Wholefood nutrients: More bang for your buck

What is a wholefood nutrient?

A wholefood nutrient is a source of the vitamin and mineral building blocks that support your body to function optimally, in a food form that is direct from mother nature. When we say wholefoods, we’re talking about foods and supplements that do not contain fillers and synthetics.

To help with this, I want to introduce a principle I use a LOT.

Good – better – best.

In other words, we’re not aiming for perfect, and we’re certainly not trying to do it perfectly 100% of the time. Definitely not straight away, at least! I’m all about creating sustainable change, and my team feel the same.

Good – knowing your body needs vitamin C
Better – exploring supplements for vitamin C
Best – getting your vitamin C from wholefood sources

You could take a vitamin C supplement, but you’re better off eating a piece of fruit or vegetable that contains naturally occurring vitamin C (best). Think citrus, strawberries, broccoli, cauliflower and even brussels sprouts! Those orange chewable tablets are NOT what we recommend at all. If you want to know why, you can read more here.

Mother nature packages multiple phytochemicals (biologically active compounds found in plants) into one, and it’s never an accident. She knows what she’s doing, and these nutrients work together. The problem is that we, as humans, tend to isolate one specific vitamin, and in our pursuit to get more of that vitamin into our bodies; we cut corners. We end up with supplements from the chemist or the supermarket, that don’t mimic mother nature. When we isolate one nutrient (e.g. iron, B vitamins) into a pill instead of eating it in its natural form, we lose access to the other nutrients that mother nature has strategically combined. Supplements can be okay, but far too often, they’re doing more harm than good.

The moral of the story is this: pleeeeease avoid synthetics. Natural, nutrient-dense and minimally processed is best. Our bodies can utilise nutrients in food a heck of a lot easier than when it’s in isolated forms (aka synthetics).

Cheap options + your health

Regenerative farming and agriculture

Most of the western world buys their fresh food from the supermarket. What we don’t realise is that the supermarkets are filled with food that is grown using mainstream farming practices. To keep up with the demands of the big-name supermarkets, the farmers are constantly turning over their crops with little capacity to tend to the bigger nutrient profile and balance of the soil. Synthetics like glyphosate (aka Roundup) impact the microbes of the soil, blocking access to the minerals in the soil into the plant. Whilst fresh food is better than the highly processed stuff, the fruit and veg from these mainstream farming methods are then not as nutrient-dense as you might think.

Regenerative farming is a practice whereby farmers focus on the ecosystem of the whole farm. These farmers have realised that mainstream farming practices are not optimal and they are often interested in quality over quantity. Instead of pesticides, the farmer will consider how to attract natural predators (e.g. birds or other insects) to take care of the pests.

The result is high-quality produce, which is far better for our bodies. It often tastes better too!

Beef and soil

Let’s talk about poop. Regenerative farmers will cycle paddocks, essentially rotating a paddock between different uses like animal grazing, growing crops and rest. When animals graze, they’re also fertilising the earth naturally. When the farmers then plant crops in that paddock, they don’t require synthetic fertilisers, and the microbes are happy. Happy microbes mean we’re eating food with a nutrient-rich profile. Better for the earth and better for us!

When the cows are put into a paddock full of plants that have been grown with these principles, there are more nutrients for them to absorb. Just like with fruit and veg, when we consume beef that has been regeneratively farmed, we’re eating nutrient-rich meat. It’s hard to put a dollar value on the benefit of incorporating this kind of food into your diet regularly, but it’s certainly worth it.

Less is not more when it comes to nourishing your body. Whilst a wholefood option may not be the cheapest option on the market, it well and truly makes up for it in the nutrient profile. A cheap snack might fill you up, but does it offer you long-term health benefits? Unlikely. So… which is cheaper? Your health is a product of what you consume. You only have one body, so why not feed it with the good stuff?!

This is why we love Chief. They understand the health benefits of quality food and support principles that take care of the earth. They buy from farmers who are focused on minimising the impact of their efforts and maximising the nutrients available in the foods we eat.