Whole foods are most often associated with an upscale grocery store bearing that name; however, their concept can also be found at many restaurants and major supermarket chains. Dietitians frequently advise their clients to select healthy whole food options over processed ones for maximum nutrition and wellbeing.
Whole foods contain plenty of essential vitamins and minerals without adding sugar or salt, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds or grains.
Fruits & Vegetables
Fruits, vegetables and legumes form the cornerstone of a nutritious whole foods diet. These food sources offer vitamins, minerals and antioxidants while being an excellent source of fiber.
Vegetables consist of roots, seeds, leaves, stalks and other parts of plants while fruits come from flowers, seeds and pulp of a plant. Botanists commonly employ culinary classifications to differentiate vegetables and fruits; however, most people don’t have time or inclination to become expert botanical experts.
A whole foods diet emphasizes minimally processed produce (for instance, bagged salad or raw pistachios) while avoiding highly processed items (like canned fruits in heavy syrup or prepackaged dinners with long ingredient lists you cannot pronounce). Although you should consume some processed foods – just limit added sugar and sodium that could contribute to high blood pressure, extra weight gain or heart disease.
Beans & Legumes
Sprouted legumes like beans, peas and lentils provide another simple and accessible way to add whole foods into your diet. Not only are these nutritious seeds low in calories and carbohydrates, but high in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals; they also contain phytochemicals – natural plant chemicals which promote body wellness.
Legumes are an excellent source of plant-based proteins, providing essential amino acids without the saturated fat and cholesterol found in animal proteins. Furthermore, legumes contain an abundance of dietary fiber to keep you feeling satiated longer while potentially lowering heart disease risks.
Stores often stock dried and canned legumes for easy consumption, including black-eyed peas, chickpeas, kidney beans and lima beans as well as more unusual varieties like yard long beans or green soybeans. Most dried legumes require pre-soaking before being prepared according to package directions for cooking purposes; otherwise they can be prepared similarly as canned ones. Most dried legumes require pre-soaking before preparation while canned ones may simply require adding hot water before eating – the latter will still taste delicious though! You should find common varieties like black-eyed peas, chickpeas kidney beans and lima beans among many common ones in large grocery stores as well as exotic ones like yard long beans or green soybeans!
Meat & Seafood
A whole foods diet, often referred to as plant-based or “plant-forward,” involves eating predominantly vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains and legumes while restricting meat, dairy products and eggs while enjoying some lean seafood options like eggs or seafood from time to time. It is a flexible eating style which may range from veganism to lacto-ovo vegetarianism to pescatarianism or even flexitarianism.
A healthy whole food diet includes plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals – as well as antioxidants and phytochemicals – proven to prevent disease. Furthermore, this approach limits processed and refined foods, along with added sugars.
When shopping for whole foods, select items in their most natural state – for instance, opting for corn on the cob instead of canned corn in syrup or frozen bags of frozen corn with additives. Make sure you read and follow ingredient lists; trying avoiding foods high in saturated fats, added sugars or sodium as much as possible.
Dairy
Dairy products include cheese, yogurt and ice cream made from animal milk. Dairy also can be added to other desserts like kulfi, flan and chocolates; and used in beverages like milkshakes, coffee, chai tea and even alcoholic drinks.
A whole food diet involves cutting back on processed food with added fat, sugar and sodium that has been linked to obesity and heart disease. Such ingredients can be found in fast food, packaged salad dressings and frozen meals.
Eating predominantly whole food diet may take more time and effort, but its flavour makes the effort worth your while. Sticking to such a diet is easier than you think: when grocery shopping, look for products with short ingredient lists while avoiding those high in saturated fat, added sugar or sodium content; when dining out choose places offering healthier choices such as grilled chicken sandwiches with tomato, avocado and whole grain bread as well as bowls of roasted vegetables over rice as alternatives.
