TikTok goes wild for raw carrot salad: ‘It changed my life’
Some of the claims being made about this new TikTok health fad are too cartoonish for even Bugs Bunny.
The hot new “carrot salad” trend has online influencers hopping with excitement over the purported health benefits of the humble orange root — which include claims of everything from curing acne to boosting hormone levels to ending “brain fog.”
“It’s the salad that changed my life,” one TikToker claims, as she makes the bright orange bowl of shredded carrot.
But an expert in nutrition told The Post that, while a bowl of raw carrots is good for you, it is no wonder cure.
“This salad can be a part of a healthy diet, as all ingredients are whole, unprocessed foods, which are beneficial to health . . . but I do not believe this small daily salad will completely ‘balance’ your hormones,” Kayla Barnes, certified brain health coach and nutrition expert, told The Post.
There are now some 10 million views on videos associated with the hashtag #RawCarrotSalad, which consists of a carrot-slaw like mix of shredded raw carrots, apple cider vinegar, coconut oil and some salt and pepper.
Online proponents can’t stop gushing about it.
“For me personally, I’ve seen a huge difference in my hormonal acne, especially right after my cycle,” TikToker Paige Nicole says in a video that’s been viewed over 11,000 times.
The TikToker also reported less bloating, higher energy levels and decreased brain fog as a result of introducing the raw carrot salad into her diet.
The salad was originally promoted over a decade ago by Raymond Peat, an American biologist — but not endocrinologist — and has picked up steam again recently on social media.
“Dr. Peat’s ideologies around nutrition were centered on a pro-metabolic diet or a diet he claimed would increase energy within the cells,” Barnes explained.
Barnes stressed that some of the issues supposedly alleviated by the carrot salad, such as hormone imbalance, should actually be discussed with a medical professional who specializes in that area.
“Estrogen is a naturally occurring hormone in the body and plays a role in cognitive function, bone health, cardiovascular health and other processes within the body,” she explained. “We don’t want too much, but we also do not want too little.”
Barnes explained that carrots are a source of fiber and can bind to estrogen and from that, help lower it, and can also help maintain healthy bowel movements, adding there are health benefits in the other ingredients too.
“Coconut oil offers several health benefits. [It’s] a good source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which may help fat burning,” she said. “[And] apple cider vinegar can aid in blood sugar regulation, which is beneficial to health. Several studies also suggest its benefit for modest weight loss.”
Barnes reminds people that weight loss is achieves through steady diet and exercise — not through a singular food.
“Weight loss is primarily achieved through a healthy diet and lifestyle overall,” she explained. “In terms of ‘superfoods,’ [food] that may be beneficial for one person may not be beneficial to another. I believe that most whole, unprocessed foods can be superfoods.”
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