What is Whole30?
The Whole30 diet is more than just a fad, it’s a month-long clean-eating reset designed to help you improve your eating habits, heal your digestive tract, and revamp your relationship with food. This program isn’t about counting calories or achieving quick weight loss. Instead, it’s about taking a closer look at what you eat and understanding the impact of certain foods on your body and overall health.
At its core, the Whole30 Food List is a blueprint for a diet that is free from sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy, and dairy. Instead, it emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods. The list prioritizes meats, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, and natural fats, while encouraging participants to eliminate foods that may be causing underlying health issues.
What sets Whole30 apart from other dietary plans is the strict elimination of certain food groups that could be negatively impacting your health. This isn’t just about physical well-being, it’s also about mental clarity and emotional stability.
The Whole30 program invites you to strip your diet down to the essentials for a full 30 days, allowing your body to reset and recover from the potential impacts of your usual dietary choices. It’s not simply about removing unhealthy foods, it’s about resetting your habits and cravings, leading to long-term changes in how you view and consume food.
What are the Whole30 Rules?
Rule 1: Cut Out Alcohol, Grains, Dairy
On this 30-day journey where you’ll eliminate grains, legumes (soy and peanuts included), dairy, all forms of added sugars (artificial sweeteners, honey, and maple syrup), alcohol, and processed foods with additives from your diet.
This elimination diet is designed to allow your body to recover, diminish inflammation, and harmonize your hormones. By cutting out these typical dietary triggers, many individuals experience a surge in energy, more restful sleep, enhanced digestive function, and a notable reduction in the intensity and frequency of food cravings.
Rule 2: Don’t Weigh Yourself
The Whole30 is about more than weight loss, it’s about learning how the food you eat affects you. Stepping away from the scale helps you focus on other aspects of your health.
Rule 3: No Cheating, No Slips
The Whole30 program requires commitment. If you give in and have a bite of pizza or a sip of wine, you’ll have to start the 30 days over to reap the full benefits.
What You Can Eat
Proteins:
- Beef
- Pork
- Lamb
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Eggs
Vegetables:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Sweet potatoes
- Carrots
Fruits:
Healthy Fats:
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Coconut oil
Herbs, Spices and Seasonings:
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Rosemary
- Turmeric
- Cinnamon
- Broths
- Vinegars
Beverages:
- Water
- Sparkling water
- Black coffee
- Herbal teas
What You Cannot Eat
Added Sugars and Sweeteners:
This includes all forms of sugar, whether natural or artificial, from honey and agave to aspartame and sucralose.
Alcohol:
All alcohol for drinking is off-limits, and you should also avoid using it in cooking.
Grains:
This group encompasses all grains, including wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice and millet.
Legumes:
Say goodbye to beans of all kinds, peas, chickpeas, lentils, and peanuts (which means no peanut butter, too). Soy, in all its forms, such as soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, and edamame, should also be avoided.
Carrier Oils and Additives:
Eliminate products with carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites. Check labels because these can often be hidden in packaged foods.
Baked Goods and Junk Foods:
This is a broad category that includes any sort of processed treats, chips, and sweets, even if they are made with “compliant” ingredients. The goal is to change your eating habits, so recreating a paleo version of your favorite cake or cookie is missing the point.
Whole30 Recipes
Zesty Lemon Herb Chicken
Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 lemon, juice, and zest
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- In a bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Place chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the lemon herb mixture over them, ensuring each breast is coated.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
- Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs and a lemon wedge.
Cauliflower Rice Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
- 1 head of cauliflower, grated into ‘rice’
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté onion and garlic until translucent.
- Add bell pepper, zucchini, and mushrooms, cooking until they begin to soften.
- Stir in the cauliflower rice and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender but not mushy.
- Add the coconut aminos, ginger, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine and heat through.
