TikTok goes crazy for raw carrot salad: ‘It changed my life’
Some of the claims made about this new TikTok health fashion are too cartoonish even for Bugs Bunny.
The hot new “carrot salad” trend has online influencers jumping with excitement about the humble orange root’s supposed health benefits—claims for everything from curing acne to boosting hormone levels and ending “brain fog.”
“The salad that changed my life,” one TikToker says as she prepares the bright orange bowl of grated carrots.
But one nutritionist told The Post that while a bowl of raw carrots might be good for you, it’s no wonder the treat.
“This salad can be part of a healthy diet because all the ingredients are healthy, unprocessed foods . . . but I don’t believe this little daily salad will completely ‘balance’ your hormones,” certified brain health coach and nutritionist Kayla Barnes told the Post.
Videos associated with the hashtag #RawCarrotSalad, which are a carrot salad-like mix of chopped raw carrots, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, and a bit of salt and pepper, currently have nearly 10 million views.
Online advocates can’t stop gushing about it.
“For me personally, I’ve seen a huge difference in my hormonal acne, especially right after my menstrual cycle,” says Paige Nicole of TikToker in a video that has been viewed more than 11,000 times.
TikToker also reported less bloating, higher energy levels, and reduced brain fog as a result of adding raw carrot salad to its diet.
The salad was first introduced more than a decade ago by Raymond Peat, an American biologist—but not an endocrinologist—and has recently been gaining momentum on social media again.
Dr. Peat’s nutritional ideologies focused on a pro-metabolic diet, or a diet that he claimed would increase energy in cells,” Barnes explained.
Barnes stressed that some of the problems that carrot salad supposedly alleviates, such as hormone imbalance, should actually be discussed with a specialized medical professional.
“Estrogen is a naturally occurring hormone in the body and plays a role in cognitive function, bone health, cardiovascular health, and other processes in the body,” he explained. “We don’t want too much, but we don’t want too little either.”
Barnes explained that carrots are a source of fiber and can bind to estrogen, which helps lower estrogen and may also help maintain healthy bowel movements, adding that other ingredients also have health benefits.
“Coconut oil offers a variety of health benefits. [It’s] “It’s a good source of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) that can help burn fat.” “[And] Apple cider vinegar can help regulate blood sugar, which is beneficial to health. A few studies also show its benefit for modest weight loss.
Barnes reminds people that weight loss is achieved not with just one food, but with regular diet and exercise.
“Weight loss is achieved primarily through a healthy diet and lifestyle in general,” he explained. “In terms of ‘superfoods’, [food] What may be useful for one may not be useful for another. I believe most whole, unprocessed foods can be superfoods.”