Whole Foods Are Good For The Whole Body

Many people think ‘whole foods‘ is just the name of a grocery store chain, but they are nutritional necessities for a healthy diet.

With the current focus on healthy eating, there is a confounding array of so-called healthy foods, Food Facts With All Natural Multivitamins” href=”http://theundietcoach.com/849/implementing-heart-healthy-food-facts-with-all-natural-multivitamins/”>vitamins, and supplements available in typical stores. There is also much misunderstanding about what exactly is the healthiest food, with so much being described as `natural`, `organic`, `balanced`, `pure` and so on. In reality, the healthiest things for humans to consume are whole foods; these being totally natural food items which have not been manipulated with added ingredients or specific components eliminated.

Whole foods are often thought of as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs, and legumes. Living whole foods include meats, ratites, fish, and eggs. The idea with the latter categories is to make use of as much as possible of the animal, like making stock from bones.

Whole grains are a healthy choice for whole foods as they are among the best guardians against disease. One reason for this is their power to slow down digestion, consequently nutrients are made more bio available for the body because of enhanced absorption rates. Through the digestive process they bring about changes within the intestine which allows good bacteria production, generating a superior 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 value by way of the refining and packaging processes. Some incomplete foods are easy to spot, such as pre-packaged snacks, fried foods, breads and pasta made with white flour, and sweets packed with refined sugars. Others are less distinguishable; 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 discern the differences between whole and fragmented foods, even if the missing nutrients are obtained separately in a vitamin or supplement, and will benefit more from whole foods. This is why it is vital for a human diet to consist of a minimum of 70% whole foods, allowing for the healthiest absorption of valuable nutrients.

Even if 70% is not realistic, everyone would be wise to try to improve their nutritional health by eating some whole foods every day. Dieticians advocate 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 fruits and vegetables.

A contemporary way to reach this 70% mark is to add concentrated whole foods and power packed juices to your dietary regimen. Concentrated formulas make it possible to obtain more valuable nutrients in fewer calories, requiring less time and effort.

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

Tagged with: diet tips • health food • healthy • natural • whole foods

Filed under: Diet

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