Forget going on a diet. Seriously. Instead, focus on simply eating healthier.

Anytime is a good time to hit the reset button and reintroduce eating fresh, whole foods into your daily routine. Studies confirm it’s ultra-processed foods that often add the pounds and sabotage our efforts to eat healthy. Instead, add less-processed frozen or fresh vegetables or fruits and whole grains. Not only do they give us needed nutrients, but they also add fiber — something we all are short on.

If I could share one thing to make you whole nutritionally in 2024, it would be to eat whole foods. But maybe you’re not sure what healthy whole foods are.

Whole foods mean foods in their natural state — so you can recognize where they came from, not just bits and pieces that remain after refinement and processing. Think fruits, vegetables and whole grains that are packed with nutrients.

When it comes to whole foods, think about the difference between an apple and apple juice, a baked potato and tater tots, a skinless chicken breast and processed chicken nuggets, healthy brown rice and a prepackaged rice mix, whole-wheat flour with the bran and endosperm intact and white flour that has those removed.

The term “whole food” isn’t just confined to vegetables, fruits and whole grains, but includes all foods that are minimally processed. When whole grains are refined, for example, nutrients are lost — most significantly fiber. Then, during the enrichment process, nutrients may be added back, but even after enrichment, the final product is typically less nutritious than the whole grains it started with.

Studies have found that a diet high in whole, healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains is associated with a reduced risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers. That’s because whole foods are loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals. They also contain phytochemicals, the general name for natural compounds in plants. While thousands of individual phytochemicals have been identified, countless more remain unknown. They help in different ways. Some are antioxidants, which protect cells against damage. Examples of antioxidant phytochemicals are flavonoids, carotenoids and lycopene.

One of the biggest advantages of eating whole foods is that you’re getting the natural synergy of all of these nutrients together. Many nutrients are more effective when paired together, such as vitamin D and calcium, or vitamin E and selenium. In a whole food package, they offer more benefits than a single vitamin or mineral in supplement form. It’s like eating an orange vs. taking a vitamin C supplement. Both offer vitamin C, but an orange offers so much more, including fiber.

Last year, I attended a Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives conference put on by the Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. One of my takeaways was to try to eat 30 different fruits, vegetables, nuts and spices in a week. While that sounds like a lot, it’s a little more than five a day. The variety helps your microbiome as well as assures you’re getting all the nutrients you need.

One of the other big advantages of whole foods vs. processed foods is fewer additives and added sugar, salt, saturated fats and trans fats — things we all need to eat less of.

Adding whole foods to your diet is a journey. You don’t have to cut out all processed foods. The goal is to decrease the number of processed foods you eat and increase the proportion of healthy whole foods. Grab a handful of nuts or a piece of fruit instead of an energy bar or energy drink. Take a few extra minutes to make a sandwich or salad instead of reheating something from a box or package mix.

Here are a couple of recipes to get you started:

Broccoli Salad With Pepitas

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon salt
5 cups chopped trimmed broccoli (fresh or frozen)
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ medium red onion, chopped
¼ cup dried cherries or dried cranberries
2 tablespoons toasted pepitas

In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, mayonnaise, olive oil, mustard, maple syrup, garlic, paprika and salt.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil and add the broccoli. Cook for five minutes until heated through and lightly browned. Add the red onion, dried fruit and pepitas.

Pour the vinegar mixture over the broccoli mixture; toss to coat. Serve warm. Serves six.

Penne With Grape Tomatoes, Spinach and Toasted Garlic

4 medium cloves garlic
4 cups grape tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups lightly packed baby spinach (3 ounces)
1 ounce Parmesan cheese (⅓ cup grated)
¾ pound whole-grain penne
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Start a large pot of water to boil. While the water heats, peel and thinly slice the garlic and halve the tomatoes. Put the oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is golden brown, about five minutes. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.

Add the tomatoes to the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, cover and cook, stirring once or twice, until the tomatoes are warm and softened but still retain their shape, about four minutes. Coarsely chop the spinach and stir it into the tomatoes. Remove the skillet from the heat and over to keep warm until the pasta is ready.

Grate the cheese and set aside. Meanwhile, once the water comes to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package, then drain. Add the pasta to the skillet along with ¼ cup of the cheese, the salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Serve garnished with the remaining cheese. Serves four (serving size 2 cups).

Per serving: 480 calories, 15 grams protein, 73 grams carbohydrate, 15 grams fat (2.5 grams saturated), 5 milligrams cholesterol, 10 grams fiber, 460 milligrams sodium.