I'm sure you've heard the phrase
'clean eating' – it's something of a buzzword in the health
community at the moment. So I wanted to write a blog post to clear up
any confusion as to what clean eating really is.
At its core, 'clean eating' is
really just another term for healthy eating – it's not another fad
diet or quick fix. It involves eating whole, fresh, 'clean' foods
which are free from chemicals and other additives. Refined white
bread, pasta, sweets and cakes are out and plenty of fresh fruit and
veg, lean meats, grains, legumes and nuts are in!
Want to start eating clean? Here are
a few simple guidelines to consider on your next shopping trip.
Fruits
and Vegetables
Eating food which has come straight
from nature, without being processed in any way, is the best way to be healthy. Buy plenty of fresh fruit
and veg - organically grown is best, but don't worry if you can't
afford this. Obviously it's better to eat non-organic vegetables than
no vegetables at all.
Meats
If you eat meat, venture down to your local butcher where you'll be able to purchase cuts of real meat
- none of these packaged meat 'products' from the
supermarket (you never know what else is in them). Your butcher
will be more than happy to cut, dice or grind your meat for you if
you ask.
Grains
Eat grains that are 'complete', not
ones which have been tampered with by humans and stripped of all their
nutrients. You should be eating brown rice, whole wheat flour and
other whole grains including quinoa (technically a seed), barley,
millet and buckwheat.
Legumes
Stock up on legumes such as beans, lentils and
chickpeas. These are all great choices for a clean eating plan as they've come straight from nature and have hardly been messed with at all.
Nuts
and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are extremely beneficial to
the human body - they offer protein, healthy fats and a wealth of
vitamins and minerals. There's such a huge variety out there that you're sure to find at least a few you like. Just make sure to buy them plain and not
covered in salt or other flavourings.
Read
Labels
Most of the food you buy shouldn't
have a label because it should be fresh, whole produce. However, if
you do buy something in a packet, read the nutrition label well. If
the product has more than four ingredients, don't buy it. If it has
any words you don't recognise or can't pronounce, put it back on the
shelf. These are usually chemicals produced in a lab – not
something you should be putting into your body if you want to keep it
clean.
Are you a fan of clean eating? Leave a comment and let me know how much fresh food you usually buy.
If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:
All You Need to Know About the Paleo Diet