The Whole30 is EVERYWHERE. The Whole30 book is even a New York Times “Food and Diet” bestseller.
Essentially, the Whole30 is a 30 day eating plan. Completing a “Whole30” involves eating from a very specific list of foods for 30 days as a sort of “diet reset.” According to the Whole30 website, this program is intended for people who have symptoms like low energy levels, aches and pains, allergies, and digestive problems that have not been helped with medication. It’s also for people having trouble losing weight and maintaining a healthy relationship with food. According to the developers, completing a Whole30 changes the way you view, taste, and select food.
But the list of things you can eat (meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, fats) during those 30 days is much shorter than the list of things you cannot (baked goods, grains, legumes, dairy, soy, treats of any kind, added sugar, etc.). Every time you eat one of the foods on the “no” list, you’re supposed to restart the 30 days.
As the Minnesotans say, uff da.
According to the Whole30 authors, these forbidden foods are “craving-inducing, blood sugar disrupting, gut-damaging, [and] inflammatory,” despite the fact that there is very little evidence to support these claims and plenty of evidence to dispute them. Not to mention that no studies have ever been conducted on the Whole30 itself.
Looking at the Whole30 from a nutrition science perspective, three important issues come to mind immediately:
1. The Whole30 suggests that there is something unhealthy about staple foods like bread, rice, and beans.
Yes, about 1% of the population has Celiac disease and cannot consume wheat safely. And yes, some people have food allergies. However, labeling all of these foods and many, many others as “off limits” for a 30 day diet reset is highly restrictive and may even be harmful. Many of the claims about these foods are also unfounded. Emerging evidence from animal studies (like this one and this one) suggests that beans, for instance, are not “gut-damaging” but are actually beneficial for intestinal health.
2. It provides very little framework for what to do after 30 days.
The official Whole30 program provides a guide for how to eat for 10 days after the program ends. It recommends gradually adding back the eliminated foods to assess which one(s) might be causing a problem. This structure roughly mimics the protocol following elimination diets, which are sometimes used for diagnosing the source of symptoms for hives, angioedema, eczema, and allergies. Medical elimination diets, however, remove a small, specific list of foods from the diet for a few weeks and then reintroduce them very gradually. These diets and the reintroduction period are also typically monitored by medical professionals. Removing many foods for 30 days then reintroducing them over 10 days is a different story altogether.
3. Being on a highly restrictive diet, even for 30 days, will affect your social life, work life, home life, and relationship with food.
The Whole30 is known for its tough love approach (“This is not hard.” “You have no excuse not to complete the program as written.”) Sure, compared to other life challenges, the Whole30 is not hard. But does that mean it’s a good idea? The Whole30 is 30 days of eating a highly restricted diet with very little evidence to support it. It does not encourage moderation. It does encourage packing meals for social occasions and work events. I don’t know about you, but I prefer not to bring along a meal with me to enjoy dinner with friends. Or weddings. Or date night. Or a work lunch.
Despite the promise on the Whole30 website that it will change your relationship with food, it does not set the groundwork for evidence-backed habits– like maintaining a consistent dietary pattern, eating in moderation, and making healthy choices at restaurants- that can be part of long-term diet change. To change what and how you eat, try making small changes to your diet over time instead. These changes are more likely to be maintainable and, therefore, have a lasting impact. Choosemyplate.gov has an entire page of suggestions on how to take small steps towards a healthier and more sustainable way of eating.
This blog post was written by Julie Hess, PhD, the 2017 Sylvia Rowe Fellow.
FAQs
It's the epitome of a fad diet, with its restrictive and unscientific rules and its short-term nature. And yet, 12 years after its creation, Whole30 and its promise of food freedom is still going strong. Here's my Whole30 review, as a dietitian who specializes in orthorexia and other eating disorders.
What do doctors think about the Whole30 diet? ›
Since there is no clinical research on Whole30, it remains to be seen whether this diet will hold up in the long-term. Talk with your doctor before starting the Whole30 diet or any other diet — your doctor can recommend the best eating plan for you, based on your health needs.
What are the criticism of the Whole30 diet? ›
Some downsides include Whole30 side effects like digestive problems, worsened food cravings, and reduced nutrient intake. The diet restricts certain foods and food groups, which, if followed long-term, can result in nutrient deficiencies.
Is there any science behind Whole30? ›
In addition, there is no evidence-based research to support any of the health claims made by the Whole30 diet. Rather than eliminating foods completely, consider making gradual lifestyle changes, such as cutting back on calorie-dense foods and sugar-sweetened beverages.
Why is Whole30 not sustainable? ›
The Whole30 diet has morphed into a popular weight-loss plan but its original intention is to help identify food sensitivities and allergies via a process of elimination. Due to the restrictive nature of the diet, dietitians and nutritionists don't recommend Whole30 as a long-term sustainable eating plan.
Has anyone lost weight on Whole30? ›
That said, plenty of people who try the Whole30 diet do end up losing some weight. “The benefit of Whole30 is that it encourages eating whole foods, which are foods in their most natural state,” says Sara Haas, RDN, a nutrition expert with formal training in the culinary arts.
What is the dark side of Whole30? ›
The Whole30 diet is cutting dairy, alcohol, legumes, added sugars, and processed foods for 30 days. Potential risks include constipation and an inability to keep off weight lost while following it. The diet may also be expensive to follow, as it can involve buying a lot of meat and fresh produce.
Is Whole30 actually healthy? ›
It also restricts important nutrients you'd get from grains and legumes. This makes it hard for you to get the right amount of calcium and vitamin D. The Whole30 diet could make your blood sugar levels fluctuate. It can also cause inflammation in your gut, and hurt your health.
What is the hardest day of Whole30? ›
On Days 10 and 11, you are statistically the most likely to quit your Whole30. (That's why they're “the hardest days.”)
Why is hummus not on Whole30? ›
Traditional hummus is made from garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas), which are a legume and Plant-Based Whole30 compatible. Just read your labels to make sure your hummus doesn't contain dairy or other ingredients that aren't a fit for the Plant-Based Whole30.
Although Whole30 encourages consuming whole, unprocessed foods, portion control still matters. Overeating even healthy foods can lead to a caloric surplus, hindering weight loss progress.
Why is honey not allowed on Whole30? ›
Added sugar.
The Whole30 diet plan requires you to strictly avoid eating any source of added sugars, including real and artificial sugar. Thus, maple syrup, coconut sugar, agave nectar, honey, Nutrasweet, stevia, Splenda, xylitol, and other sources of sugar must be eliminated.
Why are potatoes allowed on Whole30? ›
But white potatoes are an accessible, nutrient-dense, whole food, and it was an easy call to bring them back into the Whole30 along with other starches and varieties of potatoes. They were added back into the program in 2014, with the exception of commercially-prepared fries or chips.
Are eggs Whole30 approved? ›
Foods allowed on the Whole30 diet mostly consist of minimally processed foods, including: Meat, eggs, and poultry: beef, veal, pork, horse, lamb, chicken, turkey, duck, etc. Fish and seafood: fish, anchovies, shrimp, calamari, scallops, crab, lobster, etc. Fruits: fresh and dried fruits.
Why is dairy not allowed on Whole30? ›
The plan cuts out foods that often trigger symptoms of a food allergy, intolerance or sensitivity. Dairy, for instance. It's estimated that up to 70% of people may have a sensitivity to lactose and milk products.
Why do I feel so bad on Whole30? ›
Cravings for the foods or drinks you've eliminated can also make you cranky, fidgety, and easily irritated. (Food dreams are common here, too.) You may also experience bloating, constipation, or loose stools as your gut adjusts and learns to process these new foods more effectively.
What is considered a fad diet? ›
A fad diet is a plan that promotes results such as fast weight loss without robust scientific evidence to support its claims. Popular ones include plans where you eat a very restrictive diet with few foods or an unusual combination of foods. They may only allow you to eat certain foods at certain times.
