Whole Foods Field Trip

Our recipe group recently took a guided tour of Whole Foods. This  is what we learned...

• Whole Foods has a new slogan health starts here. It consists of four pillars
• Whole Food - Eat whole unprocessed foods. A 'whole food' is any food in its most essential, pure, delicious and basic form. Choose whole, fresh, natural, organic, local, seasonal, unrefined and unprocessed foods. Eliminate artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, sweeteners and hydrogenated fats from you diet.
• Plant Strong- Eat a colorful variety of plants. Begin to reconfigure your plate so that the majority of your meal is made from plant-based foods
• Healthy Fats-Eat healthy fats: nuts, seeds, avocados
• Nutrient Dense - Eat foods rich in micronutrients when compared to total caloric content.
• ANDI Score is Agrigate Nutrient Density Index. An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content. ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities.
• Kale scores 1000;  Soda/Soft drinks scores 1
• Whole Foods includes the ANDI score on each of the produce signs
• Some of the healthier greens may taste bitter in the beginning. Bitter taste buds on the back of the tongue can make people gag, a natural defense mechanism to help prevent poisoning. However, as you eat more greens you will become more familiar with their flavor.  Your taste buds will regenerate in about 3 weeks.
• Organic vs. Conventional
• Whole Foods Market helps consumers quickly determine what they are buying
• Purple Signs - Conventional Produce
• Orange Signs - Organic Produce
• Yellow Signs - Store Specials
• Local produce can be both conventional and organic
• Conventional Produce/Foods
• Conventional growers use an assortment of synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, genetically engineered organisms and growth enhancers to stimulate their soil and crops. Their focus is on short term yield rather than long term sustainability. 
• Organic Foods
•  Organic products for the most part are those grown without pesticides, antibiotics, irradiation and so on. Organic is usually more expensive because it takes much more effort to create sustainability. With few exceptions, organic growers cannot force ripen produce, so when consumers see those items at the store or market, they know the product is at its culinary peak. A good example is oranges.- Whole Foods Website
• Local Foods
• Local is a flexible term, the basic theory is simple: local foods are produced as close to home as possible. Buying Local helps to support the economy around us (usually within 100 miles) and small family farms.
• Fair Trade/Whole Trade
• Fair Trade requires that a part of our purchase price be passed through to a fund controlled directly by the workers on the farm. The workers vote on how to invest the money to benefit their communities. Fair Trade/Whole Trade also certifies that farmers are receiving a fair price for their crops. Fair Trade also make sure that rain forests are not being destroyed in the growing and harvesting of these foods. Many Fair Trade items are tropical items; bananas, pineapple, mangos, rice, quinoa, coffee, chocolate and sugar are a few examples.
• Check out the website http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/ for lists of pesticides on the food you eat.
• Tips for eating healthy and cost conscious
• EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides: Includes the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15
• Watch for local sales on organic and domestic conventional items.
• If eating conventional stay away from imported produce. Eat produce grown conventionally in the USA. Whole Foods Market includes the origin of each item on the individual signs.
• Organic produce should last longer. Organic farming creates plants and yield that are stronger.
• Shop at your local farmer's market
• Bulk Section
• Mainly consists of beans, grains and nuts.
• 2 Important facts when eating whole foods...Fiber and Protein
• Whole Foods also offers a variety of prepared foods that follow the Healthy Eating Guidelines
• Prepared salad dressings are oil free.
• Many of the soups are low-sodium.
• Most of the breads are baked in house from scratch. They also have loaves that use sprouted grains and follow the healthy eating guidelines.
• The salad bars at the Dedham Whole Foods are amazing.

Please feel free to forward any additional notes/ information to me that I might not have heard or recorded.

We did not cover meats or dairy because of lack of time. I will be scheduling another tour specifically focused on meats, dairy and other "grocery" items. Please let me know if you are interested in joining me.

Reading material suggested: Silent Spring by Rachel Carson