Whole foods and 'natural' foods are considered to be minimally processed and do not have simulated ingredients or isolated vitamins, minerals and chemicals. Loads of vitamins and so-called 'health food' products in stores today are fashioned synthetically in a laboratory. Fake nutrients are not easily assimilated by the body because they are not recognized as something humans are designed to consume. In truth, many people taking isolated vitamins daily are truly flushing their dollars down the toilet because the body views most of those isolated chemicals literally as waste.

Typically more nutritious than refined foods, natural foods may or may not be whole foods, but they undeniably do not involve ingredients such as refined grains and sugars, artificial flavors or sweeteners, hydrogenated oils and trans-fats. Proponents of natural foods contend that all those refined ingredients in products on so many store shelves today promote risks of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more.

The phrase 'whole foods' indicates that the natural foods have not been chemically enhanced and do not consist of artificial or isolated vitamins that have been added. Examples of whole foods include fresh veggies, legumes, whole grains, fruits and nuts. A critical nutrition fact to take into account is that whole foods are usually in their raw state. Once they have been cooked, boiled, pasteurized or overheated, they may lose some of their nutrients, thus changing the natural foods to something other than their whole food form.

A diet full of whole foods prepared as naturally as possible has lots of health advantages. Often rich in bioflavonoids and phytochemicals, natural foods have much to offer. Compared with processed foods, whole foods contain perfectly natural sources of vitamins, minerals, protein, fats, and other necessary nutrients. Plus, natural foods are often associated with high fiber foods that provide additional healthy properties.

In today's fast paced world, not many people have time to prepare or consume a sufficient amount of whole foods to be certain they are getting all the daily nutritional requirements that their bodies need. It is feasible to preserve nutrients from natural foods, like plants, and process them for quick and convenient consumption in their whole food form. However, it's hard to find manufacturers that are willing to take the necessary steps and even more challenging to discover consumers willing to pay the price for natural foods prepared in this way.

There are some excellent pre-packaged, whole foods that have been prepared with minimal processing and formulated for uncomplicated, convenient consumption. Search the Internet to locate these specific kinds of natural foods to fulfill nutritional requirements. These types of flawlessly prepared whole foods make it easier to be confident you are taking in an abundance of perfectly balanced nutrients each day to keep your body performing at top levels of health and fitness.

The combinations of nutrients in whole foods act together to help the human body to function the way it was originally created. So, when you are shopping for quick, easy, convenient, healthy foods, check the labels cautiously to avoid an excess of man-made ingredients. Better yet, check the Internet for natural foods not available in stores. Your body will be rewarded with greater health and fitness.