Clean Eating
The term has been coined and mentioned with relation to health and weight loss that everyone is trying to get in on the prevailing trend. Clean eating has benefits that transcend the obvious weight-loss gimmick. Eating the right meals made with no genetic modification of food has been linked with a wide range of health benefits, from an enhanced mood to more energy. Irrespective of your goals, clean eating will transform your life in a way that exceeds your expectations.
This diet pattern is based on natural, fresh and whole foods, meaning consuming food as close to their natural state as possible. The process also involves selecting sustainable and ethical foods. This lifestyle may seem challenging, but once a plan is made, it is quite enjoyable and easy to follow. We have outlined some simple guidelines that will help you start clean eating today!
Include more vegetables and fruits
There could be nothing truer than the health benefits brought by fruits and vegetables.
Many studies show that using fruits and vegetables reduces the chances of illness and diseases since they are rich sources of fiber, minerals, vitamins, and other compounds that keep inflammation at bay. You could:
- Make colorful salads, including 2-3 vegetables with your greens.
- Add orange slices, chopped apples, and berries to your dishes.
- Keep your veggies washed and tossed seasoned with herbs and oils in the fridge for meals on the go.
Make label reading a habit.
Clean eating can include eating certain packaged foods such as meat, nuts, and vegetables, even though it is based on wholesome, fresh foods. But it is imperative that labels are read to ensure that they contain no added sugar, additives, or unhealthy fats, even if ordering from an online health food store.
For example, vegetable oil is used in roasting many nuts, which could instill them with heat-related damage. To gain the most advantages out of your nuts, it’s recommended to eat them raw.
Eliminate refined carbs
One of the biggest pitfalls of eating processed, refined carbs is that they’re easy to overeat but provide none of the nutritional value. Their consistent consumption can cause insulin resistance, inflammation, fatty liver, and obesity. Replace your refined carbs with whole grains that are fiber-filled and have more nutrients promoting better gut health. You can include sprouted grain bread and steel-cut oats while staying away from white bread and ready-to-eat cereals.
Say bye-bye to sugar.
Clean eating means eliminating added sugar altogether. It may be a revelation, but many things that aren’t sweet also contain sugar, like sauces and condiments. Table sugar is super rich in fructose, which plays a significant role in diabetes, fatty liver, obesity, and cancer. You can use a bit of honey or maple syrup while clean eating, but it pays off to stay away from them as much as possible, even in natural forms.
Swap out ingredients for vegetables
You can compound the efforts of clean eating by swapping out refined grains with vegetables in recipes. For instance, cauliflower can be grated to imitate rice, used as pasta in mac and cheese, mashed like potatoes, or used as a pizza crust. Zucchini also makes an incredible noodle option as well. This way, you can avoid anything that may have a genetic modification of food and rely on your own natural ingredients.
Throw out all snacks
Yes, all those snacks need to be shown the door if you want to stick to clean eating. They could be tempting, especially during late-night hunger cravings. Granola bars, crackers, muffins, and other packaged snacks contain refined grains, vegetable oils, sugar, and other unhealthy additives. A good alternate for snacking could include sliced veggies, nuts, and fruits. They are tasty, nutrient-rich, and safeguard against disease.
Water is your partner.
Water is worth all the attention it garners for its health benefits. It is the healthiest, most natural drink you could drink. It has no sugars, artificial sweeteners, additives, or other shady ingredients. It keeps you hydrated and may contribute to your goals of weight loss. Sweetened drinks are linked to obesity, diabetes, and other diseases, which is the same for most fruit juices due to their extremely high sugar content.
Choose organic and ethically raised animals.
Selecting ethically raised animals for their meat forms a major aspect of clean eating. Usually, live stocks are raised in unsanitary, crowded factory farms where they are given antibiotics to fight off infections and injected with hormones to maximize growth. Factory farms are also contributors to massive water increasing environmental concerns. Humanely raised meat, also called grass-fed meat, is always the better option for your health and the planet.
Choose a health food store online that is able to cater to your clean eating needs and witness the transformation it brings!