How to do Nutrition
Whole Foods
We’re going to revisit the Blue Zones. In The Blue Zones Secrets For
Living Longer, Dan Buettner describes the nutrition habits of each
Blue Zone, highlighting the fact that people in each of these zones
eat minimally processed whole foods—simple foods that taste
delicious. They are eating whole grains, legumes, and green leafy
vegetables. Eating minimally processed whole foods are denser in
vitamins and minerals. They make you feel full longer, help you
feel more satisfied, and are anti-inflammatory.
Tips for identifying whole foods:
1. Most whole foods are at the perimeter of the grocery store:
fresh vegetables, fruit, meat, and fish are all on the outside
aisles of the grocery store. Try to avoid the inside aisles as
much as possible when grocery shopping.
2. If it comes in a package, read the label. If there is an ingredient
you wouldn’t typically have in your kitchen, think twice before
buying it. I don’t know about you, but I don’t typically have
sodium benzoate, calcium propionate, or potassium sorbate
(all chemicals used to preserve processed foods) on the shelf
in the pantry at home.
3. A primarily plant-based diet has been shown to increase lon-
gevity, but this doesn’t mean you can’t have protein. Protein is
dense in minerals and vitamins. Most importantly, protein will
help keep you from losing muscle. Your protein should be lean
and unprocessed, like chicken, lean cuts of beef, eggs, freshly
caught fish, and other lean animal protein. For those of you
who are vegetarian or vegan, beans, lentils, and even spinach
can be a good source of protein.
Why are processed foods so bad?
Processed foods can force us to crave more calories, and many
processed foods have an addictive quality. Our brain wasn’t wired
to eat something crunchy, salty, creamy, and sweet all at the same
time. We have a tough time putting that type of deliciousness down.
Have you ever not knowingly eaten a whole pint of ice cream or
finished off an entire bag of potato chips? The BMJ, British Medical
Journal, reviewed several studies that show a strong correlation
between processed food intake and coronary heart disease as well
as an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The findings were
that just a 10 percent increase in processed intake daily led to a 13
percent and 12 percent increased risk of coronary heart disease
and cardiovascular disease, respectively. The Environmental
Working Group reviewed a 2023 study from JAMA, Journal of
American Medical Association, that links an increase in processed
food intake with a 50 percent increased risk of depression in par-
ticipants over the course of four years.
Why are whole foods so important as we age?
As discussed earlier, as we age, we are in a hormone-free fall. Our
bodies are changing as we lose muscle and gain body fat. We must
continue to think about how we progress with fitness to combat
the decline, but we must also understand the nutrition that will
support robust health, lean muscle, and high energy.
Tips for eating more whole foods:
1. Start by clearing out processed foods from your house. If it’s in
the house, someone is going to eat it.
2. Have seasonal fruit and other whole foods displayed. We
always keep a bowl of apples sitting out in the fall, berries in
the summer, etc. If it’s sitting out and you can see it, it will
likely be eaten.
3. Missing that snack you love? Need ideas on what to eat? There
are many great resources for healthy cooking. You can rec-
reate a more healthful version of almost anything you get in
a package. I love ice cream. I make a healthier version using
coconut milk sweetened with maple syrup, vanilla extract, and
dark chocolate chips. Those are the only ingredients, and it’s
delicious and easy to make.
4. Be sure to salt your food once you are on a whole-foods diet.
Your body needs sodium, which is an electrolyte. You were
probably getting too much of it when you were eating more
processed foods, but when you transition to whole foods, you
might need to supplement. If you don’t get enough sodium,
you’ll feel lethargic, get headaches, and feel hangry. You need
around 2,000 mg daily, depending on your activity level. This is
approximately 1½ teaspoons of salt.
5. If you are not one for cooking meals from scratch and prefer
going out or ordering in, get used to reading labels and asking
questions. Many great healthy restaurants serve whole foods
that are better than eating at a typical fast food place. Making
good decisions on where you get your takeout is important.
Find places that work best for you.
See you in the gym,
Aaron Leventhal CSCS, PN1, ACSM Cancer Specialist