Whole foods are defined as food products that have not been overly processed and contain essential nutrients without added sugar, salt and unhealthy fats.
Assimilate whole food diet into your everyday life rather than make it an obsession, and see its health benefits take effect over time. Though meal preparation may require additional time and energy, your health will thank you in the form of improved overall wellbeing.
Vegetables
Vegetables are low-cal and packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Studies have revealed that people who eat an abundance of vegetables have lower risks of certain diseases.
It is surprising to realize that foods commonly associated with vegetables, such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, can actually be classified as fruits. Fruits contain seeds which distinguish them botanically from vegetables we eat.
Vegetables refers to any edible part of a plant other than fruit, seeds or flowers that is consumed directly as food. Vegetables include roots, tubers, bulbs, stems and leaves of plants like roots, tubers, bulbs stems and leaves as well as legumes such as beans and peas; their starches store away from flowers or leaves in roots and tubers where potassium, dietary fiber and vitamins can be abundantly found.
Fruits
Whole foods are as close to their natural, unprocessed form as possible. That means eating corn in its husk rather than frozen corn flakes with unfamiliar additives, fresh fish instead of processed frozen fillets for home cooking, and raw milk rather than processed cheese products.
Eating more whole foods can help you cut back on highly processed items that tend to be high in saturated fats, sugar and sodium. Plus, buying in bulk and prepping more meals at home might even save money over time if you shop the perimeter of the grocery store for minimally processed options. Whatever path you take – remember the goal should be gradual change toward improved health and well-being over time!
Dairy
Foods such as whole fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, beans, fish and unprocessed meats fall within the definition of whole foods and tend to retain more nutritional benefits than heavily processed items.
Diets high in whole foods can help lower consumption of unhealthy sugars and sodium. Furthermore, whole foods provide essential fats which help lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
An important part of eating a whole foods diet is choosing products with unprocessed and easily identifiable ingredients, like an ear of corn with its husk rather than canned corn with numerous additives or fresh salmon fillet over frozen fried fish patties. Even lightly processed items, like roasted pistachios or bagged lettuce for lunch salads aren’t considered whole foods.
Meat
Whole foods don’t have an official definition, but generally consist of vegetables and fruit, beans and nuts, milk and whole grains – as well as animal products like meat and fish.
Whole foods often do not contain artificial additives like dyes, preservatives and sweeteners; however, rules may differ slightly depending on where you purchase.
Example: fresh fruits canned in natural syrup are considered whole foods while fruit roll-ups and juices do not qualify as such. Also, raw milk should be seen as part of an overall balanced diet while creamed corn or cheese cannot.
Eating mostly whole foods provides an excellent source of nutrition, though it is important not to focus too heavily on this goal, which could lead to malnutrition. Additionally, including nutritious processed foods in your diet makes eating healthily much simpler and convenient.
Fish
Team Members in the seafood department work to provide superior customer service and support store, regional, and national programs and initiatives by fulfilling all duties according to team and company SOPs.
Whole Foods Market has committed itself to combatting serious overfishing issues by working closely with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and various partners. Their store promotions encourage customers to purchase MSC-labeled seafood directly contributing to changes in fishing practices.
A whole foods plant-based diet is an eating plan that emphasizes fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds as well as lean meats. Studies conducted have demonstrated that people consuming such a diet tend to have lower rates of obesity and heart disease as well as an improved nutrient intake including calcium, iron, vitamin D3 as well as Omega 3 fatty acids like docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Plants foods tend to provide greater amounts of these essential vitamins than other sources do.
