? What's that? In this era of fast foods, the most natural and basic food is almost absent in our vocabularies. And more often we don't even know what are the basic ingredients of that bottled drink we just had , nor that of the canned food or snack we just had. Whole foods are simply the natural, organic foods we see in the marketplace. They consist of mainly of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, sprouts, etc. These foods are usually eaten raw, and unprocessed, and uncooked, therefore the term whole foods. Living and plant-based foods that are not by any means processed nor heated, contain a wide variety of live enzymes and life giving nutrients.
Whole foods are also rich in fiber and vitamins not found in most processed foods. As most vitamins and live nutrients contained in them are destroyed and killed when heated, or cooked, whole foods are best when eaten raw. Thereby the term live
. We just, of course have to wash them thoroughly during the preparation. Besides packing a lot of important vitamins and minerals, whole foods contain lots of fiber and have a very low, almost zero calories. We can have all the amount we need, and eat our fill without getting fat. The bulk of the food is in the form of fiber, so we feel sated while taking in much lesser calories.
Fiber also helps in cleansing not only our digestive, and circulatory systems, but our entire bodies as well, of harmful chemicals and toxins. By including substantial amounts of whole foods in our diet regularly, we would soon notice improvements in our mental alertness and energy levels. We would feel and look much younger. Our eyes much brighter, and our skin much healthier. The overall value of whole foods to our nutrition and general health is indispensable. One can eat whole foods all his or her life, and suffer any serious health problem. But then when we think of overall, balanced nutrition, other food sources are not to be ignored.
Meat and meat products from livestock, fish, and poultry should also form a part of our regular food intake too. They also provide proteins and enzymes needed for energy and muscle-building. The key here, is the proper balance. When asked about proper and balanced food intake, food and nutrition experts usually refer a food pyramid. There we can see that whole foods take up most of the base of the triangle; followed by meat and meat products in the middle; and salts and oils near the top. The contribution of
in our daily diet and overall nourishment is really big.
They are essential to a healthy and nutritious diet. However, the amount of fruits and vegetables we eat may lack vitamins and minerals we need. Aside from eating a regular, healthy, balanced diet, having lots of sunshine and plenty of exercise; food and nutrition experts agree that it is best to take natural and organic dietary supplements in oder to achieve optimum health.
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