What Is a Whole-Foods Diet?

A whole-foods diet is not a formal or commercial diet, says Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim and adjunct professor at New York University. Rather, a whole foods–based approach to eating is designed to be a long-term, sustainable plan.

It’s about as self-explanatory as possible: You fill your plate with whole foods and, as much as you can, avoid those that are processed. Whole foods, Dr. Young explains, are as close to their natural, unprocessed form as possible. They include foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables, lean meats like chicken and fish, milk, yogurt, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

“The whole-foods diet is not closely defined — there’s a big gray area,” says Caroline Susie, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in Dallas. “The idea is to consume minimally processed foods as close to their natural state as possible.”

Whole vs. Processed Foods

Before you try a whole-foods diet, it’s important to know that most foods you’re eating are processed to some degree. Cooked, canned, frozen, packaged, or nutritionally altered foods are all considered “processed.”

Nutritionally altered foods include those that are fortified or preserved. That said, any time a food is prepared or cooked, it’s processed to some degree. Take the roasted pistachios you snack on, the bagged lettuce you buy for a lunchtime salad, or the brown rice you’re boiling to eat — they’ve all been processed, even if only mildly.

“I think we need education around the term ‘processed foods,’” says Susie. “They can be very convenient, especially since we’re all so busy. I don’t want someone thinking they cannot have 90-second microwaveable brown rice, when it’s a nutritional powerhouse.”

On the whole-foods diet, it’s okay to occasionally have lightly processed foods like yogurt and cheese (as long as they’re not awash in sauces or syrups). Canned and frozen fruits and vegetables can also be healthy choices when enjoyed without added sugar and excess sodium. Just aim to avoid highly processed fare, such as fast food, frozen pizza, and microwaveable dinners.

You can easily identify these foods because they come prepackaged and have a long list of ingredients you’ve never heard of that are often difficult to pronounce. These foods can contain a lot of added sugar and sodium, two nutrients that Americans are eating too much of. Eating too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

And excess sugar consumption comes with a greater risk of health ills, such as excess weight gain and type 2 diabetes.

What Are the Potential Health Benefits of a Whole-Foods Diet?

“Whole foods retain their nutrients, phytochemicals, and fiber, which are often removed in processed foods,” says Young. Research suggests that there are many reasons to consider making the move toward eating more of this nutrient-rich fresh food and less heavily processed fare, including:

Chronic Disease Prevention

Although some animal products are allowed as part of this eating plan, a whole-foods diet will most likely mean an increase in your intake of healthy plant-based foods, because it emphasizes fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. In one study, people who stuck to a plant-based diet had a 19 percent lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and an 11 percent lower risk of dying from any cause, compared with those whose diet was lower in plant-based foods.

What’s more, a review has identified that diets full of whole foods — specifically whole grains, vegetables, fruit, fermented dairy, fish, olive oil, nuts, chocolate, coffee and tea — are associated with a lower risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Meanwhile, consumption of red and processed meats and sugary beverages was linked to a higher risk of those conditions.

Chronic Disease Management

A diet that emphasizes plant-based whole foods tends to be packed with nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Eating this way may also naturally help limit fat and calorie intake. For those reasons, it’s a great way to help manage or treat conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, and autoimmune diseases.

Weight Loss

Many processed foods are packed with sugar and salt to enhance flavor. Cutting them out may “save calories, which can lead to weight loss and could extend life and prevent disease,” says Young. One randomized controlled trial noted that people who ate a processed diet consumed 500 additional calories per day, compared with people eating an unprocessed diet. This correlated with gaining about two pounds over two weeks; participants then lost that weight when switching over to an unprocessed diet.

This study was small (just 20 adults) and completed over a short period of time (14 days), but larger studies show that diets that include a lot of ultra-processed foods increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

In another study, six months of following a whole-foods, plant-based diet led to about 10 pounds of weight loss, compared with a control group who lost less than a pound during that time. Participants in both groups were overweight or obese and were living with at least one chronic condition, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. Overall, the group following the whole-foods diet maintained this weight loss over 12 months.

Improved GI Health

By filling your diet with foods that are naturally packed with fiber — whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables — you’re more likely to reach your recommended daily fiber intake. (Women should aim for at least 25 grams of fiber per day, while men should aim for at least 38 grams per day.)

“A diet high in fiber leads to lower rates of chronic disease and improved digestion and gastrointestinal health,” says Young.

A Stronger Immune System

Eating a healthy, balanced diet supports immune system health. Focusing on variety ensures that you’re getting a range of nutrients, such as vitamin C, zinc, and selenium, that are known to boost your body’s defenses.

What’s more, a diet lacking in fruits and vegetables but filled with ultra-processed foods (which are discouraged or severely limited in this eating plan) may negatively affect gut health and raise inflammation, both of which may have negative effects on your immune system.

What Are the Risks of a Whole-Foods Diet?

Generally, there are few downsides to a whole-foods diet, as long as you maintain perspective. “It’s important to realize that this does not have to be all or nothing. By avoiding that mentality, you will not be setting yourself up for failure,” says Young.

“Tread lightly if you have a history of disordered eating,” adds Susie. Following a whole-foods diet too strictly can veer into a fixation on “clean eating” and, for some people, even prompt shame if they eat something processed.

If you have become obsessed with food choices in the past, reach out to a registered dietitian who can help you adjust your diet in a safe way. You can also reach out to the National Eating Disorders Association for resources and support.

While it’s not a risk, another potential negative with this diet is that it likely will require more meal planning and prep than eating processed foods does — though that’s something that you can get used to and streamline through habits like batch cooking and freezing leftovers, adds Young.

A Detailed Whole-Foods Diet Food List to Follow: What to Eat and Avoid

The following foods can be part of your eating plan on a whole-foods diet:

Whole grains (for example, steel-cut or old-fashioned oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, farro, bulgur)
Fruits
Nonstarchy vegetables (asparagus, green beans, bell peppers)
Starchy vegetables (corn, carrots, potatoes)
Avocado
Poultry
Seafood, including fish
Eggs
Plain yogurt
Cottage cheese
Cheese
Nuts and seeds
Legumes (beans and lentils)
Oil (olive oil, avocado oil)

Avoid or limit the following foods as much as possible:

White bread
French fries
Snack mixes
Chips and crackers
Frozen pizza
Fast food
Snack bars
Boxed macaroni and cheese
Chicken nuggets
Hot dogs
Commercial baked goods
Deli meat
Most microwave meals
Candy
Soda and other sweetened beverages

A 7-Day Whole-Foods Eating Plan

When putting together meals, aim to include a source of protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables, suggests Susie. (This aligns with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate recommendations, in which you aim to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with grains, and a quarter with lean protein. A serving of low-fat or fat-free dairy on the side is optional.)

Day 1

Breakfast Vegetable omelet and an orange

Lunch Salad topped with chicken and avocado, and a broth-based soup

Snack Apples and cheese

Dinner Grilled shrimp and roasted vegetables served with brown rice

Day 2

Breakfast Egg and spinach scramble with whole-grain toast

Lunch Three-bean chili

Snack Plain yogurt and berries

Dinner Grilled chicken with Brussels sprouts and roasted sweet potato

Day 3

Breakfast Oatmeal with berries and walnuts

Lunch Grilled shrimp and roasted vegetables, plus a whole-grain roll

Snack Cottage cheese and fruit

Dinner Brown rice and tofu bowl with vegetables

Day 4

Breakfast Chia seed pudding with berries

Lunch Homemade chicken salad in a pita

Snack Dark chocolate with almonds

Dinner Turkey meatballs served over zucchini noodles or whole-grain pasta

Day 5

Breakfast Plain yogurt with sliced fruit, seeds, and cacao nibs

Lunch Warm spinach salad topped with chickpeas and quinoa

Snack Pistachios and an orange

Dinner Salmon with broccoli and farro

Day 6

Breakfast Old-fashioned oatmeal with apples and pecans

Lunch Quinoa bowl with vegetables and tahini sauce

Snack Dark chocolate and dried apricots

Dinner Marinated grilled chicken with butternut squash mash and green beans

Day 7

Breakfast Hard-boiled eggs and old-fashioned oatmeal

Lunch Lentil and vegetable soup

Snack Pear and cheese

Dinner Stuffed peppers with quinoa and ground turkey

Roxana Ehsani, RD

Medical Reviewer

Roxana Ehsani, RD, is a Miami-based licensed dietitian-nutritionist, board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, and media spokesperson, consultant, and content creator for food and nutrition brands. She is an adjunct instructor for sports nutrition at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.

Ehsani appears as a food and nutrition expert for television stations across the nation and in national publications, including Runner's World, Women's Health, Glamour, and more, and is a contributing writer for EatingWell. She has a strong background in sports nutrition and has worked with professional, Olympic, collegiate, and high school teams and individual athletes, whom she sees through her private practice.

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Jessica Migala

Author

Jessica Migala is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. She has written extensively about vision care, diabetes, dermatology, gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, cancer, pregnancy, and gynecology. She was previously an assistant editor at Prevention where she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.

She has contributed to more than 40 print and digital publications, including Cosmopolitan, O:The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, Fitness, Family Circle, Health, Prevention, Self, VICE, and more. Migala lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young boys, rescue beagle, and 15 fish. When not reporting, she likes running, bike rides, and a glass of wine (in moderation, of course).

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Resources

Klemm S. Processed Foods: A Closer Look. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. January 30, 2023.
Sodium Intake and Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. June 6, 2023.
Get the Facts: Added Sugars. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. November 28, 2021.
Kim H et al. Plant-Based Diets Are Associated With a Lower Risk of Incident Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Disease Mortality, and All-Cause Mortality in a General Population of Middle-Aged Adults. Journal of the American Heart Association. August 20, 2019.
Schulze M et al. Food Based Dietary Patterns and Chronic Disease Prevention. BMJ. June 13, 2018.
Hall KD et al. Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake. Cell Metabolism. July 2, 2019.
McManus KD. What Are Ultra-Processed Foods and Are They Bad for Our Health? Harvard Health Blog. January 9, 2020.
Wright N et al. The BROAD Study: A Randomised Controlled Trial Using a Whole Food Plant-Based Diet in the Community for Obesity, Ischaemic Heart Disease or Diabetes. Nutrition & Diabetes. March 2017.
Larson H. Easy Ways to Boost Fiber in Your Daily Diet. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. March 1, 2021.
Nutrition and Immunity. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
MyPlate. U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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