In recent times, people have grown more conscious of their health and fitness. Besides regular exercising, there has been an increased clamor for whole foods at the expense of refined foods. Whole foods are those foods which are unrefined and unprocessed or have undergone minimal processing and refining before consumption. Examples include; non-homogenized dairy products, fruits, vegetables, unpolished grains, beans among others.
Whole food supplements can be made from concentrated and dehydrated whole foods with the addition of minerals, vitamins, and enzymes. These supplements can be taken by anyone, but they are particularly important in individuals above 55 years, people who are dieting so that they can lose weight, individuals on medication which impair normal absorption of specific nutrients and individuals who lack vegetables and fruits in their diet.
Whole food nutrition, through supplements, can help you lead a healthier life. The following are five main reasons on why you should insist on taking whole food nutrition.
1. They have a high nutrient density
These supplements contain a significant amount of nutrient per serving or amount. There are some nutrients which are regarded by the body as essential. These essential nutrients are vital for proper functioning of the body, and since they aren’t manufactured by the body, they must be taken through diet. They include; some fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. Supplements of whole foods are the perfect source of these essential nutrients because they have high amounts of unchanged and natural nutrients. Hence, these supplements complete and strengthen a balanced diet which is necessary for maintaining a normal hormone balance, bone and reproductive health among many of the body’s physiological processes.
2. They undergo minimal processing at low temperatures
These supplements are obtained from whole foods which aren’t processed or minimally processed at low temperatures. Processing at high temperatures has an effect of altering or inactivating essential nutrients. Therefore, these supplements contain unaltered essential nutrients.
3. They are easily absorbed and assimilated
Nutrients from these supplements are easily absorbed and utilized by the body. They are considered to be ‘body ready’ in the sense that they boost the body’s ability to absorb and use them. To enhance this, the supplements are designed such that they contain nutrients in an already broken down form. Additionally, co-factors can be added to the nutrient complex. Co-factors serve to enhance absorption and assimilation.
4. They are derived from organically grown whole foods
Growing and processing of organic foods adhere to environmentally friendly and health promoting methods.
This implies that whole foods, from which the supplements are derived from, don’t contain herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and other harmful chemicals. Therefore, whole foods and their respective supplements don’t contain damaging chemicals that could harm health.
5. They contain potent phytochemicals which help fight disease
Supplements extracted from whole foods such as garden vegetables like kales and parsley and fruits like plums and blueberries do contain phytochemicals necessary in the body’s disease-fighting process. These phytochemicals are important in fighting cancer, cleansing the blood, liver detoxification, and rebuilding of nerve tissue.
Supplements obtained from medicinal mushrooms such as reishi, mistake, and lion’s mane do contain phytochemicals which regulate blood pressure, lower blood sugar levels, and fight cancer cells in addition to boosting immunity. Moreover, some compounds found in these supplements of whole foods could help in the management of depression, digestive illnesses, and chronic fatigue syndromes.
Whole food nutrition and supplementation by extension, do promote healthy living because they are an invaluable source of vital dietary fiber, micronutrients and protective substances such as phytochemicals and antioxidants. In your quest for productive supplements, you should consider whole food nutrition.