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What is Whole30?

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    What is Whole30 and what is all the fuss? Whole30 is an elimination diet with a emphasis on real food and though it is a somewhat stricter version of the Paleo diet, many components remain the same.

    Foods allowed on Whole30 include:

  • All vegetables, including starchy ones like whole white and sweet potatoes
  • Fruit, when part of your meal
  • All forms of natural animal proteins
  • Natural and unprocessed cooking fats (tallow, lard, schmaltz, ghee, coconut, olive and avocado oils)
  • Natural salt (Himalayan Pink, Grey Sea Salt, Real Salt - bleached white salt is nothing but chemicals)
  • Unsweetened beverages (such as unflavored tea, coffee, seltzer and mineral water, etc)
  • Unsweetened traditionally fermented foods (sauerkraut, pickles, kombucha, water and coconut kefirs, etc)

    • Foods that are eliminated for during the 30 days include:

  • Legumes, including soy
  • Grains, including pseudo-grains such as quinoa
  • Dairy
  • Alcohol, even while cooking
  • Artificial colors, flavors
  • Food additives
  • Manmade fats (canola and vegetable oils, margarine)
  • Sweeteners, both natural and artificial


    • Whole30 removes foods that tend to be problematic and inflammatory to the body and allows the body to reset.  Studies have shown that it takes 30 days to break old habits and form new ones so Whole30 lasts for a full 30 days, no cheating or the 30 days will need to be restarted!

    As a holistic nutritionist, I find that Whole30 is especially helpful when addressing non-weight issues, such as allergies, digestion, mood swings, skin issues like acne, rashes and eczema, sleep issues and more, though weight loss may be a pleasant side effect.  Once all of these foods are completely removed for the specified period, eliminated foods are slowly reintroduced one at a time so that you can gauge what food had as adverse affect on your body.

    There are additional rules as well: no snacking (trying to break habits, remember?) and no Paleo-ized version of foods such as pancakes, muffins and coffee creamer are allowed. Stepping on the scale is not allowed either.  That's right!  Whole30 will allow you to identify 'crutch' foods that are relied on when time is short, there is stress or other factors and it will give you the opportunity to focus on making changes necessary to create new and healthy habits.
      
    Whole30 NOT a low-carb but just like the Atkin's diet, this lifestyle change actually requires you to choose nutrient-dense foods to nourish your body so that you are not hungry, which makes it a truly sustainable long-term choice for the family!

    For additional resources, here are a few helpful links to help get you started:

    Whole30 website
    Whole30 recipes from Whole30
    Whole30-compliant recipes from The Kitchn
    Whole30-compliant recipes from Against All Grain
    Whole30-compliant recipes from Nom Nom Paleo
    Whole30-compliant recipes from Stupid, Easy Paleo
    Even Food & Wine has recipes!

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