Real food basically means anything not highly processed (like artificial additives) and containing only five or fewer whole ingredients. It means mostly avoiding ingredients you would not cook with at home.
Here are the seven rules we followed during our original 100 Days of Real Food pledge:
- No refined grains (such as white flour or white rice); only 100 percent whole grain. Items containing wheat must say WHOLE wheat…not just “wheat” by itself.
- No refined or artificial sweeteners (such as sugar, any form of corn syrup, cane juice, or the artificial stuff like Splenda); only honey and pure maple syrup in moderation.
- Nothing out of a package that contains more than five ingredients.
- No factory-farmed meat; only locally raised meat products.
- No deep-fried foods.
- No fast food.
- Beverages to include only water, milk, occasional all-natural juices, naturally sweetened coffee and tea, and (to help the adults keep their sanity) wine and beer in moderation!
I promise, there’s still food left after eliminating everything mentioned in our rules!
What you CAN eat:
- Whole foods that are more a product of nature than a product of industry
- Lots of fruits and vegetables (we recommend that you shop for these at your local farmers’ market)
- Dairy products like milk, unsweetened yogurt, eggs, and cheese
- 100% whole-wheat and whole-grains (find a local bakery for approved sandwich bread and check the Understanding Grains post for more info)
- Seafood (wild-caught is the optimal choice over farm-raised)
- Only locally raised meats such as pork, beef, and chicken (preferably in moderation)
- Snacks like dried fruit, seeds, nuts and popcorn
- Also, check out the Recipes & Resources page for a more detailed list of meal options including links to recipes
Stevia and Truvia are not considered real food?
We break down both of those products in this post: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/stevia-food-babe-investigates/ – Nicole
I am about to start the real food diet. I think bread will be my biggest sacrifice. Do you have an idea?
Bread is usually a struggle for most who are used to eating white bread, but once you realize how many ingredients are in most sandwich types of bread, you start to rethink! You can learn more about that here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/what-should-be-in-your-sandwich-bread/
If you can make your own bread, you could start by adding in a little bit of whole-wheat flour and work your way up. – Nicole
Hello! Thank you for throwing this together. I’m about to start the 75 Hard program and wanted to do the Real Food “Diet” and hopefully make it a majority lifestyle. Would butter and peanut butter fall under Real Food?
Thank you!
Hi Mark, as long as it only consists of peanuts, it’s considered real food. – Nicole
How do you feel about organic coconut sugar? Is honey really a better alternative? Looking for your advice mainly for my morning coffee.
Sugar is sugar no matter what it is, so we always recommend it in moderation, even when we suggest honey and maple syrup as a better alternative. If you’re looking for a creamer this post has some great real food ideas: https://deliciouslyorganic.net/homemade-coffee-creamer/
– Nicole
I started with Lisa’s first book almost 6 years ago. We have not looked back! We feel better and truly enjoy eating and cooking as a family!
Thank you so much for sharing! We’re so glad to hear that you’re still enjoying real food! – Nicole
Hi Nadine. I think this will help for a balanced perspective:: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA68298/Do-Fried-Foods-Cause-Cancer.html and http://healthland.time.com/2013/09/24/dont-be-so-quick-to-shun-the-french-fry/. There is also a big difference between pan frying in a stable healthy oil and deep frying in reused oil.
Hello- what are the rules around oils during the pledge? Thank you.
Hi. This will clarify: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/14/mini-pledge-week-10-no-refined-oils/.
How on earth can Dairy be considered a “Whole food” its one of the most molested things anyone consumes on the planet for goodness sake???
Agreed! And so bad for you!! Number one cause of inflammation along with sugar. Don’t buy into the milk does a body good lie
agree! It is truly horrible. Born of torture and very very bad for the human body
Why is cane juice not an option. what if I press it from cane root myself?
how about yuca flour I made myself good or bad?
Hi there. You can learn more about our thoughts on sugar here: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/06/mini-pledge-week-9-no-refined-sweeteners/. As far as yuca/cassava/tapioca, it is not really something we use. It is a gluten free option but it is purely starch without much nutritional value beyond calories.
Why isn’t cane juice acceptable? It’s natural and unprocessed if it is fresh squeezed from sugar cane.
Hi there. This will help clarify our philosophy on sugar: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/05/06/mini-pledge-week-9-no-refined-sweeteners/.
How about wine ??
Hi. Wine and beer are fine in moderation.
I thinking of trying this to see if it helps with my chronic migraines… They are debilitating and I’m thinking has something to do with all the processed foods!
What about using stevia as a sweetener. It comes from a plant .. I havent been able to find anything bad about it.
I thinking of trying this to see if it helps with my chronic migraines… They are debilitating and I’m thinking has something to do with all the processed foods!
Hi Melissa. Technically, stevia is not permitted under the rules but many readers who can’t have honey or maple (anyone struggling with blood sugar issues) syrup do use it.
Thanks for sharing this great work! Would you please explain why you consider eggs as a diary product?
Hi Lora. We do know eggs come form chickens :) and aren’t a dairy product but they are generally located with dairy in the grocery store. On my shopping list, eggs go under dairy solely for their location.
They should only have real food.The real food challenge is that they have processed foods.
I’ve been doing this and I lost 11 lbs in 3 days! Basically just protein, veggies, nuts, seeds and healthy fats with small amounts of fruit and brown rice. Granted, I’m very overweight 5’1, 200 lbs) and I’m sure some of that was water, but it’s practical and easy to follow. I didnt count calories or portion sizes and ate until satisfied. Be generous with your fats! I put a lot of olive oil on each salad because good fats are extremely satiating. Also added chia seeds to each smoothie, it’s crazy how filling the fiber actually is, without adding any wierd flavor. I have definitely found a new way of eating.
Wow! That’s great!
This may be one of those duh no type questions but is the “raw sugar” considered unrefined and okay to use?
Hi Janelle. Not if you are taking the pledge. Under the rules, only honey and maple syrup are used as sweeteners.
Hi- I just wanted to thank Lisa for writing her book. My daughter found it at the library this week, as we have been planning for a while to make big changes in the food we eat. This is the best book I have read. We are going to begin our pledge this Sunday Nov8th, I am so committed to doing this and look forward to the challenges and all the benefits. Thanks so much :)
What about the dark chocolate covered almonds from Trader Joe’s or Nuts.com? They have less than 5 ingredients (if I count dark chocolate as 1 ingredient) – where does chocolate fall in the mix?
Here is the ingredient list :
Dark Chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, chocolate liquor processed with alkali, soy lecithin (emulsifier), salt, vanilla), Almonds, Turbinado Sugar (cane sugar, natural molasses) and Sea Salt.
Thanks!
Hi there. It is not okay under the pledge rules because it has sugar as its first ingredient (and last). Only honey and maple syrup are approved if you are taking the pledge. Outside of the pledge, look for a chocolate that is at least 70% dark and has very little sugar. I would avoid soy lecithin, too.
Are there any gluten free grains acceptable? We have two people with celiac, and one with type 1 diabetes in our house. We need to integrate GF grains.
Thanks.
http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/gluten-free-whole-grains
It’s not the gluten or lack thereof, it’s whether or not you use whole grains and minimally processed foods. Sadly, lots of gluten free products on the market are as processed as anything. But not good ol’ oats (from a gluten free mill). And try Bob’s Red Mill for fabulous grains and gluten free flours (ground in a gluten free facility). Some, like bean and pea flours, are also loaded with protein. http://www.bobsredmill.com/green-pea-flour.html
Mike, just wanted to tell you about Jordan Rubin & Garden of Life. He had Crohns and in his book, The Maker’s Diet, has a lot of great advice! Check it out:)
Every time I eat a sub i get serious chest pain and within five or 6 minutes. What is causing this? Could it be wheat since I order a wheat sub.
Hello James. I would definitely have a chat with your doctor about that.
My question or if someone could give me advice. I have crohns disease and i know it is bad to eat processed foods but its also hard for me to eat a lot of unprocessed foods because of my condition. For example im bot allowed any seeds or nut (nut butters are ok) no heavy ruffage and no whole grains so is it better to give and say on well i guess i cant eat breads anymore or is it fine to live with just eating white bread instead cause its less harmful of my digestive track. That is just one example but i find it very difficult to have an equal balance of things and any help would be appreciated
Hi Mike. This short article might guide and inspire you: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/winning-crohns-how-one-athlete-maintains-top-performance.
what if you can’t always cook your own meals? I’m on the road a lot so it’s hard to cook in a hotel and lunch is always on the go. Any suggestions for eating out?
Hi there. Traveling does present challenges but these should help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2011/06/24/tips_for_trips/, https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/07/16/real-food-tips-top-10-travel-snacks/, and http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/04/27/upshot/How-to-Eat-Healthy-Meals-at-Restaurants.html.
While I am all for eating healthy I cannot take this seriously. You’ve listed eggs as a dairy product twice on this page. Eggs come from chickens. They are in no way a dairy product.
Bex-
I don’t think this is what she meant.
Eggs are a real food that is usually categorized in a market that is labeled “dairy & eggs.”
Eggs come from hens, are classified in Meat, Beans & Nuts group and are a good source of protein but you wouldn’t see these foods grouped together in the same aisle!
Hello!
What about almond butter??? From the rules it would seem to not be considered whole food???
Hi. Nut butters are fine as long as there is no added sugar or other added ingredients (salt is okay). Organic is best.
Why does your contraband list have sugar, but some of your recipes have sugar in them? I did a whole month of whole foods in September, and I would like to get back into this month, so I came across your page, but I have a few reservations. Could you please clear up my misunderstanding? Thank you
she says that honey & maple syrup for the 100 days of real food challenge…after the 100 days she started using sugar in some of her recipes
Hi Lex. There are very few recipes that contain sugar and Lisa notes that they are exceptions to her rule. She continues to sweeten with honey or maple syrup the great majority of time.
Thank you for all the information!
I am confused about oils and butter! Shouldn’t we also avoid them the same way as white flour or sugar? It seams to me that they are not real foods. Because oil and butter are not whole foods. They are just a part of a whole food. If the concept is to be eating food in its most natural state, we should use the coconut and not the coconut oil, the same way we use a banana and not sugar to sweeten a recipe for example, right?! I have seen coconut sugar in stores, would it be ok to use that? How is it different from raw cane sugar? And if I can’t use it, then why is it ok to use the coconut oil then? I am struggling with this! To me it is confusing why oils or butter are ok! Why are they any different from sugar or refined flour? Are they not also just a part of a whole food striped of the rest of its components? If you can use butter does that mean that you can also use whey?
I think with butter and oils it’s more about how refined they are. For example, an unrefined cold pressed oil (like the white coconut oil) is going to be better for you than a refined mechanically processed oil (like the yellow coconut oil) because unrefined oils/butters retain more of their nutrients. Same with real butter vs margarine.
What type of oil is also important, for example olive oil is going to be way better for you than say canola oil.
Either way, cooking your own food is going to be much healthy than of you went out to eat because you can control the amount of oil/fat and ingriedients. Hope that helps!
I’m having a hard time finding foods without citric acid, malic acid and xanthan gum, even in foods with 5 or fewer ingredients. (Ex: organic hummus , organic fruit spread)
What are the thoughts on these additives?
Also, what brand vitamins do you give your kids and yourself?
Hi Terry. As a rule, we avoid as many additives as possible. But when you are buying packaged food, it is very difficult to avoid them all. Regarding vitamins, this post will answer your questions: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/09/13/why-my-kids-dont-take-vitamins/.
Wonderful information! Thank you!
How about almond milk?
you can buy all natural almond milk i think, but even better you can make your own! there’s a recipe on deliciouslyella that i’ve tried and it’s good.
Hi there. Here is a recipe: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/31/food-allergies-dairy/.
Hi, Lisa – what about drinks? Are wine and beer allowed in moderation?
Hello. Yes, in moderation.
Hi,
about sugar, what if I’m baking something from scratch, then is it okay to eat?
Hi there. Not for the pledge. Lisa sweetens with honey or maple syrup when she bakes.
What about coconut sugar?
Same. Not appropriate for the pledge but outside of the pledge, it might be a good choice for you.
Hi Lisa,
I make date paste (Medjool dates soaked in water and blended with pure vanilla extract) is this acceptable? I use it in replace of sugar, I put it in my coffee, shakes, and homemade popsicles. I assuming because its natural and I make it it’s good.
Hi there. Technically, sweeteners are limited to honey and maple syrup but I am pretty sure we can look the other way. :)
I think your website is fantastic. Thank you for sharing all your hard work. Many of your recipes are quickly becoming family favourites. But, please, may I ask why you chose to include processed meats such as sausage and bacon in your recipes? I agree choosing organic products with recognisable ingredients is preferable, but celery salt is still nitrite and the meat is still processed. The department of health advises that people avoid or limit consumption of processed meats. I would love to find some more recipes on your site, especially breakfast recipes which only use unprocessed meat. Bacon is yummy, and simply omitting it from a recipe often leaves the recipe tasting a bit flat. I would love some fail proof alternatives. Thank you.
I can eat salad all day but like salad dressing more. What could I use for salad dressing with the whole foods in mind?
Hi, Debbie!
The first Real Food change we made was never buying salad dressing–reading the ingredients is depressing. It is so easy to make a vinaigrette, or ranch dressing, or green goddess. I use her dry “ranch dressing mix” and a little buttermilk and sour cream (or yogurt)to make ranch/adding bleu cheese if I want bleu cheese dressing. I also got the dressing bottle she recommends from Amazon and it has held up well–lots of recipes right on the bottle. If you can remember one part vinegar(or lemon juice) and 3 parts oil, along with seasonings, you can make salad dressing. I have not purchased a bottled salad dressing in almost 3 years!
My schedule can be pretty hectic and I try to plan my meals as much as possible. However, there are some days that I stay too late at work and have somewhere else to be and can’t make it home in time to grab one of my planned meals. Do you have any suggestions of what and where to eat when you are on the go? (Love this blog by the way!)
Hi there. This snack list works for grab and go. I draw from it often when rushing out the door: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/07/31/85-snacks-for-kids-and-adults/.
You and I have the exact same definition of “real food”, the only thing I cheat on more often than I like is the white rice because it cooks sooo much faster than brown. White flower is reserved for very few occasions where whole grain just doesn’t do the trick “chemically” when baking for example. Sometimes I’m tempted to use sugar because of the chemical reaction, too. I have been able to completely stay away from refined sugar though and am so glad!!! Keep up this amazing work of teaching others about real food.
Re: Wild caught over farm-raised seafood…
I am concerned about the long term damage that over-fishing can and does cause to the wild fish populations. Why do you recommend wild over farm raised when farm raising is a more sustainable source of seafood?
Hi. We try to use this as our guide: http://www.seafoodwatch.org/.
hello, im an elite athlete, and due to training programs, the week before my nationals event, i must restrain from eating any processed foods. Thank you for this website!! It is a great way to detox your body and freshen up by using this diet. Good luck to all who take the pledge…….!!!
by anna
age 11
Hi, I just wanted to thank you for opening my eyes! I’ve been reading and doing some research on processed foods, organic foods and reading up on vegetarian diets. It wasn’t until last night when I came across your post on Facebook that made me jump in head first!
Long story short…I went food shopping today…first thing I did was look at the label on the very first product I picked up lol i could not bring myself to buy any products that had ingredients in them I’ve never heard of! It really made me sick to my stomach and disgusted at these companies as well! 100daysofrealfood has changed my whole outlook on food and what I will buy and feed my family of 5! My kids are really excited as well and in only one day have learned so much about processed foods and how there shouldn’t be a paragraph long list of ingredients on the labels. I bought a few examples home for them to compare. One was olives and the other was ranch dressing. I bought both organic and regular and also asked them if they thought it was necessary for those companies to put all those added “ingredients” in them. After they compared….what they did next was priceless! They went through the cupboards and looked at all the labels and started asking if we could throw them away! I told them we would donate to the needy instead. And from now on nothing but “real food” will be in our kitchen!
Thanks again for putting together 100days! God Bless you and yours!
Our real food journey begins today! :)
The Z Family of NJ
What about stevia, and what suggestions do you have for gluten free, esp. since
the flour used to make bread has more than 5 ingredients
Hi Maggy. Stevia is not within the rules. Outside of the pledge if you choose to use stevia, this should help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/04/25/stevia-food-babe-investigates/. As for gluten free, some adjustments to the rules may need to be made. This post will help you keep gluten free as real as possible: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/06/28/food-allergies/.