Whole Foods Explores Becoming a Nutritarian

The latest session of this fast-paced, recurring class at (WFM) was held earlier this month, and is regularly hosted by WFM Healthy Eating Specialist, Tim Williams.  It spotlights the most nutritious foods in the world, all of which are available at the Lake Grove store.

Class attendance requires the $9.95 purchase of Eat Right America's Nutritarian Handbook by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, M.D.  It is for sale at WFM, and is $3 off for the rest of February.

"A nutritarian is someone who chooses foods to eat based on the quality of nutrients rather than on the quantity of calories," informed Williams.

Simply put, a nutritarian strives to consume a diet consisting of highly nutritious foods, and chooses foods that are high in a broad spectrum of micronutrients per calorie.  The philosophy extends to the belief that if it wasn't food 100 years ago, then don't eat it today.   A century ago, less than 1 percent of people died of chronic illnesses.  Today it is over 90 percent.

Ninety percent of the daily diet should be comprised of nutrient-rich plant foods with health-promoting phytochemicals.

A nutritarian way of life differs from a vegetarian, because while it advocates a plant-centered diet, it is not necessarily, but could be, exclusively plant-based.

"Research shows that going toward a plant-based diet is healthier," said Williams.

The class, along with Fuhrman's handbook, underscores the importance of consistently sticking with foods that are exceptionally nutrient-dense, and therefore aid in disease-resistance and longevity; such as green vegetables, a variety of different colored fruits and vegetables, beans and seeds.

Nutrient-rich food selections curb food cravings, and naturally end the destructive cycle of overeating and food addiction.  Thus, becoming a nutritarian is a sensible way to easily maintain optimal weight control, as well as overall health and well-being.

"Often watching your weight doesn't give a good picture of what is needed and you get dependent on diet plans," warned Williams.  "This is designed to instill more freedom."

Developing healthier eating and lifestyle habits is crucial, especially when considering that nearly 85 percent of our nation's healthcare costs are spent on diet-related illnesses, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and strokes.

"Kids born in 2000 are not expected to outlive their parents.  This is the first generation in humanity to have this happen," informed Williams.

This alarming prediction is not surprising, considering that those who live on the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) consume a diet where 60 percent of their calories come from processed foods which have absolutely zero nutrients in them, and then lots of sugar, salt and unhealthy fats are added.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in this country, but according to the Nutritarian Handbook it is 100 percent preventable in most cases, and can be completely reversed by adopting a nutritarian eating style.

Williams said, "People should be eating a balanced diet, but most Americans don't know what a balanced diet is."

To make matters worse, the most advertising is done for the least wholesome foods. The healthy eating specialist also squelched a popular dieting myth about heredity's correlation with putting on extra pounds.

"If you're overweight, it's not really your genes, it's your socialization. Where we learn to eat is from our parents; unfortunately, those are some of the things least healthy," he said.

The United States spends far more, per capita, on healthcare than any other society in the world yet, two-thirds of Americans are overweight, including a high percentage of children.  Over 16 million Americans have diabetes, a number that continues to rise.

"Dr. Fuhrman calls a prescription pad a 'permission pad', because it allows people to do whatever they did before, but their symptoms disappear," said Williams.

Before changing your diet you should have a medical evaluation, especially if taking prescription drugs, because switching your diet may allow you to forgo medication; without adapting your drug regimen to your healthier diet, blood pressure or blood sugar can dip too low.

Williams explained the Eat Right America ANDI score with which WFM labels its produce, meats and cheeses.  ANDI stands for "Aggregate Nutrient Density Index."  An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 according to nutrient content; based on evaluating a range of micronutrients including:   Vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities.  For example, kale, a dark leafy green, scores 1000 while soda merits a paltry 1 on the nutrition scale.

Take part in the free Eat Right America Challenge, a personal 28-day program designed to properly nourish you and your family.

Williams said, "At the end it gives you a number of how healthy you are now versus how healthy you could be."