Why whole foods?
Historical perspective Our ancestors have been eating foods as natured prepared them for hundreds of thousands of years. Our digestive and other systems evolved in response to an abundant supply of vitamins, minerals and other micro-nutrients. The agricultural revolution that brought us grain products and domesticated animals happened only 10,000 years ago. Our digestive systems, liver and other organs have not adapted to that change. Add to that the recent (past 100 years) refining of grains, sugars and oils and we have created a diet that is massively deficient in nutrients essential to health and excessive in "empty calories".

Hasn't science improved on food? What about "enriched" foods?
First of all, science doesn't know everything. Knowledge on nutrition is doubling every 2 years and has been doing that for a generation. You would think that everything has been discovered already. Quite the contrary, this means that there is plenty left to discover and understand. An example of this is "enriched" bread and grain products. Generally, enriched flour has had 36 known natural nutrients removed and 12 artificial nutrients added back. Over time, the value of these nutrients has become known. Trace elements like chromium prevent diabetes for example. This is important because refined grains raise blood sugar levels rapidly and can lead to diabetes. Even the fiber turned out to be vitally important despite the fact that it isn't absorbed into the blood stream. Fiber is needed to carry out cholesterol and lower the risk of colon and liver cancer.

What else is in whole foods that no one has considered important yet?
The answer is that no one knows. The refining of food removes the fiber, minerals, vitamins, essential fatty acids, flavenoids, etc. Adding back a few of these (often in unnatural forms) allows the manufacturer to make claims and higher profits but does not improve the quality of the product.

A recent touted example is soy isoflavones. These help to prevent osteoporosis and the symptoms of menopause when consumed in the form of tofu and other traditionally fermented soy products. The fermentation process changes the molecule to be better absorbed by the body. Adding the unfermented isoflavone to a chocolate bar and calling it a health food is deceptive. Sure, chocolate, sugar and fat tastes better than tofu but it won't strengthen your bones or help your hot flashes.

Can't I just take supplements of these essential nutrients?
No. Supplements can help some conditions but no one knows all the nutrients found in whole foods or how they work together. Most of the research on the health benefits of various nutrients has come from studying what people eat, not what pills they take. Supplement manufacturers jump on the bandwagon when a nutrient is identified but rarely do the research to see if the pill form works as well as the whole food. There is no substitute for whole foods. What are whole foods? The best example is whole grains as opposed to white flour products. Minimally refined foods like molasses are much better than white sugar. Ask yourself, could I have obtained this food product 1,000 years ago? Sugar frosted breakfast cereal definitely does not fall into this category.

Caution
Some foods have been traditionally processed to remove harmful components. Examples include the leaves of carrots and potatoes. You don't eat olives fresh off the tree. Foods that have been a part of traditional cultures for thousands of years have a long history of safe use. Use the wisdom of our ancestors in making good food choices.

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