Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined. [1] [2] [3] Examples of whole foods include grains such as oatmeal and rice, fruits, vegetables, dried beans, nuts, seeds, unprocessed meats, and fish. [3] [4] [5] [2]
Depending on the context this may sometimes refer to an all natural diet or a plant-based diet. [1] [6] This is sometimes the premise of clean eating. [7]
Whole foods are not to be confused with natural foods. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration interprets the term "natural" to indicate that a food contains no artificial or synthetic substances (including color additives from any source) that wouldn't typically be expected in that food. However, this interpretation does not encompass food production practices, such as the use of pesticides, nor does it explicitly address food processing or manufacturing methods like pasteurization, thermal technologies, or irradiation. [8]