What is the Whole30® Diet? A Beginner’s Guide

Keto, Paleo, Mediterranean, alkaline, macrobiotic ⏤ it seems like there’s a new fad diet popping up every few weeks. And now you’re here asking, “what is the Whole30® diet?” Founded in 2009, Whole30® is not really a diet plan but a month-long clean-eating program that eliminates certain food groups which could harm the body, thereby improving your health.

By eliminating foods that may trigger allergies, inflammation, and hormonal imbalances for 30 days, the program’s founders claim that Whole30® can reset the body and help it heal itself from damage. In this post, Wildly Organic will explain how the Whole30® diet works, what foods you can eat on the regimen, and whether you should give the nutritional program a try.

How Does the Whole30® Program Work?

Now that we’ve covered what the Whole30® diet is, let’s move on to how the program works. For 30 consecutive days, you can eat anything from a permitted foods list, while completely avoiding forbidden food groups. You’re probably wondering, “what can I eat on Whole30®?” We’ll discuss that below. After 30 days, your body has supposedly reset and established a new baseline. From there, you begin to slowly reintroduce the forbidden foods into your diet. 

During the reintroduction phase of Whole30®, knowing what to expect is important to reap the health benefits of the program. When you reintroduce each potentially problematic food, you should carefully watch for any adverse health effects. If any of the “forbidden foods” give you health issues, you should limit or eliminate them from your diet to promote long-term well-being.

The Whole30® diet can seem quite restrictive, but the good news is you don't have to count calories or control portion sizes on the program. Whole30® is not designed to be a weight loss plan. The program’s goal is to improve your overall wellness by helping you identify and avoid potential problem foods. After explaining what the Whole30® diet is and how it works, let’s go through a list of what you can and can’t eat on the 30-day program.

What Can You Eat on the Whole30 Diet?

And here is where we finally answer your burning question, “what can I eat on whole30®?” The Whole30® plan encourages you to consume minimally processed, whole foods. On the program, you are permitted to eat many real, nutrient-dense foods that are commonly found in other healthy diets. Here is what to expect to eat on the Whole30® diet:

• All fruits and vegetables, including potatoes
• Nuts and seeds
• Nut flours, nut milk, and nut butter
• Seafood (fish, shrimps, oysters, etc.)
• Minimally processed cacao products
• Unprocessed meats (beef, chicken, and pork)
• Natural fats like olive oil, coconut oil, and ghee
• Eggs
• Spices and seasonings
• Herbal teas and black coffee

What Foods are Off-Limits on the Whole30® Diet?

Most diets are restrictive to some degree. If you were asking, “what is the Whole30® diet,” you were probably wondering what foods are restricted in the program. The Whole30® program eliminates food groups that are claimed to trigger allergies, exacerbate inflammation, cause digestive disorders, and deteriorate mental health. 

These are the foods you should completely avoid on the 30-day elimination diet:

• Alcohol
• All dairy products
• Grains in all forms (wheat, oats, corn, rice, etc.)
• Legumes of all types (beans, lentils, soy, chickpeas, etc.)
• All baked goods and junk foods like cakes, pizza, and french fries
• Sugars, including table sugar and alternative sweeteners like honey and maple syrup

Should You Try the Whole30® Diet?

So far, we have explained what the whole30® diet is, described how the program works, and gave you in-depth food lists to answer what can you eat on whole30®. 

Now, we’ll discuss why you should try the Whole30® diet. By eliminating dairy products, alcohol, and high-glycemic foods like sugars, grains, and legumes from the diet, Whole30® decreases inflammation triggers that damage your health. The Cleveland Clinic recommends the Whole30® diet for relieving inflammatory conditions like chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal issues, and generalized pain. 

What else to expect from the Whole30® diet? Although the diet is not intended for weight loss, many people have lost weight on the Whole30® program. The Whole30® advocates claim that more than 95% of participants lose weight or improve their body composition during the program without cutting any calories. The Whole30® diet makes you healthier, and possibly slimmer, without calorie restriction. For many of us looking to boost our wellness, that’s a great reason to give it a try.

Try the Whole30® Diet with Wildly Organic

The Whole30® program followed by a modified diet can significantly improve your quality of life. 

Now that you know what the whole30® diet is, you may be eager to reset your body and adopt a healthier eating plan. If you want to give Whole30® a try, Wildly Organic can help. 

From organic, raw nuts to minimally processed cacao to natural and organic cooking oils, we offer a vast selection of healthful food products to help your body repair and reboot. Shop Wildly Organic's Whole30® friendly products and get free US shipping on orders over $49.

Whole30® and the Whole30 logo are registered trademarks of Thirty & Co, LLC

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.