A Whole Foods Diet is Simple & Healthy
What Are Whole Foods?
Whole foods are not refined, extracted, processed or made with
synthetic chemicals. By this definition, white flour, white rice
or sugar are not whole foods.
A whole food contains all of the nutritional factorsvitamins,
minerals, fiber, etc.needed to digest and use that food.
This often includes leaves, stems, skins and the roots of vegetables.
By eating whole foods, we are able to maintain internal balance,
and an adequate supply of nutrition in our blood, body fluids
and cells. Health, which is the ability to stay within a range
of balance, is established in our bodies so that we can manufacture
our own vitamins, enzymes and hormones in proper amounts. Furthermore,
we are able to live in vibrant health on grains, vegetables, and
beans and legumes-transforming these to everything we need for
energy and body maintenance.
How To Eat A Whole Foods Diet
Eating whole foods is easier than you may think. Here are some
tips:
1. Buy fresh produce, bulk foods and packaged raw ingredients
to prepare nutritious and delicious meals. This brochure contains
meal plans for doing just that.
2. Choose packaged meals (e.g. TV dinners, canned soups, etc.)
carefully. Read the ingredients to see if the manufacturer is
using whole foods. Don't buy "enriched" products, as
that means the grains or vegetables have been stripped of their
nutritional value by processing. Instead, choose products that
use natural ingredients with minimal processing.
3. Buy local produce that is in season. Produce shipped from tropical
regions is often picked unripe and isn't as nutritious as when
picked ripe and consumed locally. Buying local produce also helps
your local farmers thrive.
4. Buy organic. Organic foods sometimes cost more, but organic
farmers take extra care to ensure their crops are grown without
toxic and persistent pesticides, which have been shown to cause
cancer in humans. Although evidence isn't conclusive, many people
who eat organic believe organic food is more nutritious as well.