Can food be medicine? Pros and cons

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However, the focus is on the balance of macronutrients in the diet, and there is as yet little clarity as to what that should look like in humans, as outlined in a paper published in NatureTrusted Source.

Benefits

Here are some benefits of a "food as medicine" healthcare approach.

Disease management

Medical nutrition therapyTrusted Source is a part of evidence-based health practice that uses diet and food to support the treatment of diseases, and it is a clear demonstration of the role that diet and food play in managing chronic disease.

For instance, an increase in dietary fiber supportsTrusted Source lower blood sugar levels in persons with pre-diabetes or diabetes, reducing the occurrence of nerve and blood vessel damage associated with high blood sugar levels.

Improvements in diet quality can also reduce disease symptoms and improve quality of life.

One studyTrusted Source suggests that a modified Mediterranean diet can reduce pain, fatigue, and discomfort in persons with lipoedema, a condition where there is an abnormal accumulation of fat in the lower extremities.