What is the difference?
Post 2 of 5
You’ve probably heard the term whole food, clean food, or slow food mentioned before on TV or in magazines, you’ve even heard about it here but maybe you’re not really sure what those terms mean and what all the fuss is about. This post should help take away some of that confusion.
Whole food refers to foods that are unprocessed or unrefined or that are processed or refined as little as possible before being consumed.
Slow food is a movement that supports regional and local cuisine. It’s a commitment to strengthening the understanding of where food comes from and how it gets to our plates.
In this mix I would also include the organic food movement which supports the growth of food products without genetic modification or the use of unnatural pesticides and chemicals.
Clear as mud right? Don’t worry it’s actually pretty basic. I follow these rules when picking food to buy and eat.
1. Is it in season?
2. Are all the ingredients recognizable food items?
3. Are there 5 or fewer ingredients on the label?
4. Is it locally grown or produced?
5. Is it organic?
Food doesn’t have to meet all my requirements (but it’s a big score if it does!) I try to keep these rules in mind when choosing items that will work within my budget. This is why;
1. Food that is in season is fresher, has traveled a shorter distance and is supporting the farmers who grow that product. In summer this is fairly easy as produce is bountiful but if you live in a colde
r climate, winter is a more difficult time to get a variety of produce.
r climate, winter is a more difficult time to get a variety of produce.
2. I don’t want to ingest dehydrated monoglutomate, however I will ingest wheat, milk, cumin, and the like. If it’s not recognizable it’s probably not meant to be in your body!
3. See #2 the more things are processed the less of a nutrient content remains. I will bend this rule if all of the ingredients are natural. This one can go either way in my book.
4. I grew up in a farming state and have an appreciation for the hard work that farmers and producers of food put into the final product. It’s not an easy job. I completely support family farm operations and feel that products purchased from them are of a much better quality than those from a factory farm. Whenever possible I go to the source and buy these products.
5. Organic is last in my list of questions, not because I feel it’s the least important but because of the financial and accessibility of getting quality organic goods. If I can buy locally raised cherries I’ll buy those before I buy organic cherries from California.
If you’re interested in reading more about these concepts check out some of my favorite books;
- Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source with More Than 200 Recipes for a Healthy and Sustainable You
- In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto
- The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals
- Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual
- Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals
- Slow Food Revolution: A New Culture for Eating and Living
So what do you think of my rules? What are your thoughts on this style of eating? Any favorite recipes, books, websites to share?
Find part 1 of this series here.
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i like the rules! It'd be nice to convince the hubby that Lays Potatoe chips dont qualify though..LOL..
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I found that if you gradually phase things out/in it works better than a complete overhaul – then you might have a mutiny on your hands!
Thanks for clarifying "slow food"- I never quite understood that one! I like your 5 rules too…love Michael Pollan's Food Rules. Just waiting until I have access to a library to read the rest of his books! Can't wait to see the next part in your story.