Published on October 12th, 2007 | by Stephanie Evans

The Benefits of Eating Organic Whole Foods

Organic whole foods are foods that are unrefined/unprocessed completely or processed and refined as little as possible. Examples of organic whole foods are unpolished organic grains, organically grown produce, and non-homogenized milk. Most often you can find organic whole foods at Farmer’s Markets because much organic produce and many other whole organic foods have a short shelf life.

Organic whole foods tend to be high in anti-oxidants, which are shown to reduce the risk for certain types of cancers, heart disease, asthma, and even arthritis. Organic whole grains are higher in fiber than refined grains and are essential to a health digestive tract.

Many foods are stripped of their vitamins and minerals after being processed or refined. Part of the reasoning behind stripping these nutrients is to lengthen shelf life. For example, the skin is taken away from canned tuna and the skin is where many of the essential Omega-3 fatty acids are located. Refined and processed foods also have many chemical additives and fillers to promote longer shelf life, or to simply make the color more attractive. Organic whole foods do not contain these chemicals or additives.

When shopping for organic produce or organic whole foods, it is important to make sure you check the labeling. As all whole foods are not organic, nor are all organic foods considered whole foods.