Terms like whole foods, processed and ultra-processed are showing up more often in conversations about nutrition. While these labels can be helpful, they can also create confusion, especially when it comes to everyday foods like bread, pasta and other wheat products.
The reality is that most foods fall somewhere on a spectrum. Understanding that spectrum can help you make practical, balanced choices without overcomplicating your meals.
What are whole foods?
Whole foods are foods that are close to their original form with minimal processing. This includes foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, beans and intact whole grains.
In the case of wheat, the closest example of a whole food is the wheat kernel, often called a wheat berry. Wheat berries contain all three parts of the grain — the bran, germ and endosperm — in their original form and can be cooked and eaten whole.
Many wheat foods begin with this whole grain. When wheat is ground into flour, it becomes processed, but the level of processing matters.
Whole wheat flour is made by grinding the entire wheat kernel, so it still contains all parts of the grain. Because of this, whole wheat foods are considered whole grain foods and remain close to the whole food end of the spectrum, even though they have been processed.
This is different from refined flour, where parts of the grain are removed during processing.
What does processed mean?
Processing simply means a food has been changed from its original form. This can include washing, grinding, cooking or packaging.
Many wheat foods fall into this category. Flour is made by grinding wheat. Bread is made by combining flour, water, yeast and other ingredients. Pasta is created through a similar process.
These are examples of foods that are processed, but still part of a healthy eating pattern.
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