In this lesson, you will learn about the whole foods diet. This diet celebrates healthy ingredients, unaltered. It’s centred around eating foods that are as close to their original form as possible. This ensures that the foods you eat are high in nutrients and don’t have added sugar, sodium, and fats. Furthermore, this Way Of Eating (WOE) can reduce inflammation.

There are versions of this diet that can be restrictive and temporary. For example, the whole30 diet cuts out grains, dairy, sugar, legumes, alcohol, and additives for 30 days. The rules for this diet are very strict. However, this diet is meant to be a reset to your system rather than a lifestyle change.

The whole foods diet that we’re going to cover in this lesson focuses on suggestions rather than rules. It is a more sustainable, long-term WOE that involves making healthier choices. No food groups are off-limits. Moreso, it’s about how the food is prepared.

Whole Foods Choices

Choosing whole foods is a practice. Whole foods are foods that haven’t been processed or refined. Particularly, they are free from additives, preservatives, and artificial chemicals.

A good trick to knowing if you’re getting a whole food is if you can find it on the perimeter of the grocery store. This would be fruits, vegetables, eggs, and unprocessed meats and dairy. However, if you need something from the centre of the store, read the ingredient list. If the list is long and has words you don’t recognize, it is probably processed.

Foods that are processed often have less nutritional value. Further, processed foods have extra sugar, unhealthy fats, and sodium. Conversely, whole foods have more nutrients, fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats. Certainly, these are all vital for a person with chronic pain.

Whole Foods Diet and Chronic Pain

A lot of research has been conducted regarding diets that improve chronic pain. However, when certain food groups are not off-limits, it can be hard to structure your meals.

One narrative review helped to form a food pyramid for people with chronic pain. It includes all food groups and emphasizes whole foods. This WOE is anti-inflammatory and emphasizes healthy carbs, fats, and protein sources. If followed, it may also cause weight loss.

The food items at the base of the pyramid should be eaten more often, whereas the foods at the tip should be eaten less. We will cover foods at the base of the pyramid to those at the tip.

Water

This food pyramid emphasizes water intake. Hydration is necessary for all bodily processes. This includes healing! Studies have shown that dehydration can increase the perception of pain. Furthermore, water protects your joints, organs, and tissues. Therefore, you should aim to drink 1.5-2 litres of water a day to stay hydrated.

Choose water over juices, pop, or alcoholic drinks. These other options come with added sugars and flavorings. Drinking water, instead of a sugary drink, can help avoid a blood sugar spike.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and veggies are a major staple of the whole foods diet. They come loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Particularly, they help with chronic pain by tackling inflammation. Diets rich in fruits and veggies tend to decrease levels of C-reactive protein (CRP; an inflammatory protein).

Choose brightly colored fruits and vegetables and dark, leafy greens. They contain high levels of antioxidants. So, you should aim to eat about 5 portions of fruits and veggies each day.

Whole Grains

This food pyramid highlights the importance of carbs with a low glycemic index. A low glycemic index means that the carbs are harder to break down, causing less of a blood sugar spike.

Whole grains, like oats, barley, whole wheat bread, brown rice, and quinoa, are low on the glycemic index. Refined carbs, like sugary foods, white bread, and starchy foods, are high-glycemic and can cause a blood sugar spike. High-glycemic foods are associated with inflammation. Conversely, a diet with whole grains can reduce CRP levels. This then leads to a reduction in inflammation.

Aim to eat about 3 portions of whole grains per day. Eating one portion of whole grains with each meal can control your blood sugar after eating, leading to less inflammation.

Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is a fat source that is recommended in this food pyramid. It is anti-inflammatory and provides monounsaturated fats. The authors of this food pyramid suggest daily intake of olive oil. You can drizzle it on meals or use it as a dressing! They suggest a few tablespoons a day (2-3 portions).

You can also eat olives weekly. They are a tangy salad topper that fights pain!

Seeds, Nuts, and Spices

Seeds and nuts are healthy fat sources worth eating regularly. Several types of nuts and seeds (e.g., grape-seeds, walnuts, and pistachios) have been studied in relation to pain. Due to their antioxidants and anti-inflammatory factors, they have been found to fight inflammation. Not to mention, they contain several vitamins and minerals. For example, walnuts have magnesium. Magnesium decreases levels of CRP. A handful of nuts and seeds per day is recommended.

The use of spices daily is also suggested. They provide flavor to meals without having to add sugar or salt. Turmeric and ginger are spices worth mentioning. They both have pain-fighting abilities.

Turmeric contains a compound called curcumin. Curcumin can reverse desensitization to opioids. It is also extremely anti-inflammatory. It has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, bowel diseases, and ulcers. Ginger contains a compound called gingerol. It can reduce chronic joint pain. Further, ginger has been found to relieve menstrual pain, nausea, and migraines.

Some other spices, like black pepper, oregano, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme, are also anti-inflammatory. They effect a receptor in the brain that is responsible for inflammation.

Fish and Legumes

Fish is a healthy, lean protein source with anti-inflammatory fatty acids. Pick cold-water fish, like salmon, anchovies, mackerel, tuna, and sardines. Weekly, four portions of fish should be included in your diet.

Four portions of legumes should also be eaten each week. They are great plant-based protein sources and are rich in fiber. Tofu, in particular, is an excellent meat substitute as it has all essential amino acids. Additionally, legumes contain anti-inflammatory compounds. Most reduce CRP levels or influence other inflammatory pathways.

Eggs, Cheese, and White Meat

Eggs are a healthy protein source with several B-vitamins. However, there is conflicting evidence about the yolks. Yolks have a lot of cholesterol and can promote heart disease. Despite this, eggs have some antioxidant properties. To avoid excess cholesterol, you can eat egg whites only. Eggs can be eaten twice a week.

Cheese provides proteins, calcium, and vitamin D. Some cheeses are highly processed with excess salt. These should be avoided. However, fresh (mozzarella, ricotta, cottage cheese) and mature (parmesan, provolone) cheeses are healthier choices. Whey protein in cheese can have antioxidant effects. You can eat cheese at least twice a week.

White meat, like chicken or turkey, is a healthier meat choice than red or processed meats. It can be a lean protein source if it is eaten without the skin. Further, choose to grill or roast white meat rather than deep fry it. This food pyramid suggests eating less meat in general. However, white meat is preferred over red meat. One portion of white meat is okay to eat twice a week.

Red Meat

Eating red meat can cause inflammation in your body. Red meat contains pro-inflammatory compounds and can cause oxidative stress. Although it is a good protein source, it also has high levels of saturated fats. Red meats are also often processed with lots of added sodium. These meats should only be eaten occasionally: one portion per week.

Occasional Sweets

It’s unrealistic to cut out all things sweet and delicious. Strict diets usually fail; so, it’s ok to give yourself permission to enjoy occasional treats. However, there are steps you can take to avoid a sugar-related pain flare up.

Try to make your own treats where you can regulate the ingredients. You can use wholemeal flour rather than refined white flour. Avoid store-bought sweets as they’re highly processed with extra sugars and trans-fats. Further, there are healthy, plant-based recipes for most popular desserts online.

If you’re craving chocolate, dark chocolate has anti-inflammatory properties via antioxidants.

Review

Every day, you should drink water and eat several portions of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and olive oil. Further, you can have some nuts, seeds, and spices each day. You should aim to eat fish and legumes regularly, several times a week. Eggs, cheese, and white meat can be eaten a few times a week. However, eat red meats and processed meats less often, only about once a week. Occasional sweets are allowed if they are homemade and/or include dark chocolate.

Try to avoid processed foods with added sugars, salts, and saturated fats.

Example Meal

This recipe, Turmeric Salmon with Coconut Crisp, comes from Bon Appétit, a popular online food and lifestyle magazine.

This dish utilizes whole foods, bringing antioxidants, fiber, and healthy fats. It uses olive oil, swiss chard, ginger, turmeric, salmon, and coconut flakes.

As we know, olive oil is chock full of antioxidants and healthy monounsaturated fats. The salmon provides a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids. Swiss chard has fiber, several vitamins and minerals (especially vitamin A and K), lots of iron, and antioxidants. Coconut is a good source of fiber and healthy fats, particularly medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). The high fiber and fat content of coconut helps you stay fuller for longer.

Two important additions to this dish are turmeric and ginger. These roots are known to have pain-relieving properties. They are often used in herbal medicines for pain.

When buying coconut flakes, make sure to get them unsweetened. Some options are sweetened, making them very high in sugar. This would make them incompatible with the whole foods diet.

Other example meals are Grilled Cheese and Greens (Whole Foods Market), Turkey Pumpkin Chili (Whole Foods Market), and Brown Rice with Chicken and Broccoli (Whole Foods Market).

Other Whole Foods recipe ideas can be found online.

Check out this resource for following this food pyramid

The Whole Foods pyramid for chronic pain can sound complex and overwhelming at first. However, keeping track of how many servings of each food group you eat can help.

We’ve included a Whole Foods Serving Tracker worksheet to help you keep track. It is split into the days of the week and has sections for each of the mentioned important food groups. Plus, it has how many servings you should eat per day or per week. This can help you remember to eat enough vegetables or cut back on red meat. Once you get the hang of this WOE, it will become second nature.

Reflect 

Reflect on what you’ve learned in this lesson about whole foods. Do you have any tricks for knowing if the food you are buying is a whole food or processed? Have you personally found this diet to be helpful to your pain and well-being?

Based on the information provided about the whole foods pyramid, do you think you could be eating more or less of a particular type of food? How could you make this adjustment to your diet?

To continue on, take the next quiz.

References

Baraghani, A. (2019, December). Turmeric Salmon With Coconut Crisp. Bon Appétit. https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/turmeric-salmon-with-coconut-crisp

Evans, C. E., Greenwood, D. C., Threapleton, D. E., Gale, C. P., Cleghorn, C. L., & Burley, V. J. (2017). Glycemic index, glycemic load, and blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 105(5), 1176-1190. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.143685

He, Y., Yue, Y., Zheng, X., Zhang, K., Chen, S., & Du, Z. (2015). Curcumin, inflammation, and chronic diseases: How are they linked? Molecules, 20(5), 9183-9213. doi: 10.3390/molecules20059183

Kubala, J. (2018, December 4). Swiss Chard: Nutrition, Benefits, and How to Cook it. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/swiss-chard

McQuillan, S. (2019, November 22). Ginger and Turmeric: A Dynamic Pain-Fighting Duo. Practical Pain Management. https://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/patient/treatments/alternative/ginger-turmeric-dynamic-pain-fighting-duo#:~:text=Curcumin%2C%20an%20active%20compound%20in,over%2Dthe%2Dcounter%20medications.

Panoff, L. (2019, June 13). What is Coconut Meat, and Does It Have Benefits? Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coconut-meat

Rondanelli, M., Faliva, M. A., Miccono, A., Naso, M., Nichetti, M., Riva, A., Guerriero, F., De Gregori, M., Peroni, G., & Perna, S. (2018). Food pyramid for subjects with chronic pain: Foods and dietary constituents as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. Nutrition Research Reviews, 31(1), 131-151. doi: 10.1017/s0954422417000270

Whole Foods Market. (n.d.). Brown Rice with Chicken and Broccoli. https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/brown-rice-chicken-and-broccoli

Whole Foods Market. (n.d.). Grilled Cheese and Greens. https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/grilled-cheese-and-greens 

Whole Foods Market. (n.d.). Turkey Pumpkin Chili. https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/turkey-pumpkin-chili