What are wholefoods?
Wholefoods are foods that are as minimally processed or refined as possible. Foods that are within their full form, with no additives or preservatives such as artificial flavours, artificial ingredients or food colouring etc. For example, a sweet potato would be classified as a wholefood, but a sweet potato chip that has been fried in vegetable oil and covered in artificial salt, is not.
So why are they important?
Wholefoods are packed full of nutrients that are crucial for our long term health, brain function and performance. Such as fibre, minerals and vitamins that when they make up the majority of our diets, may lower the risk of diseases, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Wholefoods allow nutrients to play a role within the body, like they were meant to – rather than searching for them through supplements and pills. They keep us fuller for longer due to the increase of fibre, which results in a much more steady and consistent blood sugar effect overall (find out more about the blood sugar response, here).
Wholefoods are much lower in sugar overall, and are incredibly important for heart health due to the higher amount of magnesium and healthy fats. Not to mention, much better for the environment. Eating a diet rich in wholefoods, leads to a much more diverse and balanced microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome truly is the foundation of a happy, healthy body. With the gut microbiome affecting so many variables within our bodies, such as our skin, hormones, how much weight we lose or gain, the quality of sleep, the quality of our mental health – looking after it properly is incredibly important.
Wholefoods really cannot be underrated, they make up so many elements of our health overall and play such a dramatic impact on our longevity and day to day living. If you needed any sense of motivation to shift a little more processed food out of your diet and a little more wholefoods on your plate, this was it.
Responses