One of the best things you can do for your health is to eat a nutritious, balanced diet. Not only does this help you manage your weight, but it can also significantly reduce your risk for developing many lifestyle diseases. It is important to include plenty of whole foods into your diet. Whole food simply means that the food is not modified by processing measures. Processed foods lose a good portion of their nutritional value.
Whole plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, contain phytochemicals, which are responsible for the color, taste, and smell of plant foods. Phytochemicals provide numerous vitamins and minerals that are most available in raw, whole foods. Most vitamin supplements that you find at the store contain synthetic vitamins, but the body is not able to absorb these synthetic vitamins as well as the vitamins found in fruits and vegetables in their whole form.
Here are some important reasons why whole food is better than processed food:
- It is filled with essential nutrients.
- It is low in sugar.
- It is healthy for your heart.
- It is better for the environment.
- It is high in fiber.
- It helps control blood sugar.
- It is good for your skin.
- It helps lower triglycerides.
- It provides a wide food variety.
- It costs less overall.
- It is high in healthy fats.
- It can reduce your risk of diseases.
- It contains antioxidants.
- It is good for your gut.
- It can help prevent overeating.
- It promotes dental health.
- It can reduce sugar cravings.
- It gets your focus off dieting.
- It helps support local farmers.
- It is delicious!
Fruits and vegetables specifically can lower your risk for cardiovascular disease, regulate your blood pressure, reduce your risk of certain cancers, prevent type 2 diabetes, manage your weight, improve your gastrointestinal health, and improve your vision. Most people do not eat enough fruits and vegetables, but eating them can make a world of difference for your overall health.
Processed foods contain added–and often synthetic–sugars, artificial ingredients, trans fats, and refined carbohydrates. These foods are also low in nutrients and fiber. It is no secret that processed foods can make you gain weight; this is largely due to the fact that processed foods are usually high in calories without providing any beneficial nutrients to the body.
Over time, processed food leads to severe consequences. It can lead to being overweight or obese, tooth decay, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, some cancers, depression, and eating disorders. Processed foods are specifically formulated to provide you with temporary satisfaction that becomes addictive, but your body pays the ultimate price in the end.
Follow these tips for starting a whole food diet:
- Shop at local farmer’s markets and in all the sections of the grocery store.
- Purchase plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Keep them in an easy-to-access place in your kitchen.
- Eat proteins such as grass-fed and hormone-free, beans, quinoa, and peas.
- Eat whole grains and hormone-free dairy products.
- Incorporate fresh vegetables into your meals. Examples include soups and stir frys.
- Eat a green salad with your lunch and dinner.