We hear the term a lot these days, but just what is clean eating? Here’s what it’s not: it’s not a diet, but a way to eat healthy so that you never go hungry and your body functions at its optimum health level. Does that sound too good to be true? It’s not. It’s eating food in its most natural state. So avoid those processed foods that loaded with preservatives, or foods with lots of sugar. Here are a few of the
Here are some of the basic principles of clean eating that will have you they looking and feeling your best.
- Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables
- Use unrefined whole grains
- Drink plenty of clear water
- Bake, steam or lightly sauté your food
- Meat should be free-range and grass fed, if possible
- Free-range and grass-fed meats and dairy.
The key to eating clean is to not stress too much about it. If you’re eating clean 80 per cent of the time, you’re doing great. If you want to indulge sometimes, go ahead, it will not reverse any gains you’ve made. If you have company and want to serve a meat entrée with baked potatoes for example, try topping them with TOFUTTI® Plain SOUR SUPREME® made without partially hydrogenated fat and no trans fatty acids.
So how to start? Start to read nutrition and ingredient labels. If there’s a long list of ingredients, with words you can’t pronounce, it’s a good chance it’s filled with stuff that’s not good for you. Put it back on the shelf. Stay away from low-fat and sugar free because these are not natural products. Your grocery cart should be full of fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains.
Start to learn how to prepare foods in a healthy way. There are cookbooks available that can help you get started. For example, steaming or baking your foods will cut down on the oil you use and in some cases will maintain the nutrient of the food that would otherwise be lost of boiled or fried.
Clean eating can help you lose weight but can also increase energy, improve cholesterol levels, and improve your overall health. Do some research and implement what you can.