-As told to Emily Stein by Darin Olien
So what is a whole food anyway? What is it that compels Darin and his team to venture to the lab and test familiar and exotic fruits and plants? Eating for life requires more of us than simply eating. We must be committed to educating ourselves on the latest research, but we must also be willing to listen to our inner voice. That voice itself will direct you to certain foods over others. For example, it doesn’t take an herbalist or student of nutrition to know that an apple is better for you than a soft drink. Even if each of us possesses an internal barometer, pointing us in the direction of nutrient-rich foods, it is easy enough to convince oneself to silence that knowledge or convince oneself that it is either inaccurate or irrelevant.
All of this considered, self doubt can be a dangerous obstacle on your path to a richer, fuller life. For our purposes, this issue can be combated by frequently going back to basics. When we think logically and rationally about what food is supposed to do for our bodies, it becomes obvious that eating whole foods is essential. But what exactly is a whole food? Can I buy them at my local market? Can I afford them on a budget? And if whole foods are just that, whole and complete, does that mean other foods are incomplete?
A whole food is a food in its complete form, without being processed or isolated into fractions. In nature, each fruit or plant is made perfectly. There is a perfect balance of minerals and nutrients to support absorption rates and create beneficial chemical reactions inside the human body. While maintaining a strict vitamin supplement regimen may sound helpful, the isolated forms of minerals that are found in supplements will function differently in the body than when those minerals are introduced in a natural form in the company of a variety of other minerals.
Whole foods are all around us, including on the shelves at your local market. Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and anything that fits into the definition listed above can be considered to be a whole food. There are still rules to choosing optimally amongst these items. Always buy organic when possible in order to avoid unsafe pesticide exposure and try to buy foods in season. Don’t assume! Always check ingredient labels. Nuts, seeds, and dried fruits often have unwanted additives so make sure to check for anything undesirable before making a purchase.
The question of affordability is unfortunately a common concern in the whole food industry. Some people think twice about paying high prices for organic produce. There is an easy answer for who are unsure the higher prices are worth it. It is absolutely worth it! The nutrients received from whole foods will improve your body’s overall functioning. Processed foods with added sugars and other chemicals may be cheaper, but they offer nothing for your body, except harm. The non-whole foods that may be part of your diet are considered bulk foods. They are literally designed to trick the body into thinking it’s full, when in reality it is starving for nutrients and possibly storing unnecessary bulk as extra body fat.
Similar to the essential minerals themselves, the debate over price cannot be completely isolated or put into a box. There is a relationship between quantity, quality, and pricing that can even out the discrepancy between whole and non-whole food prices. Since the feeling of fullness after eating bulk foods is mostly a facade, you will most likely end up consuming more quantity, thus paying more overall than you might if you were eating more whole foods. If you also consider the positive effects of whole foods on your body, the inherent value of the whole food versus the bulk food can help neutralize the belief that whole foods are unaffordable. There is enough evidence against that argument that concerns over affordability alone should not be reason enough to eat poor quality foods.
After reviewing the definition of a whole food, perhaps you will eat more consciously today. Eating consciously today could lead to eating consciously tomorrow. Good choices lead to good choices because your body is grateful for the nutrients you provide it with. The next time you are food shopping and asking yourself what you should buy, take a moment to access your inner voice. Get rid of everything you’ve been told, and simply look at, touch, and smell the foods around you. Your true self will never steer you wrong!