The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia is a vital work of several reasons, among the first being its focus on unrefined, whole foods. Today, whole foods are greatly lacking in our diet. Most people cannot identify a grain of wheat; most do not know that unrefined oils exist or that unrefined cane sugar actually prevents tooth decay and nerve deterioration instead of causing them as refined sugars do. White rice, white bread, and the other white foods cas promoted blood sugar imbalances which in turn can lead to emotional instability and addictions. The denaturing of foods into separated ingredients over the last hundred years or so parallels the movement of our culture into hyperspecialization and sociental fragmentation. Perceiving food solely according to scientific data is a dull experience. Whole foods in particular are immeasurably more than mere nutrients. They are imbued with subtle life energies, colors, aromas, thermal natures, and various healing properties. Good also sustains awareness-our thought are influenced by it, as is life itself. To hel us understand this gestalt, let's briefly contrast whole food with refined foods. Whole foods means food that are in their unrefined edible state, for example, whole wheat and whole grain pasta, whole fruits, and unrefined oils, salt, and sweeteners.