Whole30 Diet: Does It Work and Should You Try It?

The Whole30 diet is a type of elimination diet that aims to remove dairy, added sugar, processed meat, alcohol, and grains. This diet looks to permanently change the lifestyle of an individual during the strict 30-day elimination programme.

The Whole30 diet is not formulated for weight loss, but many people have claimed to have benefited from it. It was conceptualized in 2009 by two certified sports nutritionists. They claimed benefits such as improved metabolism and digestion.

The elimination of processed foods, sugar, and legumes might help improve health long-term. This diet can be described as a nutritional reset that can help you start your wellness journey.

Founders of this diet, Melissa Urban and Dallas Hartwig, claim that the Whole30 diet can change your relationship with food. In this article, we will bring you the health aspects of this diet and list the foods to include or avoid in the diet.

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How to Follow the Whole30 Diet?

The Whole30 diet consists of two phases: 30 days of elimination, and 10 days of reintroduction.

Foods that cause inflammation, rise in blood sugar levels, and gut problems are usually eliminated first. Co-founder of this diet, Mellisa, calls it an 'anti-diet', as this plan does not require counting, tracking, or restricting calories. It's also recommended to avoid measuring bodyweight on a scale for 30 days.

You can also try out one of these five best diets for weight loss in 2022.

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Foods to Include and Avoid in Whole30 Diet

Whole foods can be included in the diet, as usual. The founders of this diet recommend 'real foods', by which they refer to freshly sourced whole foods that do not contain any additives.

• Meat, eggs, and poultry: beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, duck, etc.
• Fish and seafood: Tuna, herring, anchovies, shrimp, calamari, scallops, crab, lobster, etc.
• Fruits: fresh and dried fruits, including apples, bananas, and prunes.
• Vegetables: Potatoes, eggplants, carrots, etc.
• Nuts and seeds: all nuts and seeds, nut milk, nut butter, and nut flour (except peanuts)
• Healthy fats: olive oil, coconut oil, ghee, avocado oil, tallow, lard, duck fat.

You can include healthy, high-fat foods while following the whole30 diet.

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Foods that are discouraged in the Whole30 diet are ones that cause inflammation in the body. The list of foods to avoid are:

• Sugar and artificial sweeteners: sugar, honey, maple syrup, artificial sweeteners, including aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium.
• Alcohol: Whiskey, beer, wines, liqueurs, and spirits.
• Grains: all grains, including wheat, corn, oats, and rice.
• Pulses and legumes: peas, lentils, beans, peanuts.
• Soy: all soy products, including tofu, tempeh, edamame, and sauces made from soy, such as miso and soy sauce
• Dairy: cow, goat, and sheep’s milk, yogurt, cheese, ice cream, and other dairy products.
• Processed additives: MSG, sulfites, etc.

Junk food is strictly prohibited in this diet, as it's inflammatory in nature.

Learn how to include cheat meals in your diet.

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Benefits of Whole30 Diet

Followers of this diet claim several health benefits. Analyzing the composition of this diet, the following benefits can be expected:

• weight loss
• higher energy level
• improved sleep
• less frequent food cravings
• improved athletic performance

It's widely accepted that healthy habits can help you lose weight and achieve your fitness goals. The weight loss results are due to the absence of grains in this diet.

Grains and cereals can cause a rise in insulin level, leading to fat gain. An elevated insulin level is also a sign of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Improved sleep and energy levels can be attributed to decreased inflammation.

Check whether a low-carb diet can be effective for diabetes

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Bottom Line

The Whole30 diet is not a proper diet plan but more of a set of eating habits to improve lifestyle. This diet follows a slow and steady approach to removing unhealthy eating habits over the course of 30 days.

Some of the items that are discouraged can be reintroduced in the second phase, subject to health conditions. This diet can help improve digestion and metabolism. However, certain points in this diet can be controversial.

Fresh dairy is usually known to be beneficial for health, but that's excluded. So, instead of blindly following diet trends, it's advisable to read evidence-based scientific research before embarking on a new fitness journey.