Whole30 Diet Plan: 50+ Whole30 Approved Recipes You'll Love (2024)

FAQs

What diet is closest to Whole30? ›

The Whole30 and paleo diets are similarly structured around whole foods and offer comparable benefits, including weight loss. That said, they may also limit your nutrient intake and be difficult to sustain. While Whole30 is initially stricter, its first phase is time-limited and soon eases in its restrictions.

During the month-long elimination period, no cheating is allowed. It's recommended that you start the challenge over if you get off track. The founders claim that strict adherence to the diet allows your body to reset in isolation from certain foods that may cause inflammation, gut disruptions, or hormone imbalances.

Though diet sodas and sugary beverages are off-limits on the Whole30 diet, you can drink water, herbal teas, coffee, and any other liquids that don't contain any sugar or artificial sweeteners. Fruit juice, when 100% pure, is also acceptable on occasion.

When you're on Whole30, toast, cereal, and oatmeal won't fly. But that doesn't mean you have to eat a plate of boring scrambled eggs each and every day. These casseroles, egg cups, breakfast stacks, and more will have you looking forward to your morning meal—and full way beyond your morning commute.

Though peanuts and peanut butter aren't allowed on the Whole30 program, other nuts and nut butters are. Cashew butter is loaded with nutrients like healthy fats, magnesium, manganese, and copper. Its smooth, sweet taste pairs well with apples ( 1 ).

On Days 10 and 11, you are statistically the most likely to quit your Whole30. (That's why they're “the hardest days.”) By this point, the newness of the program has worn off, and though you've made it through most of the unpleasant physical milestones, you've yet to experience significant benefits.

Here's the rule in a nutshell: If you think your less healthy treat is going to be so delicious, so incredible, so worth it, and then you take your first bite and discover it's not… STOP EATING.

No. The Whole30 diet doesn't have a carb limit, so it's not meant to put you in ketosis. However, it tends to be lower in carbohydrates than a standard American diet (SAD) since it cuts out grains, traditional baked foods, and processed items, which are major sources of carbs.

Yes, both pickles and bananas are allowed on Whole30. Yet if they are a potential trigger food for you (for instance, the sweetness of bananas sets off a craving for other treats or makes you want to binge on the fruit), then you may consider including them on your “don't eat” list.

Is diarrhea common on Whole30? ›

Okay, we'll just say it: bloating, constipation, diarrhea, or all three may appear as your gut starts to heal, rebalance, and process your Whole30 food effectively.

Fruit juice is Whole30 compliant when it's used in other recipes or to flavor other drinks, e.g. adding a squeeze of fresh orange juice to sparkling water to create your own "soda". However, you couldn't drink a whole glass of pure apple juice.

That's why Safe Catch tuna is the very first Whole30 Approved canned tuna. Keep a stash of Safe Catch in your Whole30 pantry for a convenient on-the-go protein; quick, nourishing lunches; and creating delicious dinners. (Scroll to the end of this post to see exclusive Whole30 recipes using Safe Catch tuna.)

It's got only four ingredients: water, organic almonds, organic acacia gum, and sea salt. You've seen this in literally every grocery store, and now you know: Yes, you can drink it while doing Whole30. Silk's unsweetened vanilla carton is fair game, too.

At the end of 30 days, you may notice increased energy levels, a slight boost to the metabolism, and even a healthier digestive tract — not to mention priceless insight into any potential food sensitivities.

Chick-fil-A

They're off-limits because they contain ingredients like cornstarch, molasses, and soybean oil. Even the fruit cups contain added sugar, and the salads have ingredients like soybean oils and cornstarch.

The Whole 30 and Paleo Diet are very similar. The Whole 30 is more restrictive than the paleo diet. For example, no sugar is allowed in the Whole 30 but only refined sugar is cut out of the Paleo diet. The Whole 30 is meant to be consumed for 30 days, whereas the Paleo diet is designed to be a long-term diet.

The Keto diet aims to put the body in a state of ketosis, burning fat for fuel instead of glucose. It is a low-carb, high-fat diet. Both diets help people lose weight and improve their health indicators, but the Whole30 diet may be more long-lasting because it emphasizes whole, nutrient-dense foods.

AIP diet is designed to specifically help manage autoimmune diseases, while Whole30 diet is designed for everyone to reset their body and identify food sensitivities. Additionally, AIP diet has a longer elimination phase and a more gradual reintroduction process than Whole30 diet.