, one can make delicious cookies with some raw oats, maple syrup and raw nuts, and freeze them instead of baking them in an oven.

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How To Consume Raw Foods?

Before consuming the raw foods, make sure to not heat the foods above 116 degrees F (46.66-degrees Celsius). There are also some special techniques to include raw foods in the diet such as blending, juicing, sprouting (beans or legumes), dehydrating and soaking (dried fruits and nuts).

Examples Of Raw Foods

• Walnuts
• Seaweed
• All fresh fruits
• Raw vegetables such as corn, bok choy, carrots, turnips, rutabaga
• Sprouted and soaked legumes and grains
• Nut milk
• Cold-pressed coconut oils
• Freshly juiced fruits

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Common FAQs

1. Can diabetes be reversed with a plant-based diet?

Yes, a plant-based diet contains a lot of nutrients that get activated inside the body. Also, in the absence of cooking and processing, the nutrients remain intact.

2. What foods make diabetes worse?

Foods high in carbs, sugar, glycemic index and saturated fatty acids are considered bad not only for diabetics but for the overall health of humans as they are linked to the occurrence of many chronic diseases.

3. Can a diabetic person eat raw bananas?

Raw bananas are excellent for diabetics as they have less glycemic index compared to ripe banana. They do not spike the glucose levels suddenly and thus, help manage the glucose levels.

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