Saying No to Ultra Processed Foods? What to Eat Instead
Wholefoods
If you are saying no to ultra processed foods what should you eat instead? Well the best things to include in your meal plans are definitely wholefoods.
What are wholefoods?
Wholefoods are foods which are in the most natural form possible. They are foods which will have been processed or refined as little as possible, if at all, and will not contain added ingredients such as salt, sugar, carbohydrates or fats.
Quite the opposite then are ultra-processed foods, that scientists have recently come out against, which are defined as being foods that have been altered to include fats, starches, sugars, salts and hydrogenated oils extracted from other foods along with artificial flavours and chemicals. Read our blog article which explains in more detail what ultra-processed foods are.
Say No to Ultra-Processed Foods, Bulk Buy Wholefoods Online
To help you increase the amount of wholefoods in your diet we have some great quality, good value foods that can be bought in bulk wholesale sizes for delivery direct to your door. Bulk buying is a great way to save money so why not share a delivery with your friends and neighbours, enabling you to order more and save more? The more you buy, the less it costs per 100g. You can see the widest range of the healthiest, nutritious foods available in original bulk, or smaller sizes, on our Wholesale Page
Here's a selection of some our most popular wholefoods.
Who should eat wholefoods?
Well, put simply, everyone.
We should all be including more wholefoods in our daily meal menus as means of increasing our intake of dietary fibre, vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients.
When should we eat wholefoods?
Basically we should be eating wholefoods at every meal and at snack time too.
Why should we eat wholefoods not ultra processed foods?
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Wholefoods tend to contain more vitamins and minerals than refined or processed foods do.
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Wholefoods are an excellent source of dietary fibre. Included as part of a healthy diet, fibre can help to prevent certain diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. It is also important in the management of constipation.
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Wholefoods contain many natural substances recognised as being important for maintaining good health. Fruit and vegetables for example are a source of phytochemicals which are believed to help protect against heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Wholefoods are often good sources of antioxidants that protect the body from free-radical damage.
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Wholefoods, unlike most processed or refined foods, are low in salt and sugar.
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Wholefoods are free from additives such as colourings and preservatives which are often present in processed foods to improve their shelf life, their appearance and their texture.
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Wholefoods such as nuts and seeds are high in essential fatty acids which are good for your health. They do not contain the harmful trans and saturated fats that have been added to processed foods and have been linked with many health conditions.
For more information on pulses and grains, please read The Real Foods Guide to Grains and The Real Foods Guide to Pulses.
Who's Who of Wholefoods
Read our Who's Who of Wholefoods collection for a little more up close information on some of our most popular wholefoods.
How can we eat more wholefoods when saying no to ultra processed foods?
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Increase the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables you eat each day.
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Try a handful of nuts or seeds for a snack once a day.
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Eat whole grains whenever possible. Grains such as:
Wheat, Oats, Brown Rice, Barley (NOT pearl barley), Spelt, Kamut, Millet, Amaranth, Sprouted Grains, Buckwheat and Quinoa.
These are all whole grains that are unrefined and have not had their bran and germ removed by milling.
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Drink water, fresh fruit juice, herbal and fruit teas or green tea.
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Avoid eating refined grains. White flour, white rice, white bread and white pasta have all been made from milled grains that have been stripped of many of their nutrients and fibre.
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Avoid (or reduce) eating convenience and processed foods such as cakes, biscuits, crisps, frozen meals and pies.
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Avoid sugary drinks and limit drinks containing stimulants such as black tea and coffee.
So if you're looking to say no to ultra processed foods and yes to more wholefoods, you know you can find what you need here at Real Foods.