Clean Eating 101
I’m sure by now you’ve heard the term “clean eating.” Patients often ask, “What exactly is it?” I’m writing this blog to clear up any questions and confusion you might have surrounding all this clean eating business. The following guidelines are ways to eat a very strict clean diet. Please understand people eat clean at different levels. Some eat 100% clean all the time and eliminate everything processed while others are not as strict and have a goal to eat clean, say, 75% of the time. You are the only one who knows what will and will not work for you and your family. Take the information provided here and adapt your lifestyle around it. Remember to give yourself time to adjust your eating habits. If you currently eat most meals out right now, don’t try to go 100% clean eating tomorrow. This is unrealistic and not sustainable for a true lifestyle change.
Simply put, clean eating is eating foods in their most natural form. This means eliminating any processed food, especially those that contain preservatives, chemicals, additives or anything artificial. Follow the guidelines below to make sure you are getting the cleanest of foods Mother Nature has to offer!
Eat Plenty of Vegetables and Fruit
The cleanest way to eat these is to grow your own. Obviously, we don’t all have the means to do so, so try to buy organic produce. If you can’t afford to buy all produce organic, check out the 2014 Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen lists. Try to buy those on the Dirty Dozen list organic as often as you can, as these have the most pesticides. You can find these lists here.
Eat Whole Grains
Whole grains are full of fiber, nutrients and protein. Stay away from processed refined white flour and rice. The side hull, bran and germ contain fiber and are not removed in whole grains as they are with white rice. Whole grains are also rich in thiamine, calcium, potassium, magnesium and selenium. Try qui