WHOLE FOOD VS PROCESSED FOOD

PROCESSED FOOD

WHOLE FOODS

WHOLE FOODS VS PROCESSED FOOD

So how do you differentiate between whole foods and processed food

WHOLE FOODS

·      are close to their original state

·      spoil faster

·      are things your great grandparents would have recognized as food

·      don’t usually have ingredient lists, or if they do, have short ones

·      are often sold without packaging

·      are often found around the perimeter of the grocery store

HIGHLY PROCESSED FOODS:

·      bear little resemblance to their original state

·      do not spoil easily

·      are things your grandparents probably wouldn’t recognize

·      have often long ingredient list

·      are packed or boxed

·      are often found in the center of the grocery store

Whenever its not possible to eat foods in their completely unprocessed form, make sure the processing is minimal. For example, take the difference between whole wheat pasta, made from whole grains, and white pasta, made from refined white flour with its fiber removed. Or the difference between peanut butter, with no added oils, salt, sugar and the one with all added sugar and other ingredients.

Real foods eaten close to their whole and natural state, are optimally beneficial for the body. As a general rule the foods we choose to eat, whether raw or cooked, should be as close as possible to the way they came off the tree, vine or root.

reference
Whole foods diet
John Mackey