What's In A Whole And Natural Foods Pantry?

Food. The term is almost synonymous with life itself. As written in the book The Whole Foods Diet [The Lifesaving Plan for Health and Longevity], “we devote more time procuring food and eating them than we do any other life-sustaining activity except breathing and sleeping.”

If you were to picture what the inside of a whole and natural foods pantry looks like, it would be to imagine it filled with a variety of nutrient-rich, health-promoting plant foods: Fruits, grains, berries, leaves, roots, legumes, flowers, nuts and seeds.

Fruits include the parts of plants that contain seeds such as tomatoes, apples, mangos, melons, oranges, peppers, cucumbers, and pumpkins. Grains are the seeds themselves: quinoa, oats, barley, corn, wheat, and the like. Roots are the parts of plants that grow below the ground, producing vegetables such as yam, sweet potato, colorful beets and carrots, turnip, radish, garlic, onion, shallots, ginger, arrowroot, turmeric, fennel, and cassava (the root from which tapioca is made). Flowers are broccoli, cauliflower, dandelions, and so on. Nuts and other seeds: walnuts, almond, cashews, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flaxseed, and more, contain a wide range of healthy fats, protein, and fiber.

A wholefood kitchen is a living, breathing space where we translate intent and knowledge into food that can heal, nourish and delight. But is also so much more than this.

"A kitchen filled with whole and natural foods is a powerful place – it is where our most fundamental needs for nourishment are met – from the food we eat to sitting around a table with our loved ones and laying down our burdens of the day." This is an excerpt from the book Wholefood From the Ground Up by Jude Blereau. In the book, Jude Bluerau also goes on to state that ‘having some good foundations and some good tools will help you make good-for-you delicious meals with less stress. And, it all begins with a whole and natural foods pantry.’

The ultimate goal in transitioning toward a whole food diet is to choose cooking methods that retain the nutritional value of food. The closer foods are to their native states – prepared with minimal fat, sugar, salting, and processing – the greater the long-term health benefits. And while it can be a challenge to incorporate whole foods into your everyday diet and completely avoid processed foods, learning how to cut them down can be a great place to start. It’s also important to take the time you need to make the transition, sustainably, in the way that works best for you.

Processed foods contain many ingredients that contribute to poor health: chemicals, preservatives, unhealthy fats, excess sugars, additives, artificial food dyes, refined carbohydrates, and synthetic vitamins and minerals the body cannot process, and more. As a general rule, if there is an ingredient on a food label you can’t make at home or you won’t find in nature, the best practice is to leave the product on the shelf!

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To Note:
The content in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is in no way intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical or other health condition. Your use of the content is at your sole discretion. The content does not constitute medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a licensed practitioner or health care provider.