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Whole Foods Are Good For The Whole Body

4th November, 2011 - Posted by health news - No Comments

What are whole foods, where do you get them, and why are they necessary? Understanding the composition of these nutritional powerhouses clarifies why they are essential for a healthy diet.

With the latest focus on healthy eating, there is a confusing array of so-called healthy foods available in typical grocery and health food stores. There is also much confusion about what exactly is the healthiest food, with so much being described as natural, organic, Non-GMO, and more. In reality, the healthiest things for humans to eat are whole foods; these being totally natural food items which have not been refined or processed and have no additives.

The list of vegetarian whole foods includes fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes and beans, seeds and nuts (e.g. sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, all types of nuts) and whole grains (oats, wheat, brown rice etc). Animal whole foods include shellfish, small fish eaten complete (anchovies, whitebait, smelt etc), eggs, poultry (chicken, turkey etc) and larger meat animals (goat, beef, lamb etc). The aim with the latter categories being to make use of all parts of the creature.

Whole grains are an example of excellent whole foods as they are among the absolute finest guardians against disease. One reason for this is their power to decelerate digestion, consequently nutrients are more readily available for the body due to greater absorption rates. During the digestive process they produce changes within the intestine which allows beneficial bacteria production, producing a more robust immune system. Whole grains also are made up of phytoestrogens and other phytochemicals which are known to break down carcinogens.

Isolated nutrients that are found in many of today’s protein drinks and supplements are not whole foods as they have been deprived of their nutritional components by way of the refining and packaging processes. Some incomplete foods are quite obvious, like fried foods, and those made with white flour or refined sugar. Others are less apparent; products made with hydrogenated oils, or canned vegetables that have been overly heated in processing, reducing their nutritional value.

Research has shown that the human body can distinguish the discrepancies between whole and fragmented foods, even if the misplaced nutrients are taken separately in a supplement, and will benefit more from whole foods. This is why it is considered ideal for a human diet to contain a minimum of 70% whole foods in order to maximize the intake of phytonutrients.

Even if 70% is not feasible, each individual takes responsibility for their own health when they try to increase their nutritional health by eating some whole foods every day. Nutrition experts endorse the following on a daily basis: one serving of animal protein, one serving of beans, two portions of whole grains or nuts and a variety of fresh produce.

A contemporary way to realize this 70% mark is to add concentrated whole foods and health drinks to your daily diet. Concentrated formulas generate greater enhancements by delivering more valuable nutrients in fewer calories, requiring less time and effort.

Author Cliff Everett Smith is President of http://www.besthealthfoodstore.net/index.html, one of the top online health food stores that offers concentrated whole foods and health drinks not sold in typical stores. Obtain more health food and diet tips, or just browse the site and see the catalog.