Real and whole is food as nature intended it to be. Before industrialization and modern farming techniques, there were fewer sick people and obesity barely existed. What was the difference? The advent of processed food became the number one contributor to our modern health crisis. The solution to eating well and healthily is simple, make a concerted effort to make the majority of the food that you eat whole and minimally processed. The results will be tasty and improve your physical health and appearance.
As created. Whole foods are foods in their original state. Examples include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, unprocessed meats, and dairy. Beautiful marketing campaigns and exhaustion lure us to packaged foods as does a general disconnection to old-time farm life. We’ve forgotten what real food is. So for instance, orange juice, white rice, and most bread is not whole foods. It’s probably too difficult for most of us to be complete purists aka sticking solely to purchasing foods on the outer aisles of the supermarket. But ideally, the main part of your meals should be purchased in these parts of the supermarket.
Eat less. Eating whole foods as opposed to processed foods, even modestly so, is important because when you eat foods in their entirety, you will eat less. For example, whereas it’s easy to drink a cup or two of apple juice, which is equivalent to eating four to eight apples (along with all the additives including preservatives, colors, and even sugar), you most likely wouldn’t eat four to eight apples at once. If one medium apple has 20 grams of sugar, the equivalent of 5 teaspoons of sugar and 4.5 grams of fiber, one to two cups of apple juice has 80-160 grams of sugar, and all the fiber is removed. Not only is that too much sugar and not enough fiber, it’s a calorie bomb.
Feel full. When you eat whole foods, like an apple, your body has to break down all the fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that take time. So, energy is released slowly and steadily. That’s why whole foods keep you full for longer than when your meals and snacks are made of processed foods. It also keeps you satiated because your blood sugar does not spike and fall. And, whole foods are simply lower in calories, fats, and sodium.
More nutrients equal less disease Whole foods have more nutrients, fiber, and vitamins. They also normalize your bowel as dietary fiber helps maintain a healthy colon. These fibers help to lower cholesterol levels, control blood glucose, aid in achieving healthy weight, and help you live longer. Nutrient dense fresh foods, particularly vegetables and fruit, are protective against diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
Whole fats. Eat healthy fats in small amounts instead of processed oils and artificially low-fat foods. Packaged low-fat foods often contain added sugars and other unhealthy ingredients to compensate for flavor. These ingredients can lead to excessive hunger, weight gain, and disease. For this reason, it’s best to consume foods that are naturally low in fat or small portions of higher fat foods in their original form. For instance, eat a half cup of whole fat plain organic yogurt instead of a whole cup of nonfat processed yogurt with a flavoring (and sugar).
Grains need to say Whole. Eat whole grains in their most unprocessed state. White products have often been refined, enriched and bleached. Grains must say “whole” in their ingredient list. So, a wheat bread might look like it’s a whole grain but if it doesn’t contain the word “whole” in the ingredient list, it’s not made from whole grains. Many white products, such as flour, are bleached using bleaching agents such as benzoyl peroxide and chlorine gas to give your grains or flours their white color. Choose brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole-wheat couscous, and whole grain oats among other choices. Though bread is not technically a whole food because it uses processed flour, there are some breads that are made strictly of whole products. My favorite is Ezekiel bread. Always check the ingredients as individual bread types can have variations, but compare their sesame bread (my favorite pick) ingredients to a standard “wheat” bread ingredient list below:
| Ezekiel sesame bread: Organic Sprouted 100% Whole Wheat, Filtered Water, Organic Sprouted Barley, Organic Sprouted Millet, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Lentils, Organic Sprouted Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Spelt, Fresh Yeast, Organic Wheat Gluten, Sea Salt, Organic Sesame Seeds. |
| Standard supermarket wheat bread: Enriched Wheat Flour [Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Reduced Iron, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid], Water, Honey, Whole Wheat Flour, Yeast, Wheat Gluten, Soybean Oil, Wheat Bran, Sugar, Salt, Preservatives (Calcium Propionate, Sorbic Acid), Datem, Monoglycerides, Cellulose Gum, Natural Flavors, Monocalcium Phosphate, Calcium Sulfate, Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid, Grain Vinegar, Potassium Iodate. |
Cereal Another Pitfall. Though easy and practical most cereals are filled with processed grains, sugar, colors, flavorings and preservatives. That’s why you must be savvy about choosing your cereals if you want them to have whole ingredients. Single ingredients cereals like organic unflavored whole grain and steel- cut oats, quinoa, or brown rice porridge can be a great cereal base. Otherwise, choose a cereal that is made up of a very short ingredient list between one and six ingredients and again has the word “whole,” without added sugars, flavorings, and artificial preservatives. A good example is Cascadian Farms Purely O’s. Its main ingredients include whole grain oats and barley with no added sugar. Top your cereals with whole nuts, pieces of fruit, and some organic whole nut or dairy milk.
Less packages. Foods in packages tend to be calorie-dense with less nutritional value like chips, cookies, crackers, and food that come in a bag or box. Fiber is generally removed during processing and replaced with added sugar, salt and fat, which is why you can eat such large quantities before feeling full. Food coloring and artificial flavors are also added, along with preservatives to extend the shelf life. Because these foods are fiber and water-poor, you will eat more, your blood sugar will zigzag, and you’ll feel bad post-binging.
Additional tips. Stick to drinking water, sparkling water, unsweetened tea or coffee. Eat real fresh fruit instead of jam, fruit roll-ups or dried fruit with added sugars. Avoid long ingredient lists and ingredients you don’t understand. Beware of added fibers as opposed to naturally occurring fiber ingredients
Keep it sustainable. To maintain a whole foods lifestyle, your food needs to taste good. Flavor your whole foods in healthy ways. Marinate your foods with spices and herbs pre-cooking. Add creaminess to dishes with unsweetened applesauce, pumpkin purée or one tablespoon whole organic cream. Sauté your foods with a teaspoon of healthy fat like organic butter, extra virgin olive or avocado oil. Use Ceramic nonstick cookware (made from sand) for safe, non-toxic cooking. Use bright flavors like vinegar or a squeeze of lemon. Add garlic and onions for rich flavor. Spice your dishes with cumin, chili, peppercorn, or mustard and aromatic herbs. For deserts, use whole fruits to sweeten instead of sugar and natural nut butter to replace condensed fats.
The more whole foods you eat, the more you’ll notice increased energy, weight loss, clearer skin and an overall sense of wellbeing.