Whole Foods Market offers a plethora of attractions, from unique grocery items and fresh produce to convenient Amazon drop-off locations. Despite the abundance of healthy choices, it’s important to be cautious of certain foods that can trigger inflammation.
Recently, a health coach on TikTok has been shedding light on which inflammatory foods to sidestep at Whole Foods and suggesting healthier alternatives to consider.
@imjustwasim Say NO to Vegetable Oils & Seed Oils! They’re highly processed and packed with inflammation-triggering Omega 6 fatty acids. Instead, opt for these wholesome alternatives: Avocado Oil, Grassfed Ghee, Grassfed Butter, Grassfed Tallow, and Animal Fat! Skip the Wheat-Based Bread and embrace Organic Sourdough or go grain-free with Base Culture Bread – it’s gluten and grain-free, made with real ingredients! Plant-Based Meat? Nah! Choose 100% Grassfed Beef, preferably from Force of Nature Meats. Your body will thank you! #cookingoil #bread #meat ♬ original sound – imjustwasim
Experts Share Inflammatory Foods & Products To Avoid At Whole Foods And Healthier Alternatives
In an engaging TikTok video, popular health expert and content creator Wasim Syed (@imjustwasim) first explained why vegetable and seed oils are among the “worst foods for your health at Whole Foods.”
1. Skip Vegetable & Seed Oils
He looked at one 365 vegetable oil container and analyzed its nutrition facts (or lack thereof). "This vegetable oil has highly refined soybean oil which is genetically modified."
He then went on to analyze canola oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil, sesame oil and safflower oil in the store's aisle.
Instead, Try Avocado Oil
"These are high on Omega-6, which cause inflammation in the body and these are usually rancid oils so do not use these. Instead, he suggested using "high quality avocado oil from Chosen Foods or Primal Kitchen," two brands available at Whole Foods.
Brimming with antioxidants and beneficial fats, particularly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated varieties, avocado oil also offers notable benefits for your heart.
2. Skip Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread With Canola Oil
The creator headed to the Whole Foods bread aisle in the video and noted: "avoid all these breads over here, even if they're organic, because they're wheat-based."
He then picked up a 365 packaged Organic Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread. "For example, this one seems good, but there's so much wheat in here and also canola oil."
Instead, Try A Organic Sourdough Bread
A good option instead, Syed explained, would be "organic sourdough bread, which means the bread is fermented."
He picked up a Take & Bake Sourdough Loaf from The Essential Baking Company and added: "It is made with clean ingredients." If you're grain-free, he suggested opting for Base Culture's Original Keto Bread. "If you're grain-free like me, go for this bread made with all clean ingredients.
3. Skip Almond Milk Creamers That Are Not Organic
Syed headed to the refrigerated section at a Whole Foods in an additional video and said not to buy "Califia Farms Almondmilk Creamers that are not organic." Almonds, he noted, "tend to be high in glyphosate and almond trees are usually sprayed with chemicals." Many almond milk products possess anti-inflammatory properties and can be gentle on the intestines.
They are also often rich in vitamin E, an antioxidant known for its potential to combat inflammation and stress. Nonetheless, it's important to be aware that certain brands include carrageenan, a food emulsifier that might trigger intestinal inflammation. If you suffer from intestinal problems, scrutinize the ingredient list and choose almond milk varieties free from carrageenan.
@imjustwasim How to buy plant based Creamers at Whole Foods @lairdsuperfood #laird #lairdsuperfood #creamers #coffeecreamer #wholefoods #wholefoodsmarket ♬ Lofi Hiphop Chill - naoki osawa
Instead, Try An Unsweetened Plant-Based Creamer With Coconut Cream
Syed also suggested avoiding creamers with "sunflower oil" and "too many ingredients" if you want to avoid inflammation. Instead, he advised trying the "best plant-based creamer," in his opinion, the Laird Superfood Unsweetened Superfood Creamer with "coconut cream and extracts of functional mushrooms."
He also pointed out that "all of the ingredients" in the product are organic, and "they're very, very clean." He noted that the brand available at Whole Foods also has an original flavor and a vanilla flavor made with "clean vanilla extract."
The more you know!
