What exactly are whole foods?
Let’s keep it simple to start, the short explanation goes something like this:
If your grandparents or great grandparents wouldn’t recognize it either by looking at it or wouldn’t recognize the ingredients on the label, it’s probably not a whole food.
Additives and preservatives in our foods are not recommended.
The closest to the natural state of the food is always best.
Keep in mind that cooking our food is a type of processing but we get to dictate how much or little we want our food to be ‘processed’ by cooking it. Whether we decide to eat our food raw or cooked, we get to decide. Cooking methods like deep frying and barbequing are to be used sparingly. Healthier methods of cooking are to bake, roast, broil, boil or simmer, steam, sauté, and stir-fry.
By starting with whole, fresh foods and preparing them simply, we will be getting the best out of them.
Defining the Terms:
Whole foods are foods that have been minimally processed or refined and are free from additives, preservatives, GMOs, added colours or flavours, artificial sweeteners, hormones, antibiotics or other artificial substances. Closest to nature as possible.
Processed food comes in varying degrees of processing.
Minimally processed foods are foods that undergo a minimum of processing, such as being cleaned, washed, cut, blanched, boiled, or steamed, and have very few added ingredients, all of which you would know and recognize.
Ultra-processed foods are foods that often don’t resemble the food it was initially made from. It will have many additives, preservatives, artificial substances, fillers, and often are high in modified ingredients such as sugars, oils & fats, starches, proteins, and salt. They may also undergo processing through high heat, frying, extrusion, molding, pulverized & reformed or other manipulations to change its shape, and/or form. All of this is done to enhance taste, texture, and shelf-life. These foods typically do not go bad quickly or at all.
Moderately to Highly processed foods are foods that have been processed less than ultra-processed foods but more than minimally processed foods, to varying degrees and with or without added preservatives and additives.
Prepared foods can be either be ready to eat from its package or will need to be cooked in some way before consuming it. Both these types of foods are often processed and contain additives, preservatives, and other modified ingredients.
Ready-to-Eat foods are often also ultra-processed and can be consumed as-is from its package. These types of foods are often processed and contain additives, preservatives, and other modified ingredients.
Small changes.
Huge results!
Just by reducing the amount of fast food, snack foods, and sodas you currently consume, you can make a huge difference in your health...and you’ll feel the difference in a very short time.
Start by replacing one fast food meal a week…then 2…then 3. Replace them with a healthy whole food meal. Eventually, it will become easy. You won’t miss the fast food and hopefully, you can get it down to once a month.
The healthy you eat, the more your body will stop craving junk food. You’ll feel lighter, clearer minded and overall…good!
Here’s how you have to think about:
Produce – anything in the produce department that looks like it did in the field or the garden is a whole food. Baby greens, carrots or other vegetables & fruits in a container or bag, have been slightly processed because they have been cleaned and/or cut, but are still considered whole food as long as there are no additives or preservatives.
Prepared salads of any kind. If the ingredient list is very long and you don’t recognize some of the ingredients, they are most likely preservatives and additives. These products are not recommended. If it’s a salad with ingredients you have in your kitchen, they are fine. You can consider them whole foods because you know what you are eating.
Salad dressings and dips are often filled with low-quality oils, sugars, preservatives, and other additives and should be avoided.
Canned foods are all processed to some degree with variations in types of added ingredients. All canned foods should be consumed less frequently than their fresh counterparts.
Beans, tuna, sardines, anchovies– these are minimally processed. They are typically cleaned, cooked, and packed often with only a few added ingredients. These can be considered whole food but if the ingredient list has the addition of preservatives and/or sugar, look for another brand that doesn’t have these types of ingredients.
Vegetables, fruit, soups, purees - these are also processed. They are typically cleaned, cooked, and packed but will sometimes have a longer ingredient listing. These can be considered whole food but if the ingredient list includes the addition of preservatives, additives, and/or sugars like cane sugar or fructose, look for another brand that doesn’t have these types of ingredients.
Dairy products are viewed as whole foods because they are minimally processed. It is best to avoid those products containing sugars and flavors such as sweetened flavored yogurts and milks.
Meats and Fish
Every time we eat a piece of food that came from an animal, we are eating everything that they ever ate. So if they ate well, we are eating well. This is very important to keep in mind when we are choosing the meats and fish we plan to eat. They should be pasture-raised, grass-fed, or wild-caught to ensure they have not consumed GMOs, pesticides, antibiotics, hormones, or any other types of additives.
Cuts of meat like steak, roast, chicken thigh or breast, etc. are pieces that have been butchered only and are whole foods. Even if it’s been seasoned with salt, pepper & spices, it’s still a whole food. Be sure it does not have added preservatives, additives, or sugar.
Hot dogs or deli meats are highly processed foods containing long lists of additives, preservatives, fillers, MSG and often sugar. Best to avoid this category altogether. There are a few exceptions. You might be able to find dried, cured meats like speck or prosciutto with minimum ingredients and no preservatives or additives but should still be consumed in small amounts.
Sausage and hamburgers can be either whole foods or processed depending on how altered they have been. If the ingredients are simple: meat, salt, pepper, spices, it’s a whole food. If it has a long list of ingredients, including fillers, additives, and preservatives, it’s highly processed and should be avoided.
Meat-free hamburgers and hot dogs are relatively new and use plant-based ingredients to create the taste and texture of meat. These products are highly processed and should be avoided. They contain a long list of additives, preservatives, colors, flavors and fillers to create these meat-less meat-like products.
Grain products range from minimally processed to highly processed. Rice and pasta are examples of foods that are less processed whereas some breads, cereals, crackers, cookies, and instant noodles are more highly processed. A short ingredient list with ingredients you recognize is best but should still be consumed in small amounts. Many breakfast cereals are made using an extrusion process making them highly processed, and are often high in sugar and should be avoided.
Snack foods like candy, pretzels, baked goods, and fried goods like French fries, chips and donuts are considered ultra-processed for the most part. They are typically high in sugars, salts, flavoring, MSG, preservatives, and additives and undergo a lot of processing to achieve the specific taste, texture, and shelf-life. These are things that often never go bad or take a very long time to go bad and should be avoided.
Seeds & Nuts are usually minimally processed. They can be found in shell, shelled, and sometimes salted &/or roasted. Seasoned nuts & seeds may contain preservatives and additives. Check the ingredients before consuming them.
What’s the goal? The goal is to always be looking out for the lesser processed foods. Think about each meal or the total of all the foods you’ll eat throughout your day and eat primarily whole foods with a minimum amount of processing. They contain more nutrients, are more easily digested, and are directly beneficial to your overall health. Over time you will find it increasingly easier to spot the foods to avoid and the best foods to enjoy.
