Consumers trying to select healthier food items often confront some ambiguous terms as they pursue a better lifestyle and diet: whole, vegetarian, raw, and organic. While all these terms represent healthier choices, there are crucial differences between them and different reasons for pursuing each food type.

The Buzz about Whole Foods – What Are They?

In general, whole foods usually refers to food that:

1) includes most edible parts of the food,

2) is minimally processed, and

3) contains no artificial chemicals or preservatives.

These foods are as close to their “whole” or natural state as possible.

Consuming more whole foods can have a wide range of benefits, including providing more vitamins and minerals, slowing down the aging processes, improving insulin levels, and increasing a person’s sense of well being.

A good example of a whole food is whole wheat. Whole wheat includes the bran, endosperm and germ. This is in contrast to a product like Wonder® Bread, which only contains the endosperm from the wheat, and adds such frightening ingredients as high fructose corn syrup, diglycerides, and diammonium phosphate. Unfortunately, the FDA has not officially defined what constitutes a “whole food”. To reduce confusion, it may be helpful to compare the term to other related health terms.

Whole Foods vs. Vegetarian Foods

Vegetarian foods are simply foods produced without any animal parts, except for certain dairy products. Frequently, consumers follow a vegetarian diet for ethical and spiritual reasons, as well as health reasons. Like a vegetarian diet, a whole foods diet usually has an emphasis on whole grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables. However, a whole foods diet may also include minimally processed meats. Furthermore, a vegetarian diet may contain certain processed foods, like refined sugars.

Whole Foods vs. Raw Foods

If a whole foods diet contains minimally processed foods, a raw foods diet takes it to the next level and eliminates cooking all foods. The basic idea behind eating raw foods is that cooking simply destroys too many nutrients, especially vitamins and enzymes. More vitamins and enzymes make it easier for the body to properly digest foods. All raw foods are whole foods, but all whole foods are not necessarily raw. Furthermore, many times a raw food diet is also vegetarian, but not necessarily.

Whole Foods vs. Organic Foods

“Organic foods” is the only term that is legally regulated. Organic foods must be certified organic and grown without conventional pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, radiation, sewage sludge, or bioengineering. Beyond that classification, there are no further health considerations. A farmer can produce organic refined sugar, which can then be processed into high-priced organic candy. Organic foods are not necessarily whole foods, and whole foods are not necessarily organic.