The "Diet Without White Foods" is an eating pattern that suggests that eliminating all processed white-colored foods from your daily diet can help promote weight loss and improved blood sugar control. Proponents of this diet assert that most white foods are unhealthy, heavily processed, high in carbs, and contain fewer nutrients than their more colorful counterparts.
By removing these white-colored foods from your diet, it is suggested that you set yourself up for a more nutritious diet that will promote weight loss and restore blood sugar balance. However, most health experts disagree and suggest that basing dietary choices strictly on food being white is an oversimplified approach to good nutrition.
Understanding the "No White Food" Concept
The "No White Foods Diet," also known as the No White Diet, is founded upon the notion that eliminating processed white-colored foods from your diet can help you lose weight and improve your blood sugar control. Those who support this meal plan suggest that most white foods are unhealthy, and they have likened them to white food death as many have been heavily processed, are high in carbs, and they contain fewer nutrients than their more colorful counterparts.
That being said, this strategy may have a little merit, especially if it helps you reduce the intake of ultra-processed foods in favor of more healthy nutrient-dense choices. For example, replacing white rice with brown rice, swapping out white bread for whole-grain bread, or stopping one from overdoing it with added sugars and salt.
Potential Benefits and Drawbacks
While this meal plan does make some points it is important to take a serious look at what foods you are eliminating from your diet and why. Basing this on only color is a mistake as some of them may actually be of benefit and help you to reach your goals.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
In this case, being biased to food that is white would eliminate cauliflower, garlic, onions, mushrooms, parsnips, turnips, cashews, sesame seeds, pine nuts, white beans, coconut, pears and many other healthy choices from your diet.
A better approach would be to aim to consume whole foods that are minimally processed and keep portion control in mind. Eating large amounts of highly processed foods may increase your risk for weight gain, according to a study published in "Health Economics" in February 2011.
White Foods to Limit or Avoid
White Bread
White bread is typically made from refined flour and falls into the can’t have list in this meal plan, as are closely related foods such as crackers, pastries and most breakfast cereals.
This is actually a good elimination as when flour is refined the germ and brain of the grains are removed along with most of the fibre, vitamins and minerals during the milling process. What is left is a product rich in carbs but lacking in other important areas like protein and fibre.
Additionally, research suggests that high intake of white breads are associated with weight gain. Thus reducing the intake of white bread and similar refined grains is a good move.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
Healthier Swap: Whole Grain Bread
Whole grain breads, crackers, and breakfast cereals are made from flour that contains the entire grain, including the germ and bran. This means the final product retains more of its natural nutritional value, compared with its more refined, white counterpart.
Moreover, eating whole grain bread doesn’t seem to have the same tendency to encourage weight gain that white bread does. The improved nutritional profile and increased fiber content may also help curb your blood sugar response and improve feelings of fullness, making it easier to stay within your calorie needs. To reap these benefits, swap your white bread for whole grain breads and bread products that list a whole grain, such as whole wheat or oats, as the first ingredient.
White Pasta
White pasta is very similar to white bread, being made from refined flour and containing fewer nutrients.
While white pasta has not been shown to increase weight the same way as white bread alongside other nutritious foods, the serving size makes a difference. If one is not mindful of portion control this can contribute to excess calorie intake and weight gain.
Healthier Swap: Whole Grain Pasta
For a nutritional boost, choose a pasta made from whole grains. Whole grain pastas typically contain more fiber, which can leave you feeling fuller and more satisfied. The extra fiber can also help slow your body’s digestion of the carbs, supporting improved blood sugar control.
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
Though the texture is slightly different, legume-based pastas tend to have even more protein and fiber than most grain-based varieties.
White Rice
White rice also falls into the refined category. It starts out as a whole grain but the milling process transforms it into the starchy fluffy rice that is rather common. It is not really inherently bad, but it does not contain much in the way of nutrition apart from calories and carbs. Once more portion size is important as the lack of protein and fibre makes it very easy to eat far too much.
Healthier Swap: Brown Rice
Brown rice is the simplest, most obvious substitute for white rice. After all, brown rice is just white rice that hasn’t been processed to the same extent. It’s higher in fiber, vitamins, and minerals than white rice, so you’re getting more out of what is essentially the same plant.
What’s more, research has shown that brown rice affects blood sugar to a much lesser extent than white rice. If you don’t like brown rice or just want to mix up your routine, you can consider other whole grain options, such as black rice, quinoa, or bulgur.
White Sugar
White sugar is also on this list, but most versions of this diet also prohibit the use of more colorful forms of sugar including honey, brown sugar, agave nectar, maple syrup, and turbinado sugar as they are all collectively referred to as being added sugars that offer little nutrition other than calories.
Basically this meal plan prohibits added sugars or sweeteners, which really is not a bad thing to suggest due to these simple carbs being quickly absorbed into the bloodstream contributing to rapid blood sugar fluctuations.
Healthier Swap: Fruit
If you have a sweet tooth and are finding it difficult to eliminate added sugars from your diet, opt for naturally occurring sources of sugar from whole foods like fruit.
Fruits contain simple sugars that are chemically identical to those in added sugars. However, they also pack vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants - all of which help minimize the harmful effects that may otherwise arise when consuming sugar by itself.
Table Salt
Table salt is another white food that comes in other colors. Sodium may be essential to health, but the fact is that the majority of people eat far too much of it, with the majority coming from ultra-processed food choices.
This meal plan encourages reducing salt intake from processed sources.
Healthier Swap: Colorful Herbs and Spices
Reducing your salt intake doesn’t mean you have to live off flavorless foods. Conversely, you can try to view it as an opportunity to experiment with using a more diverse array of herbs and spices in your cooking.
Herbs and spices tend to be concentrated sources of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, which may play a role in reducing inflammation and regulating blood sugar. Try using herbs like oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary, as well as spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric, paprika, and cayenne pepper, to add flavor to your food without using salt.
White Potatoes
White potatoes also make the avoid list in this meal plan. Although they are not inherently unhealthy they have a reputation of being unhealthy which is largely due to how they are often prepared and portion sizes. White potatoes are actually a good source of several important nutrients such as fibre, potassium, and vitamin C.
Healthier Swap: Colorful Vegetables
You can try switching them out with different types of other colourful vegetables which will add a diverse array of nutrients to your diet such as asparagus leafy greens, carrots, bell peppers, cabbage, or zucchini. Additionally, if you want some starch you can substitute orange sweet potatoes, purple potatoes, green peas, and winter squash for those white potatoes.
Animal-Based Fats
Most versions of this meal plan consider animal-based fats to be white foods which are mostly saturated fats.
This meal plan recommends sticking with very lean meats and fat-free dairy products if any at all. Some versions of this meal plan make exceptions for fish, eggs and poultry while others don’t. Again these are not inherently unhealthy, it is how they are prepared, portion size, and how often they are consumed that may contribute to increased cholesterol and the higher risk of heart disease experienced by some people.
Healthier Swap: Plant-Based Fats
This meal plan recommends replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats or plant-based options such as olive and avocado oil, as well as whole foods such as nuts, seeds, and legumes. Research suggests that when you replace saturated fats in your diet with plant-based unsaturated fats, you may reduce your risk of heart disease.
White Foods That Can Be Part of a Healthy Diet
The fact is that the colour of food really does not tell you much about the nutritional value, thus this approach to weight loss could be confusing those who are trying to learn how to make healthier choices.
While some white foods are less nutritious than others, many are healthy choices and worthy of being included in any diet that is aimed at promoting overall health and well being. While this meal plan does make some points it is important to take a serious look at what foods you are eliminating from your diet and why.
In this case, being biased to food that is white would eliminate cauliflower, garlic, onions, mushrooms, parsnips, turnips, cashews, sesame seeds, pine nuts, white beans, coconut, pears and many other healthy choices from your diet.
- Vegetables: cauliflower, onions, garlic, turnips, parsnips, mushrooms
- Nuts and seeds: cashews, sesame seeds, pine nuts
- Legumes: white beans
- Meat: white fish, poultry
- Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese
- Other: egg whites, coconut
A better approach would be to aim to consume whole foods that are minimally processed and keep portion control in mind.
Low-Fiber Diet as an Alternative
While the "No White Foods Diet" focuses on color, another dietary approach, the low-fiber diet, focuses on the amount of indigestible material in food. A low-fiber diet may be recommended for certain medical conditions or situations, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) flare-ups, bowel obstructions, or recent GI surgery.
This diet reduces the amount of undigested food moving through your bowels, so that your body makes a smaller amount of stool. Here are low-fiber foods you can eat with tips to help you cook them if you’re restricting your dietary fiber. To see what foods you should avoid while on a low-fiber diet.
Foods Allowed on a Low-Fiber Diet
- Grains: Refined or enriched white breads and plain crackers, cooked cereals, white rice, noodles, and refined pasta
- Fruits and Vegetables: Peeled and cooked fruits and vegetables without seeds, such as ripe bananas, soft cantaloupe, canned or cooked fruits without seeds or skin, well-cooked fresh vegetables or canned vegetables without seeds, like asparagus tips, beets, green beans, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, and squash (no seeds)
- Milk and Dairy: Milk and other dairy products are OK in moderation. Milk has no fiber, but it may trigger symptoms like diarrhea and cramping if you're lactose intolerant
- Meats: Animal products don't have fiber. You can eat beef, lamb, chicken, fish (no bones), and pork, as long as they're lean, tender, and soft. Eggs are OK, too.
- Fats, Sauces, and Condiments: Margarine, butter, and oils, Mayonnaise and ketchup, Sour cream, Smooth sauces and salad dressing, Soy sauce, Clear jelly, honey, and syrup
- Sweets and Snacks: Plain cakes and cookies, Gelatin, plain puddings, custard, and sherbet, Ice cream and ice pops, Hard candy, Pretzels (not whole-grain varieties), Vanilla wafers
- Drinks: Decaffeinated coffee, tea, and carbonated beverages (caffeine can upset your stomach), Milk, Juices made without seeds or pulp, like apple, no-pulp orange, and cranberry, Strained vegetable juices
Foods to Avoid on a Low-Fiber Diet
- Coconut, seeds, and nuts, including those found in bread, cereal, desserts, and candy
- Whole-grain products, including breads, cereals, crackers, pasta, rice, and kasha
- Raw or dried fruits, like prunes, berries, raisins, figs, and pineapple
- Most raw vegetables
- Certain cooked vegetables, including peas, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, corn (and cornbread), onions, cauliflower, greens such as kale, and potatoes with skin
- Beans, lentils, and tofu
- Tough meats with gristle and smoked or cured deli meats
- Cheese with seeds, nuts, or fruit
- Crunchy peanut butter, jam, marmalade, and preserves
- Pickles, olives, relish, sauerkraut, and horseradish
- Popcorn
- Fruit juices with pulp or seeds, prune juice, and pear nectar
Low-Fiber Diet Considerations
Because a low-fiber diet limits what you can eat, it can be difficult to meet your nutritional needs. You should follow a low-fiber diet only as long as directed by your health care provider. If you must continue eating this diet for a longer time, consult a registered dietitian.
You may have fewer bowel movements and smaller stools on a low-fiber diet. To avoid constipation, you may need to drink extra fluids.
Soft Food Diet as an Alternative
There may be a time when you need to eat soft foods that are easy to digest. In that case, your healthcare provider may suggest following a soft food diet. This typically means choosing foods that are free of nuts, seeds or skins - which can be tough for your digestive system to handle - and opting for foods that are soft, smooth and not too fibrous.
A soft food diet refers to food that is soft in texture, low in fiber and easy to digest. This way of eating is sometimes called a gastrointestinal (GI) soft diet. You want to choose foods that are easy to chew and swallow.
Your doctor may recommend following a soft food diet in certain situations, including:
- Post-surgery, especially if you’ve had surgery (or radiation therapy) on your mouth, head, neck or stomach
- Digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, diverticulitis or diverticulosis
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
Foods to eat on a Soft Food Diet
When adhering to a soft diet, focus on the following foods:
- Protein like chicken, turkey, ground meats, tender cuts of beef and pork, fish, eggs, creamy nut butters and tofu
- Fruits like bananas, avocados, seedless melon, peeled apples, peaches and pears or fruit juice without pulp
- Vegetables like potatoes without skin, well-cooked or canned vegetables without skins or seeds, tomato paste, olives and vegetable juice
- Cereal and grains like dry or cooked cereals, white rice and pasta
- Breads like plain white bread, plain crackers and graham crackers
- Dairy like cow’s milk, nondairy milk, kefir, cheese and yogurt
- Desserts like plain ice cream, sherbet, pudding and gelatin
- Condiments like sugar, honey, jelly without seeds, mayo, smooth mustard and soy sauce
- Oils, butter, margarine, ground spices, herbs and salt
Foods to avoid on a Soft Food Diet
While you’re on a soft food diet, try to avoid:
- Tough fibrous proteins like meats with gristle, meat with casings (hot dogs, sausage and kielbasa), lunch meats with whole spices, shellfish, beans
- All nuts, seeds and chunky peanut butter
- Dried fruits, coconut, frozen or thawed berries, fruit juice with pulp and jams or jellies with seeds
- Raw or lightly cooked vegetables, including Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, onions, corn, dark leafy greens and pickles or sauerkraut
- Cereals and grains like bran cereals, granola, brown or wild rice, whole-grain pasta, barley, quinoa and popcorn
- Breads made with whole-grain flour, raisins, nuts or seeds
- Desserts made with nuts, dried fruits and fruits with seeds
- Whole spices like peppercorns, cloves, anise seeds and fresh herbs
- Carbonated beverages
Tips on how to follow a soft foods diet
While you’re on a soft food diet, Zumpano offers some additional advice:
- Pay attention to your fiber intake. Pick foods that contain less than 2 grams of fiber per serving. Once your symptoms resolve, begin to slowly add fiber-rich foods back into your diet. “Add one new food into your diet every two to three days to watch for gut upset".
- Focus on chewing. Chew all foods slowly to a mashed potato consistency. The more you chew your food, the easier it will be for your body to digest it.
- Eat throughout the day. Continue to eat every few hours during the day. You may feel more comfortable eating four to six meals daily rather than three large meals.
- Stay hydrated. Drink at least eight cups of fluid every day. “You can count pudding, ice cream, sherbet, frozen fruit pops, soup and gelatin as fluids".