The Budwig diet was originally designed by scientist Johanna Budwig in 1951 for the treatment of cancer. Dr. Budwig is an expert on the body's use of fats and oils and found that cancer patients suffered a lack of phosphatides and lipoproteins in their blood. When the diet replaced these components, cancerous tumors shrank. Diabetic symptoms also lessened. However, Dr. Budwig's findings have not been confirmed in any medical studies or clinical trials of the diet. Check with your doctor before beginning any diet purported to treat diabetes.
Flaxseed Oil and Cottage Cheese
The primary staples of the Budwig diet are 4 oz of flaxseed oil mixed with 2 to 5 tbsp of cottage cheese and a sprinkling of water to soften the concoction. Dr. Budwig theorized that this combination made lipids in the flaxseed oil available to the body through binding to the protein in the cottage cheese. The linol-acids created prevent the formation of oxydase which promotes tumor growth and the progression of other diseases such as diabetes.
Fruits and Vegetables
Raw fruits containing natural sugar such as figs, dates, pears, apples and grapes are permitted on the Budwig diet. Honey is an acceptable sweetener. Fresh vegetables permitted include leeks, onions, chives, garlic, salad greens, grated turnips, carrots, radishes, sauerkraut and cauliflower. The vegetables or salads can be topped with a dressing of quark-flax oil mayonnaise. This dressing contains flaxseed oil, quark or cottage cheese, lemon juice, cider vinegar, herb flavored salt and mustard.
Forbidden Foods
Animal fats, hydrogenated fats, trans fats, seafood, semolina pasta, white bread, refined sugars, dairy products, processed foods, preservatives and unfermented soy products are forbidden on the Budwig diet. The exclusion of these foods lowers the carbohydrate content of the diet, a boon for diabetics attempting to regulate blood sugar levels. Microwaving and the use of teflon and aluminum cookware are also prohibited. Enamel cookware is recommended by the Budwig Center.
Considerations
The Budwig diet has been promoted by individual testimonials, and there exists no recorded medical evidence that the diet is an effective preventative and cure for cancer or diabetes. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that flaxseeds and not flaxseed oil contain lignans which can prevent cancer. The Medical University of Maryland Medical Center Center also confirms that omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed and fish help prevent heart disease, a major problem for diabetics. However, it is undetermined if flaxseed oil provides the same benefits.
