Clean eating: How to begin a whole foods diet
Posted: August 8, 2024
A whole food diet consists of foods like brown rice, broccoli, strawberries and kidney beans. Changing your nutrition can be challenging, but when you are eating whole foods, you can begin by keeping it simple. [caption id="attachment_10379" align="alignright" width="450"]
A whole foods diet, also known as clean eating, is based on legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, colorful fruits and a variety of vegetables.[/caption]
"When I think about whole foods, I'm thinking about foods mostly unchanged," said Kristene Schulte, registered dietitian nutritionist with Marshfield Clinic Health System. "In other words, they come as nature gave them to us. ‘Don't eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn't recognize as food,' is how author Michael Pollan puts it."
Whole food diet benefits
Key nutrients present in a whole foods diet help fight against nutritional deficiencies and chronic disease. Also referred to as "clean eating," this diet is based on legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, colorful fruits and a variety of vegetables that can reduce risk of:- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Arthritis
- Depression
- Alzheimer's
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Antioxidants
- Good fats
- Fiber
- Phytochemicals
Tips to begin eating whole foods
"For starters, don't let yourself think you can't eat clean because you're too busy," Schulte said. Even with time constraints, you can begin whole foods eating. Start with these strategies when beginning a real food diet:- "Buy bagged vegetables. Look for frozen vegetables that come in microwavable bags that only take a few minutes to heat. It doesn't get much easier than that," she said.
- Make use of nature's fast foods. Add nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables to your everyday diet.
- Purchase pre-cuts. Find convenience in pre-cut fruits and vegetables, though slightly more expensive. Even fresh meats come with pre-cut options.
- Think simple. A clean meal can be as simple as a microwaveable frozen bag of vegetables, baked fish and roasted or steamed sweet potatoes. Try this foods recipe of salmon sweet potato patties.
- When baking swap sugar and fat for fruits and vegetables. Replace oils and sugars with mashed or pureed fruit and vegetables in baked goods. Try avocados, bananas, unsweetened applesauce, pears, dates or figs. Try this whole foods makeover of a cookie recipe.
Eat fresh with whole food recipes
Shine365 has a handful of healthy recipes to help you get on the track to a whole foods diet. Visit these websites for more recipe inspiration:- American Institute of Cancer Research
- American Heart Association
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Mixing Bowl
- Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
For health recommendations, talk to a Marshfield Clinic Health System provider.
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