Just the Tip Tuesday
Whole foods are foods that are as little processed or refined as possible and have no additives such as preservatives or artificial ingredients, such as food coloring, added to the food. For example a baked potato would be a whole food but instant mashed or boxed scalloped potatoes are not.
Whole foods are higher in nutrients, such as fiber, minerals and vitamins than processed foods and when they make up the majority of a diet, may lower rates of heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes. Whole foods allow nutrients to act together like they were meant to. The reason so many processed foods, such as white flour, are fortified with vitamins is because so much has been taken out with processing and even when fortified do not offer the same nutrition as when it was a whole food.
Whole foods do not contain added sugar. Increased sugar intake is related to increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and heart disease. Less sugar helps control blood sugars and lower bad fats in the blood.
Decreasing sugar is also better for teeth. The sugar and refined carbs in the Western diet can promote dental decay by feeding the plaque-causing bacteria that live in your mouth. The sugar and acid in regular soda is especially likely to cause decay.
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.
Coach Terry
