“I started the Whole30 at 218 pounds, a 37-inch waist, and no energy. I also started with over eight years of acid reflux medication under my belt. I could not skip one dose of my medication without experiencing severe heartburn. After just 30 days, I now weigh 199 pounds, my waist is at 34 inches, I have not taken a single dose of my medication for the entire program.”
— Jeremy M., Eagle River, AK
Though it does exist, compliant commercially produced almond milk is hard to find. Ingredients like added sugar (in any form) or carrageenan will render most store-bought almond milks off-limits for your Whole30. The alternative is to make your own—but remember, no added sweetener!
✪Tip: Nuts and seeds aren’t your best fat choice in general, and drinking your food is always less healthy than eating it. So even if you make your own, we’d rather you just eat the almonds! Still, if you’re interested in making your own almond milk, check out our friend Stephanie Gaudreau’s recipe at StupidEasyPaleo.com.
Beverages like Choffy or Crio Brü are made from 100 percent cacao beans that are ground and roasted just like coffee. It contains a small amount of caffeine (about 25 percent of that found in a normal cup of coffee), and may provide a delicious alternative to those looking to cut their caffeine consumption. Don’t expect them to taste like hot chocolate, however—pure cacao is more bitter and rich tasting than the sweet stuff that comes from a packet. (And remember, the same Whole30 rules apply in terms of adding sugar or creamers.) See Resources for where to find Whole30 Approved brands of these cacao-based beverages.
Most coconut waters are technically compliant, containing only natural sugars from the coconut. However, some brands add additional sugar to their ingredients, so read your labels. Remember, anything with sugar in the ingredient list is out for your Whole30.
✪Tip: Coconut water is essentially a “light” fruit juice. If you’re involved in endurance athletics, work in an environment that leaves you prone to dehydration, or just want a refreshing treat, coconut water can be a fine choice for rehydration. (Although adding a pinch of salt to coconut water makes it a much better hydration drink if dehydration is a legitimate concern.) Just don’t let coconut water take the place of plain old water in your daily routine.
Club soda is just carbonated water (and maybe some salt)—perfectly fine for your Whole30.
Yes, you can drink coffee. You’re welcome. You can drink it black, add compliant coconut milk or almond milk, or add cinnamon or ground vanilla beans to the brew. But remember, Whole30 guidelines exclude milk, cream, non-compliant milk substitutes, and any form of added sugar or sweeteners. And (tough love ahead), if you “just don’t like” black coffee, you are either not buying good coffee or you actually don’t like coffee—you just like the sweet, creamy stuff you typically add to coffee.
✪Tip: We’d generally recommend no more than one to two cups a day, always before noon so the caffeine doesn’t interfere with sleep. Not that you asked for our opinion.
Some flavored coffees use natural ingredients like cinnamon and vanilla beans to lend some excitement to their beans, and those are fine on the Whole30. However, avoid coffees flavored with extracts (usually alcohol based), artificial flavors, added sweeteners, or chemicals. Ingredient lists aren’t always printed on your bag of beans, so you may have to contact your favorite coffee company for more details on their process.
Fruit juice is an approved added ingredient in dishes or beverages on the Whole30. (Technically, you could think of it as a sweetener, but we had to draw the line with “added sugar” somewhere.)
✪Tip: While drinking a glass of fruit juice may be technically compliant, we really can’t recommend it, even if you juice it yourself. Juicing strips many of the nutrients out of the fruit (many of which are found in the pulp and skin), but still leaves all of the sugar. You’d never eat eight oranges in a row, but you’d think nothing of gulping down an 8-oz glass of orange juice! From a satiety, sugar, and overall health perspective, we’d much rather you just eat the fruit.
Kombucha may have probiotic benefits (especially if you make it yourself), and we think it’s a fine addition to your Whole30 beverage menu. Just read your labels carefully—sugar listed in the ingredients generally means that it was added after fermentation, and that’s a no-go. (Fruits or fruit juice as added ingredients are fine, however.)
✪Tip: Interested in making your own kombucha and other fermented goods? Sarah Ramsden of Whole9 Canada has an entire online class dedicated to fermentation! Check it out at www.9life.co/whole9ff.
Mineral water is just carbonated water plus some minerals (like calcium and sodium), present in the natural source of the water. All brands of plain mineral water are fine for your Whole30.
We know there’s a recipe out there where eggs, coconut milk, a significant quantity of dates, and some voodoo magic are combined with prayers to create a thick, creamy concoction designed to take the place of your cream and sugar (or Coffeemate) and once again transform your boring black coffee into a sweet, dreamy treat. But much like pancakes made with almond flour, relying on this technically compliant recreation is not part of a healthy relationship with food (or coffee). Instead, we’d encourage you to take a look at why you need this at all. Do you really like coffee, or are you just drinking it for the sugar hit?
Almost all protein powders contain off-limit ingredients like whey, casein, soy, pea protein, rice bran, or added sweeteners. Besides, you can do way better. Anything you can get from protein powder (except maybe chemical extractives, added sugar, and strange-sounding isolates) you can get from whole foods during your Whole30 in a much more nutrient-dense, satisfying form.
In addition, formulated and processed meal-replacement shakes like Shakeology or Visalus are always off-limits. These products don’t even come close to our definition of real, whole food—and they all include off-plan ingredients like pea protein, rice bran, and stevia.
However, protein powder from approved ingredients like 100 percent egg whites (like the protein found in Whole30 Approved RxBars) or crickets (yes, there is such a thing as cricket protein!) are allowed on the Whole30, provided they contain no added sweeteners.
✪Tip: We want you to spend a month learning to appreciate real food, how it tastes, the satisfaction you get from preparing your own meals, and how Whole30 foods work to fuel your body before, during, and after exercise. You can have your shaker cup back in 30 days; for now, focus on getting protein from whole-food sources after your workout. Hard-boiled eggs, compliant deli meat, chicken, or canned tuna are easy, portable protein sources to take with you to the gym.
This is just a fancy way of saying “club soda”—which is just carbonated water.
This is a very popular question, with a very unpopular answer. Smoothies (generally made using lots of fruit) are technically compliant on your Whole30, but we strongly recommend against them. Food that you drink sends a different satiety signal to your brain than food that you chew. So when you drink your meal, your brain isn’t getting the feedback it needs to tell your body that you’ve eaten—and you get hungry again fast, even though you just ingested plenty of calories (mostly in the form of sugar). Plus, as they are generally fruit-heavy, a breakfast smoothie sets you up for cravings, hunger, and volatile energy levels throughout the day. In summary, eat your food and skip the smoothie, especially for breakfast.
Sparkling water can be a great way to jazz up your Whole30 drink routine. Look for products that only contain water and natural fruit/herb flavors, and avoid any with added sweeteners. Also, do not confuse mineral water or sparkling water with tonic water—the latter is always sweetened.
Green, black, white, or herbal teas (hot or iced) are a great addition to your Whole30 repertoire, but you have to read your labels. Some teas add non-compliant ingredients like stevia, rice bran, or soy to their ingredients.
✪Tip: Remember, many teas contain caffeine, so follow our general guidelines and stick to only decaffeinated or herbal varieties later in the day.
Tonic water is a carbonated beverage that always contains sugar, ruling it out for your Whole30.
We aren’t big fans of drinking your food, but we approve of using vegetable juice as a way to get extra nutrients into your day. However, juice should never take the place of eating real vegetables! Chewing and swallowing your Good Food is always your top Whole30 priority. You’ll probably want to juice it yourself (or use a blender of sorts), as most prepackaged “vegetable juices” are actually mostly fruit, or contain off-plan ingredients.
✪Tip: Make sure your concoctions are almost all vegetable (with perhaps just a little fruit for flavor). However, note that even some vegetable-only drinks (like those heavy on beets and carrots) may pack more of a sugar punch than you’re willing to add to your day. Read your labels, and do the sugar math!
Following the same logic as kombucha, we’re okay with water kefir. If you’re making it yourself, do what you can to ensure that the sugar is used by the bacteria (generally by allowing appropriate fermentation time). If you’re buying, avoid those brands with added sugar in the ingredient list.
Looking to serve something fancier than plain old water at your next gathering? See our festive drink recipes.