What Is Clean Eating?

1. Choose whole, natural foods and seek to eliminate or minimize processed foods.

Processed foods are anything in a box, bag, can, or package, and although there are always a few exceptions to the rule (like a bag of fresh green beans), the majority of your foods should be fresh.

2. Choose unrefined over refined foods.

While it may not be possible all the times, you can up your intake of whole grains like brown rice, millet, amaranth, and quinoa. Beans and legumes are also important. Clean sugars include honey, maple syrup, and dehydrated sugar cane juice.   ****

Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates are sometimes called “white foods”. These include sugar, white bread, white rice, and many pastas, baked goods and cereals. Refining is the process of removing water, fiber and nutrients from natural grains. This helps to concentrate taste and improve shelf life. Unfortunately, these foods are not very healthy for the body. The sugars in refined foods are concentrated and eating them can cause blood sugar levels to spike. This can lead to symptoms of increased appetite, irritability and fatigue. Blood sugar fluctuations can also cause the body to store more excess calories as fat. Eating refined carbohydrates can also lead to nutritional deficiencies. The nutrients needed by the body to utilize the sugars in carbs are lacking in refined carbohydrates, which forces the body to dip into its own reserves.

Unrefined Carbohydrates

Basically, any food that hasn’t been altered from its natural state is considered unrefined. Natural whole grains like wheat, oats and barley have high fiber content and important nutrients. Fiber is important because it slows the absorption of sugar from carbohydrates and helps to stabilize blood sugar levels in the body. Most Americans are consuming a fraction of the fiber they should be getting in their diets. Look for “100 percent whole grain” on the label, when purchasing breads, pastas and other processed foods.

Fruits and vegetables are good sources of unrefined carbohydrates. Although fruits are high in simple sugars, they’re an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, and most contain a good amount of fiber. Vegetables are wonderful sources of unrefined, complex carbohydrates. Some have such a high fiber content that they are considered “negative calorie” foods. Your body will burn more calories digesting these foods than the amount of calories that they contain. Be sure to incorporate beans, lentils and other legumes into your diet.  They’re a great source of unrefined, complex carbohydrates that’s also high in dietary fiber and protein. Filling up on these high fiber carbohydrates will help you to curb your hunger pangs, while providing much needed nutrition to the body.*****

3. Include some protein, carbohydrate and fat at every meal.

Most of us typically do well with carbohydrates and fat, but we often lack protein, especially in the early part of the day, like at breakfast and lunch. Protein is an important muscle-builder, and it can also help curb your appetite. When eaten throughout the day, it keeps us feeling full longer. Be aware of the kinds of meals you put together and space out your protein.

Clean eating sample menu

Breakfast

Bowl of porridge made with water and topped with a handful of blueberries, strawberries and spoon of low-fat natural yoghurt.

Mid morning

Piece of fruit and a small handful of unsalted almonds.

Lunch

Grilled chicken breast with a large salad and a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice with a slice of homemade bread made from wholewheat flour.

Mid afternoon

Bowl of homemade vegetable soup.

Dinner

Grilled salmon steak with boiled new potatoes and steamed veg. Plus a bowl of fruit salad topped with low-fat natural yoghurt.

4. Watch out for salt, and sugar.

This is easier than you think, particularly if you’ve cut out processed foods, which are responsible for most of our excess calories and high levels of sugar, and salt. Clean foods are usually naturally low in all of these ingredients.

5. Eat five to six small meals throughout the day.

This usually pans out into three main meals and two or three hefty snacks. Eating this way prevents you from skipping meals and overeating. It also keeps your blood sugar levels steady so energy doesn’t lag.

6. Don’t drink your calories.

High calorie drinks like specialty coffees and soft drinks, on average, tack on an extra 400 to 500 calories a day. Choose water first, or my personal favorite, unsweetened tea (any flavor). Other clean drinks: low-fat or skim milk and 100 percent fruit juice diluted with sparkling water. Drink half body weight in oz each day.

7. Get moving.

Regular physical activity is a must for many reasons. Not only does it decrease fat, strengthen and build muscle, and help you burn more energy at rest, it keeps your heart, lungs, and bones healthy and strong. 

And we can help in that area.  

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Until Next time!
Keep healthy, keep safe and keep going!

Have an awesome day!

♥Fit~NOW~Girl♥

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