HEALTH // WHAT DOES WFPB MEAN?

You may have heard me refer to my diet as Whole Foods Plant-Based (WFPB) and that's all well-and-good, but what does it really mean?

Let's break it down.

Whole foods means the whole food, all of its parts; whole grain oats, whole grain barley, whole grain millet, etc. And breads and pastas with first ingredient being whole grain oats, flour, etc.

Plant-based means that the majority of what you eat is coming from plant material - the emphasis being on green leafy vegetables - that are the lone carriers of phytochemicals (or phytonutrients). Phytochemicals are the sole fighters of free radicals in the body, and are also known as cancer causers.

This all being said let me not deny that I ate pizza the other night, and it was delicious. Eating pizza will not cause you to have heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or the like, but eating a diet high in oil, sugar, salt and fat continuously will.

For that reason a WFPB diet also means eating little to no oil and refined sugar.


Refined sugar is any sweetener not in a 100% natural state: brown and white sugar, karo syrup, and chocolate chips are all examples of this.

Natural sweeteners include, but are not limited to: agave nectar, blackstrap molasses (a great source of calcium!), raw cane sugar, maple syrup, and honey.
Note: If you're vegan and following a WFPB diet it's common to avoid honey, because it is produced by bees.

And how do we avoid oil? Great question! The answer is we don't, at least not completely, but we sure try!

Here are some tips for significantly cutting back:

Toss the Jug
You don't need a gallon of olive oil to grease the occasional pan, and having it around will only tempt you. Throw it out and get yourself an olive oil spray instead. It's much easier to control portion size.

Be Oil Choosy
Just because you used oil to saute in the past, doesn't mean there aren't other ways. Onions, when added to a pan first, release enough juice to cook foods in without adding any oil. If you're cooking up garlic and notice it sticking just add a tablespoon of water to get over the dry spell. Voila, oil avoided!

It's Everywhere
Be careful what you add oil to, it's already in a lot of foods. Nuts are high in oil and fat, for example, and the calories add up quickly.

Bottom Line: WFPB eating is a way of life and it is a challenge, especially at first. Arm yourself with the knowledge to succeed and you will go far... and confidently!

Please email me with any questions you have regarding WFPB eating for individuals and families, as well as WFPB eating for toddlers and infants.