Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined before being consumed, and usually contain no added ingredients, such as salt, carbohydrates, or fat.

Examples of whole foods include unpolished grains, beans, fruit and vegetables and non-homogenized dairy products. Originally all human food was whole food, but today, most of what makes up our diets is refined and processed, thereby taking out all the good stuff that our bodies need for optimal health.

Whole foods contain thousands of phytonutrients that have health-promoting properties, as well as vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients like fibre and beneficial fats. During processing, many of these compounds are removed. In particular, the essential omega-3 fatty acids, along with other unsaturated fats, are the first to be removed because they are often located in highest amounts in the outer surfaces of whole foods, and because they are less shelf-stable in a processed food. They maintain their stability much better in the whole food where they are in their natural place.

Research has shown that eating fresh, organically grown vegetables and fruits, whole grains and legumes reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, arthritis and cancer. In today’s world where the incidence of disease is always increasing the easiest way to prevent contracting these deadly diseases is to eat a varied diet of whole foods.

The value of eating whole foods lies in what they do contain and what they don’t contain.

The good things found in whole foods include:

1.  Antioxidants - Antioxidants destroy free radicals and other unstable oxygen molecules in the body which cause cancers and many other diseases.

2.  Phytoestrogens – Phytoestrogens are a special class of phytonutrients that include isoflavones and lignans, are found in plant-based foods such as soybeans, flaxseeds and berries. Phytoestrogens decrease the chances of developing breast, ovarian and endometrial cancers.

3.  Dietary Fibre and Resistant Starches - Dietary fibre and resistant starches are found in whole grains. They support healthy digestion and help prevent colon cancer.

In addition to all these good things found in whole foods, they do not contain the array of chemical additives, salt, sugar and fats found in refined foods. These additives hinder the body from functioning optimally. One scary statistic is that consuming 1 spoon of sugar sets your body’s immune system back 3 hours.

Why eat a varied diet of whole foods?

It is important to eat a varied diet of whole foods because they provide the combination of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, phytoestrogens and dietary fibre that your body needs to fight disease. The benefits of whole foods are derived from the fact that the nutrients they contain act in concert, rather than simply as single agents. These foods are therefore more than simply the sum of their individual parts. Although researchers have identified and typically focus on single compounds in whole foods that promote health and compounds in refined, processed foods that are health detractors, our bodies need the combination of vitamins and minerals found in whole foods for optimal health.

• Add New

Comments (0)

Write comment

Name:

Email: do not notifynotify

Website:

Title:

Message:

Please input the anti-spam code that you can read in the image.