Whole Foods

No, I am not talking about the grocery store, rather I am talking about a type of diet... no not the type of diet to lose weight, but diet as in, this is what my food intake consists of :)

The Whole Food 'diet' is actually a very simple premise, it includes any food that is in its most natural state, but anything chemical or artificial is not included in this diet. Corn syrup, hydrogenated fats, artificial colors, artificial flavors, refined flour (white flour, bread flour), refined sugar, white rice (I think you get the idea). All of these 'refined' products have benefits... for the food industry; they have a longer shelf life, they make food taste sweet for less money, the raw materials are cheap and they can sell the end product for a higher cost. All of these refined products have detrimental effects for the final consumer; they contain significantly less nutrients and fiber than their whole food counterparts, but they contain high amounts of calories and dangerous trans-fats.

Unfortunately, this type of diet is difficult for many present day Americans - who currently eat an "American" style diet. It takes time! Time to purchase your food on a regular basis, time to prepare the food, and time to pack your food to take with you where you go - because most fast food restaurants do not yet offer very many whole food options. But I argue that this time is well worth the effort - you are after all, talking about the food that you are building your body with. If you want to have a healthy, happy body, shouldn't you give it some good, natural wholesome food?

I started a whole food diet in January of this year, after reading the book In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan. This book offers some very sound advice when it says "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." As well as, "Don't eat anything that your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food." Now I will be the first to admit, in this day and age, this type of diet is nearly impossible to stick to 100% of the time, but with a little effort, anyone can start incorporating more of these guidelines into their diet, becoming healthier for the change. I guarantee that if you try this diet out, you will lose weight (provided you do not increase your total calorie intake!) , and you will feel healthier. The increased amount of fiber and nutrients may be just what your body is so hungry for!

If you are interested in learning more about this diet or have questions, please comment below, or check out M. Pollan's book from the library. Happy whole fooding!