Whole foods contain many essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may reduce heart disease and cancer rates as well as providing essential phytochemicals.
When purchasing whole foods, pay attention to ingredients and prioritize natural over processed. That means choosing fresh ear of corn with its husk instead of canned corn that contains unknown additives.
Fruits and Vegetables
A diet rich in whole foods includes fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts/seeds – helping reduce your risk of heart disease, obesity and certain forms of cancer.
Fruit is defined botanically as any ovary produced from flowers that contains seeds; while vegetables include all parts other than flowers and seeds such as leaves (spinach, lettuce), stems (celery), roots (carrots, potatoes), tubers (onions) or bulbs of plants except the flowers themselves. Culinary definitions, however, often blur this distinction, with tomatoes technically considered fruit!
Although many are aware of the 5-a-day message, many don’t consume enough vegetables and/or fruits each day. By increasing intake, fruits and vegetables provide essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber – plus much more!
Grains
Grains are edible seeds of grasses that can either be whole or refined. Whole grains include the bran, germ and endosperm that contain essential vitamins and nutrients such as complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, protein, vitamin B12, minerals and phytochemicals that provide essential nourishment.
Eating a variety of whole grains is vital for overall health. Find your favorites, then branch out into new grains such as quinoa, barley, spelt and wheat berries – it is recommended that adults consume between 5-8 ounce-equivalents daily of these. When cooking grain foods remember that each type requires its own method and moisture absorbency rate can differ between grains; consider replacing half or more of the white flour called for with whole wheat or rye flour to save time during preparation time.
Meats and Poultry
Whole foods consist of meats, fish and poultry that were produced using natural farming practices; however, factory farming techniques could disqualify some animals as whole foods.
Genetically modified chickens designed to grow fast and produce large breasts can suffer leg deformities, muscle myopathies and compromised immunity systems, according to National Chicken Council standards. Such poultry should not be considered whole foods.
Whole Foods’ chicken deli features GAP-raised chickens raised according to animal welfare standards; however, this does not take away from their humanewashing efforts – these birds still suffer just like conventionally raised poultry.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds provide a valuable combination of protein, healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals essential for an abundant plant-based diet. Nuts have also been associated with reduced risks of heart disease and cancer according to studies; while seeds often boast protein rich contents along with protective phenolic phytochemicals that offer protection.
Add nuts and seeds to meals or snacks regularly – raw, toasted or ground. Explore their versatility – raw, toasted or ground. Use nuts and seeds raw, toasted or ground to decorate yogurt, oatmeal, salads or smoothies or mix into smoothies. Mix chia, sesame or sunflower seeds along with nut butters into soups, stir-frys or fish fillet crusting using trusted sellers that adhere to food safety guidelines; handle with care in an uncontaminated kitchen environment to prevent cross-contamination; these products contain many calories so beware when snacking on nuts and seeds as these items contain high calorie counts!
Herbs and Spices
Herbs and spices add an exciting and nutritious flair to whole foods, providing flavor as well as phytochemicals which have the power to reduce inflammation and enhance metabolic health.
Stocking your pantry with herbs and spices is key to creating meals that leave guests completely satisfied, adding texture and depth of flavor to otherwise bland food.
At times, it can be difficult to differentiate between herbs and spices, particularly when discussing leafy greens versus seeds (like coriander or nutmeg). A quick way of telling them apart is that herbs consist of leaves, berries and flowers while spices come from other parts of plants such as fruits roots bark seeds rhizomes resins etc.
