You just learned about the many benefits of eating whole foods from the animal kingdom. Just in case you need a little more motivation to use this system of weight loss over another, take a look at the following list.
These are a few of the negative health consequences which have been linked to a diet high in processed and refined foods, and low in whole, plant-based foods:
- Unhealthy weight gain and obesity
- Elevated risk of contracting diabetes, cancer and heart disease
- Less energy, mobility and “drive”
- A weaker brain, and greater chance of neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s
- Unhealthy, weak, unattractive hair and skin
- Heightened levels of stress, depression and anxiety
- A weakened immune system that puts you at risk for any type of illness, infection and disease
- Shorter lifespan
While processed and refined foods are nutrient-poor, plant based foods are nutrient-rich. Start eating less of the former and more of the latter, and you automatically and naturally lower your risk of developing the above health conditions and others.
This means drastically limiting, or avoiding altogether, potato chips, snack bars and candy. Stay away from canned soups and frozen dinners and desserts.
Most boxed cereals, breads and drive-through fast foods are also extremely low in nutrition, and unfortunately high in salt, sugar, oil and other dangerous toxins and man-made ingredients your body does not need.
It is also a good idea to remember that just because something is vegan doesn’t necessarily mean that it is plant based.
Additionally, a diet in processed foods will keep you feeling hungry. This is because you are not getting the nutrients you need when you eat fast foods and processed foods.
Because your body is still deprived of what it needs, it will continue to send you the hunger signal, telling you to eat again. It still notices that you have not ingested the nutrients required to make you healthy.
So you overeat, often reaching for the same unhealthy, processed and refined foods that deliver very little nutrition. This means you consume too many calories each day, which naturally will lead to unhealthy weight gain.
Healthy Processed Food Choices for Weight Loss
On the upside, weight loss through a plant-based whole food approach does not necessarily mean avoiding all processed foods. By the strictest definition, when you make apple juice from apples or carrot juice from carrots, you are “processing” those whole foods.
Even when you juice those foods naturally, and don’t add any other ingredients, you have processed those foods to some degree.
Because of this, foods that have been minimally processed are sometimes okay to eat. You just have to do a lot of reading and checking food labels. There are frozen foods which qualify as plant-based whole foods.
However, you can’t just grab any package that attracts your eye. You need to know the quality of the food, any and all ingredients, and if animal products or byproducts have been added.
This means that it is possible to find minimally processed packaged foods such as cooked whole foods, and frozen vegetables and fruits, that qualify as plant-based, whole foods.
Just remember to thoroughly check ingredient lists, so you know exactly what you’re putting into your body.
