The Benefits of Whole Foods
Submitted by Advanced Workouts Blog
Why do we think we can improve the nutritional benefits of pure, undiluted nature? The earth knows what’s best for our health and well-being, yet we continue to genetically modify Mother’s gifts in profound and absurd ways. We alter and shift components, adding chemicals and colorings and preservatives, all in the name of flavor and marketability. (Think of Heinz EZ Squirt Funky Purple ketchup—yipes!) If the average person were to limit their additives to those found in nature—luscious and aromatic herbs, for example—many would soon realize that the taste of artificial ingredients is suddenly unappetizing.
Referring to nutritional value, categories of whole foods include fruits (not fruit juices), vegetables, whole grains, non-homogenized milk, and nuts. Whole foods are pure and nutritious, not processed or refined. They’re free of artificial flavorings or colorings, chemicals, or other additives which can be a risk to our health. Not all natural and nutritious foods are whole, however. A great example of a food that can certainly be healthy, but not whole, is apple juice. Because it’s only part of the apple, it can be a natural food (if unnecessary sugars aren’t added) but is not considered a whole food.
Eating a diet rich in whole foods is essential for a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Maintaining the original structure of a food ensures the highest concentration of vitamins and minerals, and also aids in the body’s absorption of these important dietary elements. When additives are introduced to foods, altering their natural structure, the quality of the nutrient can be compromised. Additionally, some preservatives and chemical additives inhibit the body’s absorption of nutrients. When a diet is pure, as free from man-made additives as possible, the result is increased vitality and enhanced body function, among many other health benefits. “Diets rich in whole and unrefined foods, like whole grains, dark green and yellow/orange-fleshed vegetables and fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, contain high concentrations of antioxidant phenolics, fibers and numerous other phytochemicals that may be protective against chronic diseases.” 1
One of the primary reasons our current culture has, in general, neglected the benefits of whole foods is due to consumerism. “A banana or potato cannot significantly change its structure. But any processed food can be changed overnight to correspond with food fads. You can even rejigger bread along Atkins lines.” This means that the “loudest foods in the market” tend to be highly commercialized and processed foods (often sporting bright colors and ridiculous shapes). With mind-blowing advertising budgets and catchy jingles to attract consumer attention, the “poor whole foods just sit there silently.”2
Let’s all begin to take the next step toward evolutionary awareness and start a whole food revolution!
1. A Diet High in Whole and Unrefined Foods Favorably Alters Lipids, Antioxidant Defenses, and Colon Function by Bonnie Bruce, DrPH, MPH, RD, FACN, Gene A. Spiller, PhD, DSc, FACN, CNS, Leslie M, Klevay, MD and Sandra K. Gallagher http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/19/1/61
2. Michael Pollan, a journalism professor at the University of California at Berkeley and author of the bestselling book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, as quoted on Dr. Andrew Weil’s website, http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/ART02840
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