Can a whole food diet really help your health? - Fitness Nutrition ...

You might have noticed the term ?whole food? being thrown around at every super market. Being the good consumer you are, you?re probably wondering if adopting this type of diet is actually beneficial.

Before I go into the debate of whether a whole food diet can benefit your health or not, I think it?s necessary to attempt to clarify what a whole food diet consists of. I use the word attempt, because this is no easy task.

For starters, whole foods are defined as foods that are unprocessed or unrefined, or done so very minimally prior to consumption. For some people this may mean only consuming fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds and nuts. Others interpret a whole food diet to include animal products.

To make matters even more confusing, the term organic is often entangled with whole foods. One should note that while whole foods can be organic, and organic foods can be whole foods, this is not necessarily always true. Organic primarily refers to the processes used while farming, and the term whole food refers to the state of the food during consumption. Head spinning a little? It?s okay; for the purpose of clarity let?s include organic animal products in a whole food diet.

The main reason whole foods are thought to be a healthier choice is because vital nutrients are often lost during processing and refinement. To give you a better idea of what this means, lets look at six ways a whole diet can benefit your health.

• Increased fiber: Whole foods such as broccoli, brown rice, almonds, and oatmeal are great sources of fiber. Fiber helps move wastes from the body, which keeps the digestive system clean and running smoothly.
• Decreased fat intake: A diet consisting of whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds contains less fat than a diet of processed foods. Even low-fat meals often have twice as much fat as whole food meals. Lower fat intake can keep cholesterol levels down and reduce the total number of calories per day.
• Decreased sugar intake: Whole foods include a variety of natural complex carbohydrates which are typically filling, therefore decreasing your desire to snack on these unhealthy treats. There aren?t any added sugars or sweeteners either.
• More nutrients: A whole food diet consists of foods that provide greater nutrient dense options in comparison to a diet with highly processed foods. You often would need to eat double the amount of a processed food to get the same amount of nutrients as the whole food option.
• Variety of foods: The variety of fruits, vegetables, seeds, grains, and nuts in a whole food diet is practically limitless. This allows for greater consumption of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that directly benefit daily bodily function.
• Greater satisfaction, less overeating: Meals that are rich in nutrients and fiber are more filling than processed foods. They take a longer time to chew and eat, allowing your body to signal when it?s full before you?re over stuffed.

It is also important to mention an increased amount of phytochemicals in a whole food diet. Phytochemicals have been proven to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and colon disorders. Research, such as a study conducted in 2000 by the USDA-ARS, observed the benefits of a whole food based diet among twelve women who previously had high fat levels. After a four-week whole-food program, blood tests revealed lower lipid levels, improved colon function, and decreased cholesterol levels. So what?s the take home message here? If you?re looking to eat healthier and improve your health, switching to more whole foods is a great place to start!

Additional Whole Foods Resources

A Definition of What Exactly Are ?Whole Foods?
Defining Whole Foods, Redefining Healthy Eating
Starting a Whole Foods Diet: 3 Simple Steps

Related posts:

1. Starting a Whole Foods Diet: 3 Simple Steps
2. Does Organic Food REALLY Cost That Much More Than Processed Foods?
3. Adding Complexity is Not the Solution: Basic Economics of a Healthy Diet
4. Food Substitutions Can Add Nutrients
5. A Definition of What Exactly Are ?Whole Foods?

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