Is there an APP for Whole 30 compliant foods?

[Allya]

Hello Whole 30 community. I am reading the Whole 30 book currently and then plan to read It Starts with Food.  I am getting myself psyched for starting the Whole 30 program soon. Does anyone know if there is a Whole 30 APP for smart phones? Then if I was unsure that a particular food was Whole 30 compliant I could whip out my phone and look it up. If not, perhaps there is a Paleo App (and then I would just keep a copy of the differences between the two programs tucked into my phone case). And if neither exists, how do people keep track of what is and is not Whole 30 compliant? 

[jmcbn]

Nope, no app at present.

A big part of the process is learning to read labels so that you learn to identify ingredients you want to avoid. There are a number of downloads available on this site to help you with that detailing sneaky sugars, common additives etc., and if you're still in any doubt you can always search the forums. Most of what you'll want to know will already have been asked. best way to search is via Google - type in 'Whole30' + 'your query' (eg. Whole30 Rx bars) and you should come up with links to lots of previous discussions. The easiest way to avoid non compliant items is to stick to produce rather than products...

You'll find the downloads >here<

There's an app available for meal planning called Real Plans which you might find to be of help...

[ArtFossil]

You're the app. 

You get to develop the invaluable skill of reading labels--on everything you buy and use. 

You'll be amazed--and horrified. (Especially at the ampont of sugar in everything.)

And formulations can change all the time. No app could replace your own attention and vigilance. 

[NoMoreCrunchyCravings]

I made a list on my phone of the ingredients that I couldn't remember (I have a brain block about whether nitrites VS nitrites VS phosphates VS phosphates added into a product are compliant) and pulled it out at the beginning of my W30 adventure when grocery shopping for items not in the produce/protein aisles. Most products I buy nowadays though have no labels... aside from the ones I apply to the outside after weighing and scanning them to my self-checkout scanner. 

[NoMoreCrunchyCravings]

1 hour ago, NoMoreCrunchyCravings said:

I made a list on my phone of the ingredients that I couldn't remember (I have a brain block about whether nitrites VS nitrites VS phosphates VS phosphates added into a product are compliant) and pulled it out at the beginning of my W30 adventure when grocery shopping for items not in the produce/protein aisles. Most products I buy nowadays though have no labels... aside from the ones I apply to the outside after weighing and scanning them to my self-checkout scanner. 

I guess I didn't proofread my post above - autocorrect messed up the ingredients I've always been blocked about and simplified things a little too much. It should have read "nitrites VS nitrAtes VS phosphates VS phosphItes."

Thanks, autocorrect!

[MeadowLily]

Autocorrect turns SWYPO's into TYPO's. 

[PNWkatie]

I made business card size cheat sheets that I keep in my wallet that I can reference while grocery shopping. I took the information on some of the downloadable documents (off-limit additives, acceptable additives, the sneaky names for sugar, the no's and the exceptions to the rule) and put them into Powerpoint (a slide each). Then I printed 6 slides per page (so they get that business card size). I also laminated them so they can hold up over time. They came in especially handy when I first started shopping for Whole30 compliant foods.

[whole30dieter007]

I'm rather dismayed by the mandate of self-relaince that appears to be the norm on this issue.  I've done paleo before.  I ate, basically, the same stuff, day in and day out.  Half a chicken and green beans for lunch.  Eggs and bacon in the morning and evening.  Steak and other red meat as a treat.  

Look… I'm sorry to burst everyone's bubble, but not all carbs are UNIVERSALLY bad.  Yes, they will kill any attempt to induce and maintain an unstable-ketogenic-overdrive to rapidly-reduce-weight-without-boosts-in-activity-level, hence the draconian nature of the diet; however, long term, this diet, if it is to be, truly, a detox plan, is and ought to be regarded as a short term break from a normal relationship with food. This is the form of Whole30.  The purpose of whole thirty, can be debated, or even by fiat declared by its founders.  Personally, I understand it to be a month long detox. 

It's just not healthy to eat steak, eggs, bacon and chicken all the time in vast quantities.  Especially if one plans on returning to normal eating.  One needs to expand.  

One's adherence to the diet is and must be a question of form.  To be sure there is a debate to be had about the purpose of this diet.  There is also due consideration, rarely if ever resolved, about free will and paternalism.  However, as a simple matter of fact, foods which a Whole30 dieter will encounter will be either on- or off-plan.    

It seems prudent, therefore, to have a means of knowing which of these two categories a food will fall into.  

This is my theoretical argument for an app.

My practical argument for an app comes from my daily need for one.

I work in film production.  The lunch is almost always catered.  I have to pick out parts of meals that are served that I can eat.  And for that reason, I need to have an encyclopedic food catalogue that will tell me if a food is on or off plan.  

Moreover, the chemical compounds found in foods, whether they can be consumed or not.  It's not enough to check labels.  You need to know what you're looking for.  That you found a food to be made out of "Nothing" doesn't tell you anything either.

And from a common sense perspective, Does anyone REALLY believe that people going through the throes of a transition off carbs are going to have the wherewithal to research what foods are on plan and which aren't?  

[ArtFossil]

40 minutes ago, whole30dieter007 said:

I work in film production.  The lunch is almost always catered.  I have to pick out parts of meals that are served that I can eat.  And for that reason, I need to have an encyclopedic food catalogue that will tell me if a food is on or off plan.  

Moreover, the chemical compounds found in foods, whether they can be consumed or not.  It's not enough to check labels.  You need to know what you're looking for.  That you found a food to be made out of "Nothing" doesn't tell you anything either.

And from a common sense perspective, Does anyone REALLY believe that people going through the throes of a transition off carbs are going to have the wherewithal to research what foods are on plan and which aren't?  

FIrst, you've identified the differences between purchased canned/bottled/packaged foods and foods that are prepared for you. For the canned/bottled/packaged foods, reading the ingredients list WILL identify the ingredients in the food (by law) and by doing a Whole30, this label reading will become second nature. 

As for your catered lunches, whenever one eats "out" on Whole30, one has to question the preparer as to HOW the food was prepared. It's not enough to know that it's fish; you have to know exactly what oils were used, whether soy was added, etc. This makes dining out on Whole30 tricky but many people do it successfully by researching before hand if the restaurant has a website AND also asking a lot of questions of the server.

I do research related to AI and I can confidently state that no app can replace one's scrutiny of labels and questioning of food servers.

"From a common sense perspective" yes, there are multitudes of people who have successfully done Whole30s who have researched the foods they eat, each time. It's not that hard. And, the mindfulness that comes from reading labels and making a conscious effort to eat whole foods, with the least processing, is a HUGE "non scale benefit" from doing a Whole30, one that brings continuing benefits. This awareness is part of the Whole9 lifestyle explained on this site.

40 minutes ago, whole30dieter007 said:

Look… I'm sorry to burst everyone's bubble, but not all carbs are UNIVERSALLY bad.  Yes, they will kill any attempt to induce and maintain an unstable-ketogenic-overdrive to rapidly-reduce-weight-without-boosts-in-activity-level, hence the draconian nature of the diet; however, long term, this diet, if it is to be, truly, a detox plan, is and ought to be regarded as a short term break from a normal relationship with food. This is the form of Whole30.  The purpose of whole thirty, can be debated, or even by fiat declared by its founders.  Personally, I understand it to be a month long detox. 

It's just not healthy to eat steak, eggs, bacon and chicken all the time in vast quantities.  Especially if one plans on returning to normal eating.  One needs to expand.  

You have some misconceptions about Whole30. It's not a ketogenic diet. It's not low carb. It's a 30 day elimination diet which excludes foods which tend to be sources of inflammation or other problems for most people. It is followed by a reintroduction in which the eliminated foods are added back in a controlled way so that you can observe exactly how that eliminated food does or doesn't affect you. A Whole30 can have as much variety as you choose and many people on a Whole30 don't eat bacon. Or steak. Or . . .

If you want to know more about the science of Whole30 I recommend you read It Starts With Food. If you want to see the benefits, I recommend you do a Whole30, following the meal template and the recommendations. http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-meal-planning.pdf 

[SugarcubeOD]

No one has suggested that anyone eat steak, eggs, chicken and bacon in 'vast' quantities.  The template asks for a palm size or two serving of protein at every meal... as everyone has a palm size more or less in relativity to their own body, each person's consumption will be slightly more or less than the next person due to this.  That much protein is not vast and it is not unreasonable.  That you chose to eat the exact same thing day after day doing paleo is a choice you made.

Artfossil has already said that this isn't low carb and no one has said anywhere that all carbs are universally bad.  Please point me to where you've heard this to be true in enough repetition for it to be something that may be confusing to participants.

If you're not able to take on some self reliance and learn how to read a label to find out what is in your food then you are not taking your own health into your own hands, are you.  The rules are not difficult.  No dairy, sugar, grains/beans soy, msg/carrageenan and no booze.  That's six things to remember. Should you have a difficult time remembering that personally, you would be welcome to write it down on a post it note or put a note in your phone.  

Having some ownership over what one puts in their body SHOULD be the norm.  Having an app tell you what you can and can't eat without knowing WHY, even for 30 days is foolish.  As far as an app to tell you, personally, on a day to day basis whether the catering company put butter on the carrots, I don't know of anything that is going to help you outside of asking the catering company the question or expecting that same catering company to make the app because what someone chooses to cook from ingredients would not be possible to program into an app from a practical point of view... you must see that... 

As for the common sense about whether or not 'people' are going to look up what is and is not on plan when they're off grains and legumes and sugar (carbs), just take a look around this forum... thousand and thousands and THOUSANDS of people have and do and when they need help we empower them with tools and tips/tricks to help them take that ownership of what they're putting into their bodies.

 

 

[whole30dieter007]

Can I have this brand of almond milk? Yes.  It has no soy lecithin.

Can I have this brand of almond milk? No.  Because it has soy lecithin.

You need to know what the ingredients are first.  And I haven't seen a comprehensive list of any and all ingredients that one might encounter.  You're right.  I did have a misconception about Whole30.  I'm a 220 pound male.  Prior to starting this diet, with friends, I was eating 1700 calories a day.  Basically freshly baked bread, often black Russian or wheat, with three eggs for breakfast, hummus and bread, a boat load of vitamins, CoQ10, and other healthy foods.  I don't understand the science behind this diet at all.  If it's not cutting calories, or cutting carbs, I don't see how it's supposed to accomplish anything.  

And I just can't believe that a potato in any form can be part of a cleanse.  

Is there any science here?  Better yet, is there any theory?  Is there a coherent set of statements from which foods can be classified as on or off plan?

[jmcbn]

6 hours ago, whole30dieter007 said:

Is there a coherent set of statements from which foods can be classified as on or off plan?

Have you read ANY of the literature? The rules? The 'Can I Have...? Guide? The book written by Melisaa & Dallas Hartwig where the science behind the Whole30 is explained? This is not a cleanse, nor is it a diet, but rather a 30 day elimination protocol, which removes the most commonly known inflammatory foods for the duration of the program, followed by a period of reintroduction to determine which foods do or do not work for your optimal health going forward. It's also about learning how to change your relationship with food - how to eat mindfully & healthfully, building meals that will result in steady blood sugar levels & prevent cravings.

It looks like you have some reading to do......

Some helpful downloads.

Can I have....?

It Starts With Food

[ladyshanny]

7 hours ago, whole30dieter007 said:

Can I have this brand of almond milk? Yes.  It has no soy lecithin.

Can I have this brand of almond milk? No.  Because it has soy lecithin.

You need to know what the ingredients are first.  And I haven't seen a comprehensive list of any and all ingredients that one might encounter.  You're right.  I did have a misconception about Whole30.  I'm a 220 pound male.  Prior to starting this diet, with friends, I was eating 1700 calories a day.  Basically freshly baked bread, often black Russian or wheat, with three eggs for breakfast, hummus and bread, a boat load of vitamins, CoQ10, and other healthy foods.  I don't understand the science behind this diet at all.  If it's not cutting calories, or cutting carbs, I don't see how it's supposed to accomplish anything.  

And I just can't believe that a potato in any form can be part of a cleanse.  

Is there any science here?  Better yet, is there any theory?  Is there a coherent set of statements from which foods can be classified as on or off plan?

Who do you think would update this app? What if said almond milk was entered into the app and then 6 weeks later the ingredients changed? Manufacturers aren't required to alert people that they have changed their formula and it would be impossible for any group of people to stay on top of all the products in North America that you might want to purchase. It is possible, however, for each person to check their own ingredients on the product they are going to buy. And no, there's no comprehensive list of every ingredient in the world but if you do some looking, you'll find that most everything has been covered.

That all said, it isn't up to anyone here to convince you to do the plan. Read the materials and decide for yourself if the science and general idea fits your life. If so, great. But if not, that's OK too.

[laura_juggles]

9 hours ago, whole30dieter007 said:

Can I have this brand of almond milk? Yes.  It has no soy lecithin.

Can I have this brand of almond milk? No.  Because it has soy lecithin.

You need to know what the ingredients are first.  And I haven't seen a comprehensive list of any and all ingredients that one might encounter.  You're right.  I did have a misconception about Whole30.  I'm a 220 pound male.  Prior to starting this diet, with friends, I was eating 1700 calories a day.  Basically freshly baked bread, often black Russian or wheat, with three eggs for breakfast, hummus and bread, a boat load of vitamins, CoQ10, and other healthy foods.  I don't understand the science behind this diet at all.  If it's not cutting calories, or cutting carbs, I don't see how it's supposed to accomplish anything.  

And I just can't believe that a potato in any form can be part of a cleanse.  

Is there any science here?  Better yet, is there any theory?  Is there a coherent set of statements from which foods can be classified as on or off plan?

The science behind the Whole30 is to determine what foods, if any, cause any kind of upset in your body.

It's not about cutting carbs (helloooooo, vegetables are carbs and you are supposed to eat them in abundance) or calories. Many people lose weight because they stop eating mindlessly and therefore getting way more calories than they need, but that's an added perk for some people.

In my first Whole30, I learned that legumes wreck me. I reintroduced peanut butter and felt okay, but then had chili with beans for lunch, hummus with dinner and felt absolutely horrible. Waited a week and then tried just peanut butter again, in two different meals, and was okay. But hummus and whole beans just destroy my stomach. I'm not epi-pen-carrying allergic to them, so without Whole30, I never would have known that's what was causing me problems. 

It's not plausible for there to be a list somewhere of every single food/supplement ingredient in the world. So what Whole30 does is provide information about what is not allowed; that list is shorter. 

The theory is to remove food groups and additives that are generally the causes for the most irritation. Gluten, legumes, dairy, etc. Once you've gotten them completely out of your system, you try adding them back individually to see if any of those food groups give you trouble so you can avoid them in the future. That is the purpose of the Whole30. 

[frogtox]

10 hours ago, whole30dieter007 said:

 

Is there any science here?  Better yet, is there any theory?  Is there a coherent set of statements from which foods can be classified as on or off plan?

This makes me smile, because I have a PhD in biology and the Whole30, by FAR, is the eating plan I recommend to everyone because of the science behind it.