In recent years, the concept of "clean eating" has gained significant traction. While no universally accepted definition exists, clean eating generally emphasizes consuming whole foods in their least processed forms. This approach prioritizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, pulses (beans, lentils, and peas), dairy, nuts, seeds, and high-quality animal and plant proteins. Ideally, food choices are organic and aligned with seasonal availability in one's geographic region. However, some clean-eating advocates adopt restrictive practices, such as avoiding all added sugars, high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and other additives. While admirable, such stringent restrictions may be unsustainable for many individuals.
Defining the Whole Foods Diet
A whole foods diet, also known as a whole foods, plant-based diet (WFPB), centers around minimizing or eliminating animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, and honey. The diet emphasizes the consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds - all derived from plants. The focus is on consuming foods that are as close to their natural state as possible.
Real food is primarily unprocessed and free of chemical additives, ensuring it is rich in nutrients. The emphasis on real food may be one of the most important things you can do to help maintain good health.
Health Benefits of a Whole Foods Diet
Adopting a whole foods diet can yield numerous health advantages, provided it is implemented correctly.
"No matter when you start, a diet that is focused on plant foods will help you work toward the prevention of many illnesses and feel better overall," Zumpano says.
Read also: Satisfy Your Cravings with Whole Foods
Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases
A whole-foods diet emphasizes fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes, which means an increase in the intake of healthy plant-based foods. People who stick to a plant-based diet have a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and a lower risk of dying from any cause, compared with those whose diet was lower in plant-based foods. Diets rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruit, fermented dairy, fish, olive oil, nuts, chocolate, coffee, and tea are associated with a lower risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
Improved Cardiometabolic Health
Plant-based dietary patterns have favorable effects on cardiometabolic health. A whole foods diet is low in saturated fat, free of cholesterol, and rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Studies show that this type of diet will lower your risks of heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), and diabetes.
Weight Management
Many processed foods are packed with sugar and salt to enhance flavor. Cutting them out may save calories, which can lead to weight loss and could extend life and prevent disease. People who ate a processed diet consumed additional calories per day, compared with people eating an unprocessed diet. This correlated with gaining about two pounds over two weeks; participants then lost that weight when switching over to an unprocessed diet.
Enhanced Digestive Health
A diet high in fiber leads to lower rates of chronic disease and improved digestion and gastrointestinal health. Filling your diet with foods that are naturally packed with fiber, such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables, helps reach the recommended daily fiber intake.
Stronger Immune System
Eating a healthy, balanced diet supports immune system health. Focusing on variety ensures that you’re getting a range of nutrients, such as vitamin C, zinc, and selenium, that are known to boost your body’s defenses.
Read also: Whole Foods Breakfast Options
Other Benefits
- Rich in Essential Nutrients: Unprocessed animal and plant foods provide vitamins and minerals needed for optimal health.
- Lower in Added Sugar: Real foods tend to be lower in added sugar than many processed foods.
- Heart Health Support: Real food is packed with antioxidants and nutrients that support heart health, including magnesium and healthy fats.
- Environmental Sustainability: Developing sustainable agriculture based on real food may help improve the health of the planet by reducing energy needs and decreasing the amount of nonbiodegradable waste that humans produce.
- Reduced Wrinkling: Eating more vegetables, fish, beans, and olive oil may help reduce wrinkling, loss of elasticity, and other age-related skin changes.
- Reduced Triglyceride Levels: Including unprocessed foods like fatty fish, lean meats, vegetables, and nuts has been shown to significantly reduce triglyceride levels.
- Gut Microbiome Support: Eating real food may be beneficial for your gut microbiome.
- Reduced Overeating: Real food doesn’t harbor the sugars and flavorings that load down processed foods and may drive overeating.
- Healthy Teeth: A diet based on real food may also help reduce cravings for sweets like cakes, cookies, and candy.
Plant-Based vs. Veganism
A plant-based diet is similar to veganism, so it’s easy to confuse the two, and you may see the terms used interchangeably. However, a plant-based diet refers to eating entirely or mostly plant foods. Veganism, on the other hand, goes beyond just what you eat - it’s a way of living. Most vegans avoid using, consuming, or exploiting animals. A WFPB eating pattern is focused on whole foods, so someone may avoid packaged and processed foods. A vegan may consume frozen meat alternatives or vegan snack foods and desserts, whereas an individual following a WFPB would consume protein in the form of legumes, snack on nuts, and end their meal with fruit instead of dessert.
Transitioning to a Whole Foods Diet
"To start your plant-based diet, keep it simple. Begin by cutting out one animal product at a time," Patton suggests. First, replace all milk and dairy products with soy, oat, almond, and hemp alternatives. Next, replace chicken, turkey, beef, pork, veal, lamb, and fish with plant proteins. Stock up on legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, and vegan meat alternatives like homemade tofu veggie burgers, nutritional yeast, seitan, and tempeh. Be sure to include all five food groups at each meal - plant protein, fruit, vegetables, plant-based fat, and whole grains.
Some people choose to call themselves flexitarians, where the foundation of their diet is WFPB, but they may occasionally consume fish or animal products.
Ensuring Adequate Nutrient Intake
Protein
To maintain muscle mass, strong bones, and healthy skin, the diet should include enough protein. Protein-rich foods include beans, lentils and split peas, quinoa, soy products like tempeh, tofu, soybeans and soy milk, nuts and seeds.
Vitamins and Minerals
To ensure healthy bones, adequate calcium and vitamin D are needed in the diet. Milk alternatives such as soy, almond, oat, or hemp milk contain both calcium and the vitamin D needed to absorb it. Dark greens, leafy lettuce, and beans contain calcium. Mushrooms and fortified cereals contain vitamin D. If you aren’t consuming fortified foods on a consistent basis, you’ll need to take a vitamin D supplement. Sunlight is another source of vitamin D.
Read also: Plant-Based Diet Guide
Zinc, iron, and vitamin B12 are also essential nutrients. Whole grains, beans, tofu, and fortified cereals provide zinc and iron. Nutritional yeast and soy products provide vitamin B12.
Potential Challenges
Following a plant-based diet means saying goodbye to all animal products - including lean meat and dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream. If you don’t plan your plant-based diet correctly, you may risk not meeting all of your protein, vitamin, and mineral needs. Be sure to meet with your primary care doctor or a dietitian at least once a year to have your labs measured to assess for any deficiency.
Drawbacks to eating whole foods may be price and increased time in making food. Whole foods may cost more initially but less in the long run because they are more likely to keep you healthy. Eating whole foods can even help the local economy. Purchasing produce, meat, and dairy from local farmers markets or farm stores supports the people who grow food in your community.