Let's Talk About Whole...

There is a universal nutrition principle that says ... "As food processing increases, nutrient density decreases".
So why do we care about that? Because minimally-processed whole foods (such as grains, nuts, eggs, and fish) contain a vast selection of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients (plant nutrients), and zoonutrients (animal nutrients). And processed foods, whilst sometimes convenient and cheaper, do not.
Science tells us that us humans are healthier when we consume more whole foods and fewer refined ones.
This is probably because the greater the degree of processing, the higher the likelihood that a food:

* Has lost nutritional value, such as fibre, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, and zoonutrients.
* Has gained additives, preservatives, fillers, sugar, sodium, unhealthy fats, and/or refined starch.
So how do we tell a whole food?
Without getting too carried away, whole foods are as close as possible to the way in which it came out of the sky, sea or land.
Minimally-processed whole foods are also rich in fibre and/or protein—two nutrients that help bolster satiety. And they tend to have fewer calories per serving than highly-processed refined foods.
Both of these traits make it easier for us to control our weight.
In fact, minimally-processed whole foods may be what all successful diets share in common.
Recent studies have shown that participants experienced the same amount of weight loss—regardless of carb or fat intake—as long as they minimized their consumption of refined sugars, flours, and other processed foods while emphasizing whole foods like veggies. One randomised controlled trial even found that people ate a stunning 500 more calories per day when they consumed a diet rich in ultra-processed foods compared to a diet rich in minimally-processed whole foods. That’s essentially the equivalent of consuming more than an extra meal a day!
What does this mean for us?
As a team, we are 100 percent confident about the importance of whole foods, but we’re also extremely confident about something else: Progress is much more important than perfection.
So rather than separating foods into “whole” and “not whole” categories, imagine a spectrum. As food becomes more processed and refined, it loses a little bit of its nutritional power.
The goal with whole foods isn’t to get things “perfect.” Instead, focus on making them “just a little bit better.”
A rotisserie chicken from the supermarket may not be a pastured, lovingly hand-raised, heritage Chanticleer roasted in a high-end convection oven… but it sure beats chicken nuggets.

At the end of the day, making sure we consume a bit more protein, enough vitamins and minerals, added healthy fats, and more water will get our bodies working better in no time.