Whole Foods vs. Processed Foods

Whole foods are those that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible before being consumed. They typically do not contain added ingredients, such as sugar, salt, or fat. Thus, the World's Healthiest Foods!

The term "Whole foods" is often confused with "Organic food" (i.e., organically-grown food) but whole foods are not necessarily organic, nor are organic foods necessarily whole, although they do share a number of traits, such as an avoidance of chemically-assisted agricultural techniques. Because of the lack of basic processing, many whole foods have a very short shelf life and are not easily sold outside of farmers' markets.

Examples of whole foods include unpolished grains; fruits and vegetables; unprocessed meat, poultry, and fish; and non-homogenized milk.

There are several ways to meet the body's needs with respect to whole foods. One way is to consume a variety of fresh raw fruits and vegetables every day.

"Diets rich in whole and unrefined foods, like whole grains, dark green and yellow/orange-fleshed vegetables and fruits, legumes, nuts and seeds, contain high concentrations of antioxidant phenolics, fibers and numerous other phytochemicals that may be protective against chronic diseases.

Many of our common foods are processed foods, and some processed foods are less nutritious than the original whole foods from which they came. Processed foods usually have sugar, salt, or fat added to them, and fiber taken out of them.

Making the transition to a whole food diet or raw food lifestyle helps in maintaining a strong and health body, a stress-free mind and a positive spirituality within this mixed up world. Today, 97% of all health disorders can be traced to a faulty nutrition and diet. It has been observed that Asian (East) civilizations suffer least from bowel problems, constipation, indigestion and other food related disorders such as obesity. Do you know why? Because they follow the philosophy of cooking and eating real whole food fresh from the market!

The key to true health is to have a balanced wholefoods diet. A balanced diet ensures that all the faculties of digestion work smoothly – absorption, assimilation and elimination. A balanced whole foods diet ensures a healthy you!!