Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed
and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible, before being
consumed. Whole foods typically do not contain added salt, carbohydrates, or
fat. Examples of whole foods include unpolished grains, beans, fruits,
vegetables and non-homogenized dairy products. Although originally all human
food was whole food, one of the earliest uses of the term post-industrial age
was in 1960 when the leading organic food organization called the Soil
Association opened a shop in the name selling organic and whole grain products
in London, UK.
The term is often confused with organic food, but whole foods are not necessarily organic, nor are organic foods necessarily whole.
"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.
A focus on whole foods offers three main benefits over a reliance on dietary supplements: they provide greater nutrition for being a source of more complex micronutrients, they provide essential dietary fiber and they provide naturally occurring protective substances, such as phytochemicals.
The term is often confused with organic food, but whole foods are not necessarily organic, nor are organic foods necessarily whole.
"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.
A focus on whole foods offers three main benefits over a reliance on dietary supplements: they provide greater nutrition for being a source of more complex micronutrients, they provide essential dietary fiber and they provide naturally occurring protective substances, such as phytochemicals.