Examples of whole foods include fresh fruits & vegetables, whole grains, beans & legumes, nuts & seeds and fish & seafood. These foods are close to their natural state and are free of added sugar, fat and salt. They are also packed with nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Choosing whole foods can help you lose weight, improve your health and lower your risk of chronic disease.
Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
Whole fruits and vegetables are a key part of a healthy diet. They offer plenty of vitamins and minerals to help you stay strong and feel good.
These examples of whole foods are also low in calories and contain lots of fiber, which makes you feel full without eating too many extra calories. In addition, they are high in antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds that prevent heart disease, cancer and other serious illnesses.
To maintain the freshness and quality of your fruit and vegetable, store them away from other food items. For example, do not store fresh produce below raw meats, poultry or seafood products, as these can drip on the produce and create a source of bacteria that can make you sick.
In addition, eat a variety of types and colors of fruits and vegetables to provide your body with a wide array of beneficial plant chemicals. This helps keep you feeling satisfied and reduces your cravings for unhealthy, processed foods.
Eating a whole foods diet can help you lose weight more easily and stay healthier. This type of diet encourages you to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds and less sweetened beverages.
Whole Grains
Whole grains, also known as ‘whole wheat’, ‘whole oats’ or ‘whole barley’, contain the entire seed kernel, including the endosperm, bran and germ. The outer bran and germ are rich in dietary fibre and some important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B1 (thiamin) and selenium.
These are all key components to a healthy diet. They provide essential nutrients, and are a great source of energy.
Many studies have shown that whole grains can help you lose weight, as they speed up your metabolism and reduce the amount of calories retained during digestion. They are also a good source of fibre and help you feel full.
In addition, the fibre in whole grains is soluble, which means that it can control your appetite and blood sugar levels, helping you avoid overeating. A study showed that consuming three to four servings of whole grains per day is linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
Furthermore, whole grains can reduce your risk of cancer. For example, a prospective cohort study in Sweden found that those who consumed 4.5 or more servings of whole grain foods had a 35% lower risk of colon cancer than those who consumed less than 1.5 servings daily.
Beans & Legumes
One can consider a food as whole if it lacks added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. This includes frozen fruit that has not been creamed or canned, a healthy peanut butter that is not coated in a sugary syrup, and hummus that does not contain a lot of additional ingredients.
One of the best examples of whole foods is beans and legumes. These are seeds from the Fabaceae plant family and include peas, beans (lima, kidney, pinto, black, fava, chickpea, lentil), and lentils (dried).
Beans and legumes are low in fat, high in protein, and rich in fiber. They are also a good source of folate, iron and magnesium.
Legumes and beans are an important part of a balanced diet, particularly for weight loss and diabetes. Because of their fiber content, they can help keep you full longer and reduce blood sugar levels after meals.
They are inexpensive, easy to prepare and safe to store for long periods of time. They’re also an excellent source of protein and a great alternative to meat in many dishes. And also a good choice for people following a low-carb diet.
Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds are a staple of a healthy plant-based diet. They’re high in protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber. They also contain healthy fats that help you feel full longer.
They’re a good source of fatty acids and antioxidants, which can help lower the risk of heart disease and cancer. They’re also an excellent source of dietary fiber, which can help reduce cholesterol levels and maintain digestive health.
You can use nuts and seeds to garnish a variety of foods, including stir fry’s, curry, soups, wraps, oatmeal and smoothie bowls. You can also add nut and seed butters to sauces, dips and soups for an added boost of nutrients.
The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) lists nuts and seeds in the same food group as meats, poultry and fish. However, the truth is that nuts and seeds are better than meat for your health.
Some studies have found that eating just a small handful of nuts and seeds can help you lose weight, even without consuming more calories than you normally do. They’re an excellent source of fatty acids and protein and they’re also low in sugar and sodium, making them a good choice for any diet.
They’re also a great source of essential vitamins and minerals like potassium, magnesium and zinc.
Fish & Seafood
Fish and seafood are both examples of whole foods, as they contain a healthy amount of nutrients. These include protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and essential fats.
Seafood can also be a good source of vitamin D, which helps boost your immune system and protect against some cancers. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which can improve cardiovascular health.
Discover the diversity of fish, including sardines, salmon, and tuna, and experiment with various preparation methods. Grill, poach, bake, or fry some.
You can also make soups, chowders and gumbos with seafood. It’s important to choose seafood that is fresh and has not been frozen or canned.
If you do decide to buy frozen or canned fish, check the packaging carefully to ensure that the flesh is hard. Some packaged fish flesh is mushy and doesn’t have a firm texture, which means that it’s not fresh.
Frozen and canned fish are a great way to get your recommended daily allowance of omega-3 fatty acids, but it’s important to shop smart and choose responsibly. Help ensure a healthy supply of delicious food for future generations by only purchasing from sustainably managed sources.
Meat & Poultry
Meat and poultry can be a good part of a whole foods diet. They provide protein, vitamins and minerals. However, they are also high in calories and fats. Meat and poultry are also very energy-intensive and can cause greenhouse gas emissions.
In order to make meat and poultry more sustainable, consider buying organic. This will help reduce the amount of water, chemicals and energy used in the production process.
As a general rule, you should avoid processed foods when you’re on a whole foods diet. Examples of processed foods include fried chicken, fast food, microwaveable dinners and frozen pizza.
But there are some exceptions to the rules. For example, if you’re eating a salad, you can still include roasted nuts or a small serving of hummus as long as it contains no added sugar and sodium.
In addition, you should avoid processed foods containing pesticides, artificial colors and preservatives. For example, some brands of bottled fruit juice contain a lot of sugar and salt. And some canned fruits and vegetables contain a lot of sweetened water. You should always read labels carefully to ensure you’re eating the best foods possible.
Dairy
Dairy is a group of foods that include fluid milks, cheeses, yogurt, and other dairy products that are produced from or contain milk. These foods are important sources of calcium and other nutrients.
As a whole food, dairy is rich in nutrients, and it is a good source of calcium, protein, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin D, selenium, and choline. It is also low in saturated fat and sodium.
The dairy food group is one of the six major food groups that are grouped together in the USDA Food Patterns. They are designed to meet nutrient needs within calorie constraints.
In the patterns, the Dairy Group contributes 7 to 14 percent of the calories. It is a greater contributor to levels of protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, Vitamin B-12, and choline than it is to calories.
The food group provides many of the same nutrients as sugar-sweetened beverages, but without the added calories and other negative effects. Replacing fluid milk with sugar-sweetened beverages would decrease the intake of calcium, magnesium, potassium, vitamin A, Vitamin D, riboflavin, and Vitamin B-12, and increase amounts of sodium and saturated fatty acids.
This would lead to decreased diet quality and place one further away from meeting nutrient recommendations.
Final Thoughts on Examples of Whole Foods
In conclusion, whole foods such as Fresh Fruits & Vegetables, Whole Grains, Beans & Legumes, Nuts & Seeds and Fish & Seafood are the key to unlocking the nutritional benefits of natural foods.
These foods, close to their natural state, are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients and are free from added sugars, fats, and salts. By including a variety of whole foods in your diet, you can lose weight, improve your health, and reduce your risk of chronic diseases.
Whether you are looking to boost your energy, control your appetite, or lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, whole foods can help you achieve your health goals. Start incorporating these foods into your meals today, and enjoy the numerous benefits they have to offer!
