Program rule changes

Since 2010, the Whole30 elimination phase has specifically called out added sulfites, an additive commonly used to preserve food flavor and color, inhibit bacterial growth, and reduce food spoilage. We believed sulfites posed enough dermatological, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular risk to the general population to warrant eliminating them on the program. In 2022 and 2023, we reevaluated the current scientific findings on sulfites, sulfite sensitivities, and health, and found a lack of recent, quality research on this topic. This limitation prevents us from determining any meaningful impact of sulfites on the general population. However, we can safely infer that there is insufficient evidence to justify excluding them from the program when consumed in recommended amounts. As a result, the Whole30 no longer calls for the elimination of added sulfites as part of the program rules.

As part of the research for The New Whole30, we reevaluated all of the Whole30 program rules, including the Pancake Rule. As a result, we updated the specific language for this rule to more accurately reflect our changing food landscape while maintaining its effectiveness. This new language ensures the elimination phase is effectively crafted, while allowing a few suitable and nutrient-dense items back in. The new language focuses on baked goods, cereal, and pasta recreations made from alternative flours, specifies the specific types of commercially-prepared “chips” eliminated, and removes the language around nut and seed “granolas” and 100% fruit “popsicles,” thus allowing them back into the elimination phase.

Since 2010, the Whole30 elimination phase has specifically called out carrageenan, an additive found in products such as non-dairy creamers and deli meats. Based on prior interpretations of the research, we believed carrageenan could promote disruptions in the gut, and create inflammation. In 2023 and 2024, we reevaluated the current scientific findings on food-grade carrageenan, inflammation, and health, and found a lack of recent, quality research on this topic. In addition, it’s clear the negative health effects of poligeenan (a form not used in food) have often been erroneously extended to food-grade carrageenan. Given these factors, there is insufficient evidence to justify continuing to eliminate carrageenan as part of the Whole30 Program Rules—with a few caveats.

Since 2010, the Whole30 has held the position that seed oils rich in omega-6 polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) were inherently inflammatory and increased your risk of metabolic disease. As such, any products using seed oils derived from grains or legumes (such as rice bran oil or soybean oil) were specifically called out as part of the Whole30 elimination phase.

Between 2022 and 2024, we reevaluated the current scientific findings on seed oils, inflammation, and health. Specifically, we were looking to determine if consumption of polyunsaturated fat/omega-6-rich oils is a risk factor for disease, independent of omega-3 fatty acid intake and other important factors, such as caloric intake and diet quality. We found a surprising amount of high-quality research on the subject, much of which worked off of interventional (controlled) studies.  This lends a much higher confidence level to our conclusions.

Based on our review, it’s clear that the evidence is quite one-sided in favor of PUFA-rich oils. We found no credible evidence that increased PUFA consumption from seed oils leads to increased inflammation or heart disease risk. In fact, there is almost universal agreement between studies that substituting PUFAs in place of saturated fat in the diet reduces heart disease risk significantly. This is especially true in the context of a whole-food-based diet, which includes omega-3 fatty acids, as you’ll find with the Whole30. As a result, the Whole30 Program Rules no longer eliminate any form of cooking oil, regardless of its derivation.

Since 2010, the Whole30 elimination phase has specifically called out added MSG, an additive commonly used as a flavor enhancer in restaurant foods, canned vegetables, soups, deli meats, and other foods. We believed MSG posed enough neurological, cardiovascular, and inflammation-related risks to the general population to warrant eliminating it on the program. In 2021, we reevaluated the current research on MSG and “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” and found a lack of verifiable research to back up claims that MSG is the cause of negative health symptoms. In truth, most of the “research” in this area is based on anecdotes and poorly conducted science, and the majority of recent research reveals that this flavor component simply isn’t cause for concern for most people. In addition, there is compelling evidence that the origins of the bias against MSG is, in fact, rooted in racism and xenophobia. As a result, the Whole30 no longer calls for the elimination of MSG as part of the program rules.

While technically a legume, over the last eleven years, we’ve rarely (if ever) seen peas present problems upon reintroduction. Most varieties of peas are lower in FODMAPs and phytates than other forms of legumes, and pea protein is considered a hypoallergenic protein source by functional medicine doctors. Upon consulting with an advisory group of medical doctors and registered dietitians, we concluded there was no scientific or clinical standing to continue to eliminate peas as part of your Whole30, and made the decision to allow all forms of green, yellow, and split peas back into the program.

Botanical extracts (like vanilla, blueberry, or cinnamon extract) are made by placing a raw material such as vanilla beans in alcohol and water. This extracts elements from the raw material into the liquid mixture to give you ‘vanilla extract’. Extracts are the purest form of flavoring, and the closest thing to real food. While botanical extracts generally contain a high percentage of alcohol, they are “non-potable,” meaning they’re not something you’d drink. Also, the alcohol in extracts is always distilled, rendering it gluten-free. While the Whole30 requires eliminating all forms of alcohol, this worthy exception allows you to consume products that use botanical extracts to preserve products and flavor beverages.

When the program was first created, there weren’t a wide variety of hyperpalatable veggie chips available. Sure, you could eat potato chips, but plantain chips, pork rinds, and cassava tortilla chips simply didn’t exist. Over the last few years, the variety of technically compatible store-bought chips has exploded, and we noticed Whole30’ers consuming bag upon bag of deep-fried plantain chips, thinking they were a “healthier” option than potato chips. Because these are still foods with no brakes, we made a rule change eliminating any store-bought chips for 30 days. We instead encouraged people to make their own at home by baking, pan-frying, air-frying, or roasting your own plantains or potatoes.

The explosion of coconut aminos as a soy sauce substitute (and the fact that different brands list their ingredients as “coconut sap,” coconut nectar,” or “coconut syrup” interchangeably) set Melissa off on a month’s worth of research. What was the difference, and how were aminos made? After consulting with several experts in the manufacturing process, we decided to make all aminos an exception to the “no added sugar” rule, even if “nectar” or “syrup” are listed in the ingredients. While coconut blossom “nectar” can become a sugar source, coconut aminos themselves are clearly not a sugar substitute.

White potatoes were originally eliminated due to concerns over people limiting the variety of their veggies (leaning too heavily on potatoes), or overconsuming highly processed and hyperpalatable forms like French fries or chips. But white potatoes are an accessible, nutrient-dense, whole food, and it was an easy call to bring them back into the Whole30 along with other starches and varieties of potatoes. They were added back into the program in 2014, with the exception of commercially-prepared fries or chips.

This was an exception most people didn’t even think about! All iodized table salt contains a form of sugar (dextrose) to stabilize the added potassium iodide. It’s a chemically essential ingredient that’s included in a trace amount, so it doesn’t taste sweet. (No one consumes salt to satisfy a sugar craving!) Without this official exception, you’d never be able to eat pre-packaged or restaurant food, because they all use iodized (table) salt. We made this an official exception in 2014.

While ghee and clarified butter are sourced from dairy, the clarification process removes nearly all of the milk solids. If someone has a dairy intolerance, it’s often to the sugar (lactose) or proteins (like casein) in the milk solids. Ghee might contain trace amounts of lactose or casein, but many Whole30 Approved ghees are certified lactose and casein-free. Unless a person has an allergy to lactose or casein, ghee is generally considered safe even for those who don’t tolerate lactose or casein well.