Whole foods are natural or minimally processed foods without added sugars, salts or unhealthy fats that could increase risk for chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Eating more whole food foods could lower this risk.
However, adhering to a whole food diet too strictly can become an obsession with “clean eating,” leading to guilt or shame for occasional consumption of processed food products.
Fruits & Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, minerals and plant chemicals for good health. Furthermore, their fiber content helps prevent blood sugar spikes while providing satiety.
Diets that include an abundance of fruits and vegetables may help protect against heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Opting for whole and unprocessed veggies provides an array of essential vitamins and minerals.
Technically, fruits arise from a plant’s ovary and contain seeds, while vegetables include any part of its roots, stems or leaves that is used as food – but there can be considerable confusion between what botanists and chefs consider fruits or vegetables; for instance tomatoes can technically be classified as both. Due to its savory flavouring however, many consider tomatoes to be vegetables instead of fruits.
Meat & Poultry
Poultry refers to all domesticated birds consumed for consumption, such as chicken, turkey, ducks, geese and pheasants. Poultry meat offers high quality protein at reduced fat content.
Whole Foods Market only sells poultry that meets its animal welfare standards, which include not giving antibiotics or growth hormones* (except when necessary for treating sick animals) without an exception to treat sick animals. Furthermore, the company is working towards having more processed meats such as bacon and ham certified under their animal welfare program.
Whole Foods Market acquired multiple Harry’s Farmers Market stores and the Food For Thought chain in northern California before opening its flagship location in Manhattan. Furthermore, two Fresh & Easy locations operate under this banner; competing directly against Wegmans as an high-end supermarket that shares similar standards for meat, dairy and egg products.
Beans & Legumes
Beans and legumes are an integral component of the whole foods group, offering high amounts of protein with no spikes in blood sugar and providing a healthy balance of carbs and fiber for proper nutrition.
The words “legumes,” “beans,” and “pulses” can often be used interchangeably, which can be confusing. One way to think about them is in terms of an overall hierarchy – legumes being at the top with pulses as a subcategory and beans falling somewhere in between – creating confusion when purchasing canned or dried beans for cooking, it is best to look for low sodium options with canned options as opposed to presoaking for best results.
Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds are nutrient-rich foods, providing ample calories, fats, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals. Nuts and seeds also boast plant-based omega-3 fatty acids and phytochemicals like flavonoids, phenolic compounds, isoflavones luteolin tocotrienols that may provide protection from diseases including heart disease and cancer.
Nuts and seeds are a favorite snack among those following a plant-based diet, providing essential protein. Furthermore, nuts and seeds contain heart-healthy unsaturated fats that may reduce LDL cholesterol while simultaneously decreasing inflammation. When choosing nuts and seeds as part of a low energy dense meal such as vegetables or whole grains, select raw (dry roasted instead of oil roasted) varieties stored in cool dry locations to guarantee freshness.
Whole Grains
Whole grains have been linked with reduced risk of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Packed full of fiber and nutrients like B vitamins, iron and zinc; their lower glycemic load reduces overall fat and sodium intake while their total fat and sodium consumption remains lower than their counterparts.
Whole grains contain fiber which helps slow the breakdown of starches into glucose for release into your bloodstream, as well as providing vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that may provide benefits in addition to fiber.
Look for foods labeled whole grain, 100% whole wheat or multigrain and avoid those containing added sugars. When selecting whole foods, be wary of front-of-package claims; focus instead on their ingredient lists for maximum results. When purchasing whole foods, avoid those containing unnecessary added ingredients such as salt, sugar or trans fats – these may pose additional health risks.
