Let’s begin with a few numbers:
697,000 dead from heart disease in 2020 and that number is only increasing.
130 MILLION (130,000,000 in case you needed to see the number) adults have diabetes in 2022.
1.9 MILLION new cases of cancer will be diagnosed this year along with over 600,000 dying from it alone.
52.9 MILLION adults (1 in 5) live with a mental illness.
Now that you got a look at a few numbers, let’s talk Whole Foods and processed foods and why it matters.
Whole Foods: According to Webster, the definition of a whole food is- Unrefined and Unprocessed which means they are as close to their natural form as possible. When we mention whole food, one way I go about it is I look at the label ingredients. If it has more than one ingredient, that food is a processed food. About 90% of your food in the grocery store that comes in a package is processed one way or the other. If you see 1 simple ingredient (see images below), that is a whole food. If you see no nutritional label at all, it’s a whole food. Examples; fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, meat, fish, and eggs.
These foods, has never been altered and stripped of key vitamins and nutrients. Not only that, your body thanks you for supplying it correctly. Here’s a few things that happen when you consume a majority whole food diet:
- You’ll be able to lose weight more easily: Processed foods are filled with calories. Empty calories that has very little nutritional benefit.
- Healthier hair: One word: Omega-3 fatty acids.
- Improved skin
- More energy: processed food = sugar. Tons of sugar = insulin spikes. Insulin spikes = a very moody individual. And tired individual
- Cravings become easier to control.
Trading in Oreos for fresh fruit doesn’t sound too bad now, does it? Lol
Processed food: According to Webster, the definition of a processed food is – A processed food is any food that has been altered some way during preparation. Food processing can be as simple as freezing, canning, and baking.
I have a simpler term for a processed food or an easier way to distinguish them. If you look at the ingredient list on a food in your grocery store and see a list of things that you can’t even pronounce? That sir/ma’am, is a heavily processed food. Basically stripped of key nutrients, minerals, and fiber, allowing additives and chemicals to take its place. Oh, and sugar. I have tons to say about sugar. So much. That’ll be for a later blog post. I have examples of a few foods below if you’re wondering what a processed food label looks like.
Why avoid them? Well the sugar, salt, and fats in these ultra processed foods contain preservatives, artificial color and flavoring, and above all, “chemicals” that our body can do without. These foods are linked to things such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure. Examples of processed foods include: chips, breakfast cereals, insta-ready meals, candy, cakes and pastries, etc.
Watch out for the soft drinks too. They’re a big killer.
There’s your introduction to processed food, Whole Foods, and why it matters. I’ve ran many experiments on myself such as cutting sugar out of my diet for a certain period and even went on a whole food diet many times before and the benefits are beyond amazing…so if they’re so amazing why haven’t I continued to stay on it? Well because I’m addicted. The sugar. It’s addicting. Just like you’re addicted. Just like this entire nation are sugar addicts. Don’t believe me? Go without sugar for even a day and see if you don’t start itching your skin and searching for your next fix of sugar. I say sugar because that’s what most processed foods consist of and if we can just change that aspect of eating, I believe we’ll see a shift in the health of this nation as a whole. It’s not easy. You’re fighting an addiction but we can TRY, and I believe trying, you’ve won 3/4ths the battle.
Now you can differentiate processed foods and Whole Foods when you go grocery shopping next time. You’re very welcome and I hope that shopping cart is filled with NATURAL AND PURE food that’ll power your mind and body and heal your mind and body. There’s a real life health crisis in this nation and no one is talking about it. There’s no excuse for 130 million adults to be suffering with diabetes. No excuse. We have a problem and it starts here.
Leave a comment and like it up! Share this on your social media too if you’d like. I believe there’s share buttons at the bottom of this. If you got this far, thanks for reading!!!!! Hope it helps and I’m rooting for you. I’m rooting for myself too. Lol let’s go!!
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