‘Clean eating’ has become an important element in the natural health food movement. Although the concept of clean eating for beginners may seem overwhelming, it is on the contrary quite a simple concept: consume food in its purest state, or as close as possible to the way nature delivered it.
This approach is neither a diet nor a fad, but rather a lifestyle change. It involves choosing whole foods, avoiding processed foods, and developing a conscientious, healthier approach to the foods you choose to eat.
Food is your big ticket to optimal health. If your diet consists mainly of refined and processed foods, your body will show it, if not now, then in the future. Instead, if you choose healthy, fresh foods, your body will glow with health.
In my opinion, ‘eating clean’ is very similar to the Mediterranean standards of food consumption, in that it focuses on incorporating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy proteins and fats in our daily diets. This approach has long been the deciding factor in confirming that the Mediterranean diet is much healthier than the North American one.
Clean eating for beginners can be particularly intimidating for those who are accustomed to the flavours of processed foods, and who consequently have a lot of changes to make. However, making these changes to your diet is easier than you might think.
My advice is to start by making small changes and taking it one day at a time. Have faith in me when I say that your taste buds WILL change and you will eventually embrace (and even crave) the natural flavours of real food.
These simple, easy to follow tips will help make the transition to health for clean eating beginners easier:
1) Limit or avoid processed, packaged, and refined foods
2) Increase your daily veggie and fruit consumption
3) Eat more plant-based proteins and less red meat
4) Avoid products high in saturated fat
5) Watch out for hidden and refined sugars
6) Choose whole grains
7) Drink at least two litres of water a day to flush out toxins from your body
8) Consume healthy fats from foods such as avocados, salmon, and nuts.
Last but not least, if revolutionizing your diet has you concerned, then try following the 80/20 rule. Eat healthy, unprocessed foods 80% of the time and the not-so healthy foods you love 20% of the time. Follow this approach until you are fully able to embrace eating whole, fresh foods 100% of the time!
Make your clean eating journey easier by including these healthy items on your weekly grocery list. Click here to download a printable PDF file.