The Continuum

What are "whole foods" exactly?

At the most basic level, whole foods are foods that are as close as possible to their origins.

For example:

• An apple picked from a tree

• Tomatoes picked from the garden

• Fresh caught fish

• An egg

• A nut in its shell

You can recognize what these foods used to be and/or where they came from:

• They don’t come in any packaging

• They don’t have ingredient labels

• They take the minimum number of steps to get to you

• They typically go bad relatively quickly

When it comes to foods that are more processed :

• You might not be able to recognize what they used to be

• They come in packages such as plastic bags

• They have labels with multiple ingredients

• They take many steps to get you

• They have an extended shelf-life

Why are whole foods better?

Learning to eat better isn’t just about taking away the “bad things”. It’s about adding more of the “good things”. Whole foods offer more nourishment and quality. Whole foods have the power to actively enhance our health and make our body run better. Adding more whole foods rather than focusing on removing or restricting foods has a lot of advantages:

• Creates an abundance mentality

• Improved nutrient quality and intake

• Nutrients in the right amounts

• Absorb and use nutrients better

• Easier to follow and respond to hunger and fullness cues

• May naturally reduce or eliminate processed foods

• May enjoy foods more

When choosing whole foods, it’s helpful to think about it on a spectrum of foods to "eat more", "eat some", and "eat less". It helps us consistently make choices that are just a little bit better.

Ex: Apple —> Apple Sauce —> Apple Juice

As you continue to learn and improve your awareness, you’ll find more and more ways to upgrade your food choices.