The Whole 30 Diet aims to help you avoid foods that could be harming your health.

While the diet program is based on temporary caloric restriction. Its purpose, rather than being weight loss, is to have a mindful approach on how to nurture our bodies properly.

In this article, we will review the Whole 30 Diet to provide insight on whether it may be a good fit for you. 

What is the Whole 30 Diet? 

It aims to reset the metabolism by eliminating the consumption of certain foods for 30-days. After the cleansing, restricted foods are slowly reintroduced one by one back to your diet. The end goal is to identify if the food triggers a reaction to the body, allowing you to recognize if your body has an adverse reaction to certain foods. 

Foods in the Whole 30 Diet 

During the 30-days of cleansing, the Whole 30 Diet Plan includes a strict list of foods. For the most part, it encourages the consumption of unprocessed foods. Consider the following to build a diet plan under the Whole 30 guidelines:

Excluded Foods

• Dairy. It can lead to gastrointestinal or digestive issues like inflammation and gas. Plus, some dairy products contain hormones, in which consumption is linked to various cancers including breast, prostate, and endometrial tumors.
• Added Sugar. It has little to no nutritional value. It contributes to body inflammation, weight gain, and mood swings. Highly sugar-sweetened foods are not recommended for people struggling with depression or anxiety.
• Alcohol. It is a depressant substance that affects the brain. Also, the effects of alcohol might lead to poor judgment, causing one to skip or break the strict diet program and affect the outcome.
• Beans and Legumes. Although they provide health benefits, some might cause stomach distress like gas, bloating, and stool changes.
• Grains. Refined grains provide little nutritional value. Whole 30 recommends vegetables as the main source of fiber.

Allowed Foods 

• Animal protein. All kinds except dairy products. Eat moderate amounts and complement it with plenty of vegetables and fruits.
• Vegetables and Fruits. Eating them whole provides a great source of fiber and vitamins.
• Healthy Fats. Foods rich in healthy fats are avocados, olive oil, salmon, tuna fish, pecans, and more.
• Nuts. They are a good source of energy because of their high amount of healthy fats and protein. The only nuts excluded from this diet are peanuts and soy nuts.

Benefits

The Whole 30 Diet encourages you to eliminate the consumption of processed foods. These foods happen to be very unhealthy because of their high doses of sodium and sugar.

We can improve our relationship with food by acknowledging which foods trigger a negative response in our bodies. After finishing the diet, the purpose is to mindfully decide if our cravings are worth its unpleasant reaction in our bodies.

Whole 30 aims to help you discover a long-term sustainable and balanced eating plan, which includes foods that:

• Improve gut health and reduce digestive stress.
• Reduce inflammation by eliminating sodium consumed from processed foods.
• Support brain health by reducing sugary foods that happen to be associated with depression and anxiety.

Downsides

The Whole 30 Diet doesn’t fulfill the USDA requirements to be considered as a healthy diet plan. Therefore, it is not recommended for people under conditions like diabetes, malnutrition, or pregnancy. 

Since it is a 30-day cleansing diet, some people find it hard to follow throughout the whole diet without cheating. 

Mindful and healthy eating is possible! Consult with our nutrition experts at Z.E.N. Foods to get a suitable and sustainable eating plan.