You’ve heard of the ketogenic diet, Atkins, and Paleo, but what about the Whole 30 diet? Is it just another fad diet or something more wholesome, as its name suggests? Celebrities are raving about it and it’s rapidly rising in popularity. Intrigued? Us too, which is why we’ve delved into the details of this new diet craze to see if it lives up to the hype.
What Is The Whole 30 Diet?
The Whole 30 diet emphasizes ‘whole’ foods, promoting the total elimination of:
- Sugar.
- Alcohol, even in cooking.
- Grains such as rice, corn, and wheat (to eliminate gluten).
- Legumes such as chickpeas, soy, peanuts, and lentils.
- Dairy.
- Pasta.
- Bread.
- Processed potato products such as french fries and potato chips.
It also means no food additives such as carrageenan, MSG, or sulfites.
It is similar in some ways to the Paleo diet, but overall it is more restrictive. This is because it doesn’t allow sweeteners of any kind - even natural ones such as honey or maple syrup.
The creator of the diet, certified sports nutritionist Melissa Hartwig Urban says:
"You can think of the Whole30 like pushing the reset button with your health, habits, and relationship with food. For 30 days, you’ll eliminate the foods that scientific literature and our clinical experience have shown to be commonly problematic in one of four areas — cravings and habits, blood sugar regulation and hormones, digestion, and immune system, and inflammation.”
The ultimate goal behind the diet is to investigate how your body responds to certain foods. By eliminating ‘problem’ foods and then slowly reinstating after the 30 days you will have better insights into which foods trigger issues for you.
It is the ideal diet for those trying to pinpoint food allergy causes and intolerances. Think of it as pressing the reset button on your diet and food-related health.
What Can I Eat On The Whole 30 Diet?
While the diet is quite restrictive, there is still plenty that is allowed, such as;
- All vegetables, including those high in carbohydrates such as potatoes
- Fruit, including strawberries, watermelon, apples, oranges, and bananas
- Seafood, such as fish, oysters, shrimp, and mussels
- Unprocessed meats, including beef, chicken, and pork
- Nuts and seeds
- Eggs
- Olive oil and coconut oil
- Black coffee
It is important to remember that this is just a 30-day program, so while it may be difficult at times, it is only 30 days! 100% commitment is required for the Whole 30 Diet to work, so should you slip up, even once, you’ll need to start over again from scratch.
This means plenty of preparation to ensure you stay on track. Stocking up on Whole 30 approved meals and snacks is the key to success on this diet.
Peanut Butter Is Out, Seed Butter Is In
As peanuts are part of the legume family, peanuts and peanut butter are not permitted. So any ideas you had about surviving the 30 days by eating veggie sticks smeared with peanut butter, are out!
The Whole 30 does allow for seeds and therefore seed butter. However, as some brands of seed butter have additives such as sugar or vegetable oil, you will need to shop carefully.
Thankfully, Beyond The Equators Unsweetened 5 Seed Butter, fits perfectly in the Whole 30 diet. It is the ideal peanut butter substitute and packs a nutritionally dense punch, helping you stay on track with the diet, and your health goals.
What Is In Our 5 Seed Butter?
Our Unsweetened 5 Seed Butter is free of sugar and has no added oils. It contains a delicious and simple blend of roasted:
Sunflower seeds which are high in magnesium, vitamin E, and protein, can help lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.
Chia Seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, fiber, magnesium, calcium, iron, copper, phosphorus, manganese, and selenium.
Flax seeds, also high in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, can help lower blood sugar and insulin levels, aids in weight loss, improve skin health, and is rich in lignans which are shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Pumpkin seeds, high in iron, calcium, B2, folate, and beta-carotene, which the body metabolizes into vitamin A. They also contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Hemp seeds, high in protein, unsaturated fats, and fiber. It also contains zinc, iron, and B vitamins niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, and folate.
For your peace of mind, our 5 Seed Butter is made on a production line free of the top 8 allergens. So there are zero risks of making a misstep during your 30-day elimination period.
The bonus of our 5 Seed Butter is that it is also high in protein and low in saturated fat, helping keep you fuller for longer without compromising on your health.
Nutritious And Delicious Whole 30 Snacks
Need some ideas of how to use 5 Seed Butter in your whole 30 diet? Why not try:
- Apple slices smeared with 5 Seed Butter
- Vegetable sticks such as carrot, celery, or cucumber dipped in 5 Seed Butter
- A fresh salad dressed with a blend of 5 Seed Butter, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar
- Peanut free ‘satay’ chicken skewers
- Added to a banana smoothie (dairy-free of course!)
- Dates stuffed with almonds and then dipped in 5 Seed Butter
Or for a whole meal, why not try making your own Pad Thai sauce using 5 Seed Butter and replace the noodles with zoodles?
Should you need a Whole 30 approved binder for meatballs or crumbing for chicken, be sure to try our Sunflower Seed flour.
There are so many ways to use 5 Seed Butter. Having it available as a satiating and simple Whole 30 approved ingredient makes adherence to the plan that much easier.
Beyond The Equator, Great Taste Without Compromise
Our goal is and always has been to create exceptional food that is safe and enjoyable for all. No matter if you live with allergies, dietary intolerances, high cholesterol, or just want to kick-start a healthier lifestyle, our 5 Seed Butter can help.
Try it today.