Why You Feel Better When You Eat Whole Foods

Here Are 5 Reasons You’ll Improve When You Eat (Mostly) Whole Foods

 

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There are SO many reasons why eating whole foods is a great idea! But what exactly ARE whole foods, and why do you feel better when you eat them?

Let’s find out!

What are Whole Foods?

Whole foods are foods that are still in their natural form. They don’t have any additives or preservatives or other manmade ingredients.

An example of a whole food is an organic apple or a fresh, crisp organic salad.

What are Processed Foods?

Examples of processed foods are burgers from a fast food place, microwave popcorn, deli meats, ready-made dinners….. you get the idea.

Processed foods contain additives, preservatives and other manmade / chemical ingredients. They typically come in a box or bag and contain more than one item on the list of ingredients.

Our ancestors used to eat whole foods only – they didn’t have the choices available to us today. But now our supermarkets are full of heavily-processed foods, all heavily advertised and designed to look attractive.

Should You Eat ONLY Whole Foods?

Ideally, yes, for your best health and wellness.

But some processed foods are actually good for you – like Greek yogurt, for example (as long as you choose the plain, unsweetened, no-added-anything variety).

Also, enjoying some processed foods every now and again is OK. A burger or pizza or convenience meal is enjoyable now and again. The idea is to eat MOSTLY whole foods.

Let’s find out why. (And find a useful infographic at the end).


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Better Nutrition

Food is often processed to extend its shelf life. Or to make it “lower fat”, or more appealing in some way. This process removes many of the valuable nutrients in the original food, and adds manmade chemicals or additives.

The purpose of eating is to provide your body with the fuel (nutrients) it needs to support your daily life and stay healthy. Whole foods give you more good nutrition than processed.

Many people who eat mostly processed foods, find they are deficient in key vitamins and minerals. So they rely on vitamin supplements and pharmaceutical products to fill the void.

But these pills and powders rarely work as well as real food – often they are simply manmade chemicals that your body cannot fully absorb.

Much Less Sugar

reduce sugar ravingsIf you eat a Standard American (or Western) Diet (SAD), you are probably dependent on sugar.

Ingredients lists may hide “sugar” under a different name – but nearly all processed foods contain added sugar – and often, a lot of it.

Food manufacturers use our sugar addiction to their advantage, knowing that the sweeter and more satisfying they make a product, the faster it will fly off of the shelves.

Excess sugar leads to many health problems including diabetes.

Whole foods in their natural form can still contain sugar or fructose, but the actual amount is much less than in processed foods.

More Fiber – So You Eat Less

Processed foods have very little good fiber. Fiber is good for your digestion, and also helps you too feel full.

When you feel full more quickly, you eat less.

But when you don’t get enough fibre, it’s very easy to overeat.

Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation is an interesting topic. Sometimes, inflammation is good – it is a natural response to heal damaged tissues and defend against various infections. But when your body is constantly inflamed, it has a devastating effect on your overall health. Chronic inflammation is linked to an enormous number of diseases including diabetes, obesity and even cancer.

Many of the artificial additives in today’s food are clinically proven to cause inflammation.

Eating whole foods is an effective way to avoid excess inflammation in your body.

Pay The Grocery Store, Not The Doctor

And the last reason I’m going to mention in this article is, perhaps, the best of all.

Fooled by Farmers Markets or Genuinely Local?It’s a valid concern that often, whole foods are more expensive than processed foods.

(It seems daft, doesn’t it, that something natural, with nothing done to it except transport, would cost more than something that’s basically gone through a genetic mutation before you buy it) .

But think about it. Whole foods keep you healthy. Processed foods can make you very, very sick.

And how much will it cost you to be sick? Medications, time off work, childcare, feeling lousy – how much will that cost you?  Is the reduced price at checkout worth the enormous medical bills down the road?

In fact, buying whole foods now is a way to pay a smaller amount now, rather than a much larger amount later.

Finally, here’s a useful infographic from ZestedLemon-

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What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.

Warm regards,

signature Clare

 

 

 

P.S.  Don’t forget to download your FREE recipes for yummy smoothies that will keep you feeling full!  Click here.  


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