Focus on Whole Foods

The American diet once was mainly whole foods, or foods that have not been through processing before reaching the grocery store. Families grew their own vegetables, prepared home-cooked meals together, and consumed less processed foods. Times have changed and Americans are now eating more processed foods than ever! Here are some tips to help you focus on healthy whole foods.

Whole foods consist of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole nuts, and other foods that exist in their natural, recognizable form. Whole wheat flour and other whole wheat items with very little preservatives and other additives are other examples of whole foods. You wouldn't take stalks of raw wheat home to process your own wheat flour. Whole wheat flour is available at the grocery store and ready to use!

Many breads and baked goods come from refined, bleached white flour. When wheat is refined, certain layers of wheat are removed. These are the layers that contain many of the vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients. Foods such as these, are often enriched with added vitamins and minerals to replace the nutrients that were removed. It is important to include whole foods in your diet to help ensure optimal nutrition.

Here are some phrases to keep in mind while shopping for packaged whole foods that are tasty and nutritious.

• On breads, pastas, cracker, cereals, and other baked products, look on the ingredient list. The first word on the list of ingredients should be "Whole..."
• 100 percent fruit
• No added sugars
• Low sodium
• Made from whole ripe....(e.g., tomatoes, cranberries, raspberries, etc.)