Coaches Corner – Benefits of Whole vs Processed Foods

We live in a very abundant food environment these days. Options are at an all time high, and there are endless options for convenience. But these convenient options don't always spell success for your health and wellbeing goals.

The issue with the heavily processed convenience based foods is that they are often full of a plethora of preservatives, filler, seed oils, antibiotics in meat, and chemicals. Research is still developing on the effects of these chemicals, but some of them are linked to gut health issues, cell damage, and cancer in rats. Avoiding processed foods and sticking to whole foods (meat, vegetables, carb sources with low ingredient counts) may improve gut health and overall wellbeing.

Another big issue with processed foods is that they can be high in calories, low in protein, and not satiating. For someone focusing on a lower calorie diet, this can be extremely detrimental. If you choose a 450 calorie meal replacement bar, your hunger may be satiated for a short time, but you'll also be consuming a lot of processed sugar, fats, and chemicals, and your hunger will likely return soon. But if you were to have a 450 calorie meal of 5 ounces of chicken breast and brown rice with some stir fried veggies, you'd be getting 48 grams of protein (protein is extremely satiating), fiber (which also helps you feel full), and a higher volume of food. All of these factors provide a more satisfying meal, and more sustained release of glucose into the blood stream, while not filling your body with questionable chemicals.

A 150 calorie snack size bag of potato chips is the same story: high fat, high sodium, and very low volume of food that won't have you feeling much satisfaction of your hunger. But 150 calories of fruit provides micronutrients, fiber, and a natural source of sugar for the sweet tooth.

With a little planning ahead and prepping meals and snacks in advance, you can have the benefits of the convenience of something ready to eat quickly, while still staying on your health and fitness goals.

by Hidden Gym Trainer Rob Hines