the whole9 - shopping guide

8/3/2019 The Whole9 - Shopping Guide

1/6

THE WHOLE30 MADE SIM PLEYourSuccess Guide to the Whole30... and beyond

An In troduction to th e Whole9 Shopp ing Guide

Before we jump into our Shopping Guide, we'd like to talk a little bit about food choices, versus food quality. During yourWhole30, your only job is to focus on making good food choices. There are no "qual ity" requirements for the Whole30-we don't require organic fruit or grass-fed beef, for example. Our focus is simply on which foods you choose. Instead of abagel for breakfast, have an egg, spinach and avocado scramble. Instead of a side of pasta or rice, have mashed caulifloweror spaghetti squash. If you simply make good food choices during your Whole30, you will be very successful.

However, we also want to give you some information about improving your food quality as well. Not all hamburger iscreated equal, and organic fruits and vegetables can be a healthier choice. It's certainly not mandatory that you focus onimproving the quality of your healthy food choices at this time ... but we'd like to give you some information, if and whenyou find you are ready to take a closer look at where your food comes from.

Animal Pro te in Sources

The way your animal was raised and the food that it was fed impacts the animal's health and welfare, and the quality ofthe meat it produces.

Ideally, the healthiest meats (and butters) come from animals raised in their natural environment (on pasture, or free-ranging or swimming), not exposed to any artificial contaminants (like antibiotics, hormones, pesticides and otherenvironmental toxins) and fed their natural diet (foods the animal would eat in the wild). To read a nice synopsis of thebenefi ts of eating meat from such sources, refer to the Eat Wild web site: http://www.eatwild.com/basics.html

Tip: If you seek out grass-fed/pastured and organic animal protein sources, feel free to purchase and eat fattiercuts. A healthy animal produces healthy meat, containing more vitamin E, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and anumber of health-promoting fats, including omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). And we haveno issue with you eating that kind of fat.

Look for words like "grass-finished", "grass-fed", "pastured", "wild-caught", "organic" and "sustainable" to helpyou choose these the healthiest cuts of meat, fish and eggs.

Conversely, many of today's farms are actual ly large industrial facili ties , not the green pastures and red barns that most ofus imagine. These consolidated operations (called "factory farming") are able to produce food in high volume, but havelittle to no regard for the environment, animal welfare or food safety. Factory farmed animals are raised in a less thanhealthy environment (contaminated with pesticides, heavy metals and other environmental toxins), are given unnaturalfood addi tives (like antibiotics and hormones) , and are fed diets that don't support the animal's health (like corn, grains,soy and other animal by-products). For more information about the factory farming system, visit the Sustainable Table website: http://www .susta inableta ble.o rg/issues/factoryfa rm i ngl

Tip: Ifyou are purchasing factory farmed meat - your typical $0.99 eggs,grocery store ground beef or chicken andfarmed fish - then the heal thiest option is to buy the leanest cut possible, and trim and drain al l the visible fat. Someadditives and contaminants from the factory farming system - l ike pestlcldes , antibiotics and hormones - are fatsoluble. Those things make their way into the animal, and into the meat. These unhealthy contaminants can beconcentrated within the fat of these animals, which iswhy we recommend you buy a leaner cut.

Understand our recommendations for "lean cuts" aren't because we're fat-phobic - anything but, in fact! But not all fat iscreated equal, and fat from an unhealthy animal is best left pn the cutting board, not put in your body. For moreinformation about making high quality meat, fish and egg choices, see the Conscientious Omnivore series of posts on ourweb si te (http://whole9Iife.com/category/conscientious-omnivore/). And refer to your Shopplrtg Guide for additionalguidelines, broken down by animal protein source.

@20 11 Wh ole 9 L ife , L LC Page 13 www.wbole9Iife.com
http://www.eatwild.com/basics.htmlhttp://www.wbole9iife.com/http://www.wbole9iife.com/http://www.eatwild.com/basics.html


2/6

TH E WHOLE30 MADE SIM PLEYourSuccess Guide to the Whole30... and beyond

Vege table s and Fru itsCertified organic vegetables and fruits are produced using methods that do not involve synthetic pesticides and chemicalfertilizers, do not contain genetical ly modified organisms (GMOs), and are not processed using irradiation, industrialsolvents, or chemical food additives. They are generally regarded as more nutrient-dense, and environmentally safe. Weencourage purchasing organic fruits {especially} and vegetables when you have capacity. However, while pesticides aren'tdelicious, it's not essential that you purchase organic produce to eat healthfully. In fact, if you've only got capacity to focuson improving the quality of ONE item on your plate, we think you'd be better off focusing on improving the quality of youranimal protein sources first.

Tip: it's not always crucial to purchase organic vegetables and fruits. Your Shopping Guide provides you withguidelines based on reports from the Environmental Working Group. The latest report (issued in June 2011) detailthe "dirtiest" (most contaminated with pesticide) and "cleanest" (least contaminated) produce items. If you're onatight budget, prioritize purchasing organic forthe dirtiest ofthe dirty, and buy the rest conventional.

in addi tion, keep in mind that even if a producer is certi fied organic, the use of the USDAOrganic label isvoluntary. At thesame time, not everyone goes through the rigorous and expensive process of becoming certified, especially smaller farmingoperations. When shopping at a fermers' market, for example, don't hesitate to askthe vendors how your food was grown.

Other Foods

Whether to purchase organic cooking oils, nuts and seeds, coconut milk or other types of foods is going to be up to you.We don't see the need to buy everything organic, but the more research you do and the more resources you have(financial, especially), you may decide to start purchasing more organic foods.

The organic label does mean the product is free from chemical additives (like food colorings) and unhealthy preservatives(like sulfites), which makes your label-reading a bit easier. But just because a product is labeled "organic" doesn'tautomatically make it healthy! (They're selling organic Oreos now. Really.) in addition, the "organic" label means differentthings, depending on the exact wording.

From the Organic.org web site (www.organic.org),

100% Organic: Foods bearing this label are made with 100% organic ingredients and may display the USDAOrganicseal.

Organic: These products contain at least 95% organic ingredients (by weight). The remaining ingredients are notavailable organically. These products may display the USDAOrganic seal.

Made With Organic Ingredients: Food packaging that reads "Made With Organic ingredients" must contain at least70% organic ingredients. These products will not bear the USDA Organic seal; instead, they may list up to threeingredients on the front of the packaging.

Other: Packaging with less than 70% organic ingredients may only list organic ingredients on the informationpane! of the packaging. These products will not bear the USDAOrganic seal.

Finally, understand again that from our perspective, improving the Quality of youranima l p ro te in sou rces comes first.

20 11 Wh ole9 L ife , L LC Page14 www.whoJe9life.com
http://www.whoje9life.com/http://www.whoje9life.com/


3/6

THE WHOLE30 MADE SIM PLEYourSuccess Guide to the Whola30 . ..and beyond

Whole9 S ho pp in g Guid e: P ro tein

o Eggs/EggWhitesBest: "pastured" + organicBetter: organic (Omega-3 enriched optional)Good: store-bought \

o Other Meats (Wild Boar, Ostrich, etc.)Best: wild-caught/hunted or locally farmedBetter: organically raisedGood: store-bought

o Poultry (Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Quail, Pheasant)Best: "pastured" + organic (or hunted)Better: organicGood: store-bought, skin removed

o Fish,Seafood and ShellfishBest: Consult the Whole9 reference belowBetter: wild-caught, sustainably fishedGood: store-bought

o Beef/Bison/BuffaloBest: grass-finished (100% grass-fed) + organicBetter: grass fed + organicGood: lean, trimmed/drained of all visible fat

o PorkBest: "100% pastured" + organic (or hunted)Better: "pastured" + organicGood: lean, trimmed/drained of all visible fat

e,

o Other Ruminants (Lamb, Elk,Venison, Goat, Moose)Best: grass-fed + organicBetter: organicGood: lean, trimmed/drained of visible fat

o Limit: Bacon, deli meats, conventional jerky, sausage

o Avoid: All "cured" or processed meats with addedsugar, nitrates/nitrites, excess sodium or chemicaladditives

A Reference G uide For A nim al P rotein S ources

Eggsand poultry: The term "cage free" or "free range" does means the birds aren't technically in cages,but it doesn't mean theyaren't crammed 30,000 to a windowless barn, denied all accessto the outdoors. In fact, the average factory-farmed "cage free"chicken has less space than this 8-1/2 x 11 sheet of paper for the duration of its life. By comparison, "pastured" means theanimals spend time outside in their natural habitat. In addition, "organic" meansthey are not given antibiotics, not exposed tomost synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, and are fed only organic foods free of animal by-products. (It also means your chickenbreasts won't be dipped in bleach before they're packaged.) Organic pastured eggs,chicken and turkey are a best choice -local isideal! Seethis Who le9 post for details: http://whole9Iife.com/2010/11/the-conscientio us-omnivore-eggs/

Beef, bison/buffalo and other ruminants: "Grassfinished" or "100% grass-fed" means the animals were pastured, and feda natural diet for 100% of their lives - a best choice. "Grass fed" means the cows are fed their natural, healthy diet of freshgrasses for the majority of their lives - which still makes the cows, and their meat products, healthier for you. In addition,the term "organic" is critical when buying beef and bison/buffalo. That term indicates the animals were never given

antibiotics or artificial hormones, not exposed to most synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, or fed animal by-products. Lookfor BOTHorganic and grass-fed/finished in your steaks and burgers.

Fish, seafood or shellfish: Wild-caught fish, seafood and shellfish are healthier to eat than their farm-raised counterparts,but often aren't a good choice because of the degree to which their populations have been decimated by commercialfishing, or the amount of damage done to the environment during the fishing process. Consult the Whole9 Seafood Guide(http://whole9Iife.com/2010/12/the-conscientious-omnivore-from-the-sea!) for the best seafood options.

Pork: "Pastured" pigs are allowed access to their natural environments and diets, but 70-80% of many pastured pigs' dietsare still supplemented with grains, corn or soy. The term "100%~.pasturedrrmeans the pigs diet 's are not supplemented atall (except with grasses like alfalfa). Factory-farmed pigs are raised and slaughtered in conditions so/atrocious that it makesit impossible find a truly "healthy" product. If you are going to eat pork, take the time to find a locally farmed, pastured,organic source. If you can't, choose only the leanest of cuts, and avoid all factory farmed sources of bacon and sausage.

2011 W ho le 9 Life , LLC Page 15 w w w whole9life.com

I
http://whole9iife.com/2010/11/the-conscientiohttp://whole9iife.com/2010/11/the-conscientio


4/6

THE WHOLE30 MADE SIM PLEYourSuccess Guide to the Whole30... and beyond ~

W HOLE NINE

Whole9 Shopping Guide: Vegetables

D Alfalfa SproutsD Anise/Fennel RootD ArtichokeD Arugula*D Asparagus*D BeetsD Bok Choy*D Broccoli, Broccolini*D Broccoli Rabe*D Brussels Sprouts*

D Cauliflower*D Chinese/Napa Cabbage"D Carrots*D Celery

e,

Whole9 Shopping Guide: Fruits

D Apples (all varieties)D ApricotsD BananasD Blackberries*

D Blueberries*D Cherries*D Dates/FigsD Exotic fruit (Star Fruit , Quince)D GrapefruitD Grapes (Green/Red)

A reference guide fo r p roduce

D Celery RootD CucumberD EggplantD Garlicri Green beansD Greens (Beet, Collard, Mustard, Turnip)*D JicamaD Kale*D KohlrabiD Lettuce(Bibb, Boston, Butter, Red)*

D Mushrooms (all varieties)D Onions, Shallots, Leeks*D ParsnipsD Peppers (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green)*

D Kiwi*D lemon/LimeD MangoD Melon (Honeydew, Cantaloupe*)

D NectarinesD OrangeD Papaya*D PeachesD Pears (all varieties)D Pineapple"

D PumpkinD RadishD Snow Peas, Sugar Snap PeasD Spinach*D Squash (all varieties)D Sunflower SproutsD Sweet Pea ShootsD Sweet Potato/YamsD Swiss Chard*DTaro

D Tomato*D Turnip*D Watercress*D Zucchini*

D Plum*D PomegranateD Raspberries"D Strawberries*

D TangerinesD Watermelon

D Limit: Dried fruit such asapricots, cranberries, dates,f igs, prunes, raisins, etc.

Items that are starred (*) above represent Whole9's recommendations for nutrient density. Choose these foods often.

The Environmental Working Group's "Dirty" Ust: Apples, Celery, Strawberries, Peaches, Spinach, Nectarines (imported),

Grapes (imported), Sweet bell peppers, Blueberries (domestic), Lettuce, Kale/collard greens. Buy these foods organically.

The Environmental Working Group's "Clean" Ust: Onions, Pineapples, Avocados, Asparagus, Mangoes, Eggplant, Cantaloupe(domestic), Kiwi,Cabbage, WatermelDn, Sweet potatoes, Grapefruit, Mushrooms. Organic isn't as important here.

Avoid glasses of fruit juice - even the 100% pure stuff, even if you juice it yourself. Fruit juice is nature's Pepsi, loaded withsugar. And since most of the nutrition is stripped out during the juicing process, we'd much rather vou simply eat the fruitl

Traditional "vegetables" like corn (technically a grain), peas and lima beans (legumes) and white potatoes [nutrient-poor andstarch-heavy) aren't allowed during your WhDle30. In general; beware of corn and SDY specifically, as most of thesecommodity crops have been genetically modified, There are NO studies to evaluate the health effects of genetically modifiedfoods Dn humans, yet the United States doesn't require our food companies to notify consumers when products contain GMOfoods. Since you can't tell whether a food is GMO on a label, the best strategy is to avoid all products that contain corn or soy.

20 11 W hole 9 Life , L LC www.whole9Iife.GOmage 16


5/6

THE WHOLE30 MADE SIM PLEYour Success G uide to the W hola30 ... and beyond tuWhole9 S hopping G uide: H ealthy Fat S ources

Best: Monounsaturated Fats (MUFA)o Avocadoo Avocado Oil (for dressing)o Hazelnuts/Filbertso Macadamia Nutso Macadamia Oil (for dressing)n Oliveso Olive Oil (for dressing)

Occasional: Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFA)o Almonds/Almond Buttero Brazil Nutso Cashews/Cashew Buttero PecansD Pistachio

Best: Saturated Fats (SFA)

D Animal Fats (for cooking)o Clarified Butter/Ghee (for cooking)o Coconut Oil (for cooking)D Coconut ButterD Coconut Flakeso Coconut Milk

Limit: Polyunsaturated Fats (PUFA)o Flax SeedsD Sesame Seeds/Sesame Oil

o Pine Nutso Pumpkin Seeds/PepitasD Sunflower Seeds/Sunbuttero Walnuts/Walnut Butter

A reference guide for healthy fat sources:

Cooking at high temperatures can damage oils. Your best oils for cooking are saturated - extremely stable when exposedto air and heat, and less likely to form inflammatory oxidized fats. Use clarified butter, ghee, unrefined coconut oil, or thehighest quality (grass-fed/pastured and organic) animal fats like tallow or duck fat for cooking, especially with high heat.

You can use extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil or macadamia oil to cook, but only on low heat for brief periods of time.Those oils are best used cold, in a dressing or a sauce. You can also practice the wet saute method: Pour % cup of water inyour pan and heat just below boiling. Then, add the food and cook it a bit before adding the oil. Wet-saute shortens thetime an oil is in contact with a hot pan. Stir frequently to further reduce the time the oil is in contact with the hot metal.

Avoid all "vegetable" oils like peanut, soybean, corn, canola, safflower and sunflower. These oils are far too high infragile polyunsaturated fat to be stable during cooking, and contribute an excess of pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acidsto our diet.

Coconut (flaked or shredded) should be free of sulfites, and have no added sugar. Coconut milk should come in a can, no t in amilk-like carton. Organic isn 't important, but guar gum is the only acceptable stabilizer for coconut milk. Buythe full fat coconutmilk - the "light" has just been watered down.

Olives can be of any variety, as long as there are no added chemical preservatives or stabilizers. If purchasing canned, theonly ingredients should be olives, water and salt - no citric acid, ferrous gluconate, or other additives.

Nuts and seeds are ranked based on the amount of PUFA (polyunsaturated fat) in each serving. The main type of PUFAfound in nuts and seeds (omega-6 fatty acids) are pro-inflammatory in nature, and should not be the primary fat sourceduring your healthy Whole30 diet. Macadamia and hazelnuts are your best bet, as they have very small amounts of PUFAper serving.

All nuts and seeds should be raw (best), or dry roasted with'no added oils. Added salt is optional, and organic isn't

essential. f

2011Wl lo le9 L if e, LLC P age 17 www.whole9I1fe.com
http://www.whole9i1fe.com/http://www.whole9i1fe.com/


6/6

~ -- - -~-

TH E WHOLE30 MAD E SIM PLEtM

Your Success Guide to the Whole30 .. and beyond

Whole9 S ho pp in g GU id e: H erb s, S pice s A nd F la vo rin gs

o Allspice o Cilantro D Lemongrass D Spearminto Basil o Clove D Marjoram o Rosemaryo BayLeaves o Cocoa (100%) o Mint OSageo Black Pepper o Curry o Mustard o Salto Cardamom o Cumih o Nutmeg o Tarragono Cayenne DDil1 o Oregano o Thymeo Chili Powder D Garlic o Paprika o TurmericD Chives o Ginger D Parsley D Vanillao Cinnamon o Horseradish/Wasabi o Peppermint D Vinegar

A reference gU ide fo r herbs and spices :

These are just a sample of commonly used dried herbs and spices. Feel free to add to your collection slowly, as youexperiment with new dishes andllavor5.

Two good on-line resources for spices include Penzey's (http:Uwww.penzeys.coml) and the Savory Spice Shop(http://www.savoryspiceshop.com!) .

Our friend and Whole9 Envoy Extraordinaire Melissa Joulwan also has a great post about spices on her blog, The ClothesMake the Girl, found here: (http:Uwww.thedothesmakethegirl.com!2011!OS!09!whats-in-my-spice-cabinet/l.

Finally, don't ignore fresh herbs and spices in your cooking. Some commonly used herbs to add flavor (and health!) to yourmeals include basil, cilantro, dill, garlic, ginger, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, savory, and thyme.

Salt isa commonly used spice, but go easy. Your taste buds will likely be adjusting during your Whole30, so don't kill the flavorof your dishes by adding too much. Table salt is a good source of iodine, so don't use sea salt exclusively - but you don't needmuch table salt to meet your iodine requirements. Shakelessand savor the natural flavors of your fresh foods more.

Who le9 S ho pping GUid e: B everag es

o Still Water (filtered, bottled or tap)D Mineral/Sparkling Watero Self-Flavored Water

o Coffee (caffeinated or decaf)D Tea (all varieties)

A refere nc e gUid e fo r b ev era ge s:

Water takes on a whole new life when you add your own flavor. Pour a pitcher of water, and add a sprig of rosemary, freshmint, slices of cucumber, lemon or lime, honeydew melon, oranges or peaches. Let sit for a Y z hour, pour and enjoy. Getcreative here, mixing and matching flavors so you aren't bored.

Flavored mineral water isa good choice as well, but make sure there is no added sugar or other off-limit ingredients.-v

Coffee and tea must be unsweetened. Coconut milk makes for an acceptable creamer - see th~ FAQ for details. Teasometimes includes barley, sov or other non-compliant ingredients. Becareful- read your labels!

2011 Whole9 Life, LLC P age 18 www.whole9life,Gom

the whole9 - shopping guide

Documents