Eating clean is a way of life that promotes eating natural and unprocessed food. It is very effective in helping you to maintain a long and healthy life. A clean eating diet is free of fats, especially trans fats, because it relies completely on cooking and eating natural, whole food. In this article we will tell you how to eat clean, what food is included in eating clean and some tips on eating clean.
Eating clean means eating food items in their natural state. For example, tomato is a clean food, while tomato ketchup is not as it has undergone processing. However, if you make tomato ketchup at home using all “clean” ingredients then it can be considered as clean food. Follow these simple steps to eat clean:
- Avoid added sugars
Honey, white sugar and brown sugar, all add calories to your diet and increase your blood sugar levels. Consuming too much sugar can also lead to inflammation and increase your chances of suffering from heart diseases and cancer. It can also make you feel lethargic or fatigued. Therefore, avoid food that contains large amounts of sugar, corn syrup, dextrose etc. instead try getting sugar from natural food such as fresh fruits. - Avoid fats
Consuming fats, especially saturated fats and trans fats, can clog your arteries and result in inflammation. Avoid eating fried and oily food and anything made from hydrogenated vegetable oil. Read the label on the oil can to check this. Limit the level of saturated fats that you consume in a day to less than 7% of your total calories consumption for a day. To do this, you can avoid fat marbled meats and replace full-fat milk and dairy products with 1% fat or skimmed milk and dairy products. - Increase intake of proteins
Include high-protein food such as chicken, wild salmon etc in your diet to achieve a lean body mass. Try to include these foods at each meal to help you feel fuller for a longer period of time. Proteins will also help in maintaining your blood sugar levels. Dividing your body weight in pounds by 2 will give you the amount of proteins you should consume in a day. - Include fiber in your diet
Eat food items that are rich in fiber content such as oats and beans. These soluble fibers help in pulling the cholesterol out of your bloodstream and also assist in better digestion. - Teetotaler
Avoid or at least reduce the intake of alcohol as it affects your liver. It also lowers your inhibitions and makes you want to eat unhealthy food. Instead, stick to water, fruit juices, herbal tea as they are good for your health.
Recommended food for clean eating
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Food containing lean proteins such as fish, turkey and chicken breast
- Healthy fats such as olive oil, raw nuts and avocado
- Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, oats and brown rice
- Avoid all kinds of processed foods
Tips for eating clean
- Try shopping on the outside aisles in a grocery store. These aisles usually stock fresh fruits and vegetables, which are an important part of a clean diet. Avoid going near inner aisles as they mostly stock processed food, which is a strict no for eating clean.
- Replace the use of processed sugar with natural sweeteners such as fruit juice, stevia and agave nectar. You can make fruit juice at home and get other things easily at health-food stores.
- Eat smaller meals but at frequent intervals throughout the day. Try to have five to six meals each containing 300-400 calories every day. This will prevent hunger and keep your blood sugar levels stable.
Eating clean requires a lot of dedication, will power, discipline and patience. You may feel that it sometimes interferes with some aspects of your lifestyle. However, with careful planning you can adopt this lifestyle easily and get the desired results.
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