So what does clean eating even mean?
If you are like me, you
hear the phrase thrown around by everybody from your next door neighbor to your mother-in-law.
But what does “clean eating” really mean? Experts like Tosca Reno, author of the
Eat-Clean Diet, describes clean eating as consuming a colorful and wide variety
of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean protein. Clean eating is a
simple idea that is based on eating whole foods in their most natural states,
the less processing the better. Now this is simple in theory, but with so many
interpretations it can be difficult to really nail down what clean eating really
is. We at FXB like to think of clean eating as giving our bodies the best
nutrients and fuel we can find. Here are a few tips to get the best nutrition
to support your new healthy lifestyle:
Limit Processed Foods:
Many processed foods are full of excess sodium, sugar and
fat. An easy way to clean up your diet is to look at the ingredient list on
packaged foods. If the list is long or includes lots of ingredients that you
can’t pronounce, try to stay away from it.
Bump Up Your Veggies:
Vegetables are full of vitamins, with many boasting vitamin
A, which is essential for healthy vision and immune function, and vitamin K,
which can help keep your bones healthy. Vegetables are also high in
heart-healthy fiber, which helps you feel full. Plus, veggies are low in
calories, so you can eat lots of them without damaging your waistline. Fresh
vegetables are as clean as they come since they are unprocessed and come
straight from the farm (just don’t forget to wash them before you eat them!).
The recommended daily amount for most adults is 2½ to 3 cups. To make sure you
get your fill, try carrots and hummus for a snack, start your meal with a salad,
or begin your day with vegetables by adding peppers and onions to an omelet.
Cut Down on Saturated Fat:
You don’t have to cut out fats when you’re eating clean;
instead just focus on healthy fats. It’s as simple as swapping out saturated
fats (like those in butter, cheese and meat) in favor of healthy fats like olive
oil, canola oil and the kind found in nuts and fatty fish. These fats are good
for your heart and can help raise your good HDL cholesterol, while saturated
fats are associated with increased risk of heart disease and should be
limited.
Reduce Alcohol Intake:
Having a cleaner diet also includes cleaning up what you
drink. You can still have alcohol, but stay within the recommended limit—one
drink per day for women and two for men (one drink equals 5 ounces wine, 1½
ounces liquor or 12 ounces beer). Alcohol in reasonable amounts may be good for
your heart, but too much alcohol dehydrates you and adds additional calories to
your diet. Steer clear of mixed drinks with lots of added sugar; it’s probably
safe to assume that if your drink is neon-colored or came out of a frozen
machine, it’s not all that clean.
Un-Sweeten Your Diet:
Most people eat too many added sugars. The American Heart
Association recommends no more than about 6 teaspoons per day for women and 9
teaspoons per day for men. To clean up your diet, cut down on added sugars in
your diet by limiting sweets like soda, candy and baked goods. Also keep an eye
on sugars added to healthier foods like yogurt (choose plain varieties with no
added sugar), tomato sauce and cereal. Look for foods without sugar as an
ingredient, or make sure it’s listed towards the bottom, which means less of it
is used in the food.
Eliminate Refined Grains
Cutting out white flour and refined grains is an easy way to
eat cleaner. Refined grains, unlike whole grains, are more processed and often
stripped of beneficial nutrients like magnesium, selenium and fiber. Plus,
they’re typically found in unhealthy packaged foods, like baked goods and junky
snack foods that may also deliver added sugars, saturated fats and extra sodium.
Skip the packaged refined carbs like cookies, crackers and cakes altogether, and
also swap white rice, white bread and white pasta for brown rice and whole wheat
bread and pasta.
Hopefully, these tips have inspired you to clean up your diet
and implementing even a few of these simple ideas can help you reach your
fitness goals and live a longer and healthier life!
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