Eat Clean Diet – Simplifying the Way You Eat

When you mention the words “eat clean diet”, most people go into shock. However, changing your eating habits are not hard. What you need to remember are a few simple rules for eating. Eat clean diet is not a diet to lose pounds, it’s simply a way to transform the way you consume food.

Rule Number One: Eat Whole Unprocessed Foods

This goes without saying. Avoiding processed foods is the key here. You want to emphasize foods that are as close to nature before putting them into your mouth.

The whole idea behind eating clean is to avoid toxins and contaminates. This may involve researching where you get your food. Pesticides and pesticide residues lead many people to purchasing food that is labeled organic.

Animal products are often labeled so that people can purchase them without fear of artificial feed or products the animals may have consumed (grass-fed or free-range are perfect examples).

Seafood is often not labeled in this manner – often because of the tendency of some seafood to contain slight mercury in the tissues. I do consume fish on a periodic basis but what you add or take away from your diet is a decision you have to make for yourself.

Here’s a little transparency: Our website contains affiliate links. This means if you click and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission. Don’t worry, there’s no extra cost to you. It’s a simple way you can support our mission to bring you quality content.”

Rule Number Two: Eat More Fruits and Veggies

Putting the foundation of your diet around consumption of fruits and vegetables brings a great boost to your health. Let’s look at some pointers for getting these into your diet.

• Eat fresh when you can. This allows you to more closely observe the plants you consume. Canned foods and frozen often contain preservatives to make them retain their freshness. Fresh fruits and veggies allow you to more tightly control what goes into your food.
• Buy local or grow it yourself. Foods purchased from a farmer’s market or grown in your garden are great choices. Remember that just because you buy it at a farmer’s market does not mean it’s free from pesticides so ask.
• When cooking or preparing, use the broth or pot liquor to maximize needed minerals and vitamins. Greens are the veggie I most think of when it comes to this rule but beans and plants such as tomatoes fall into this category as well. Soups and stews are great vehicles to use when trying to eat clean.

Rule Number Three: Prep When You Can and Often

If you are in a family situation, this rule can save your diet when you share food space with other family members. Families tend to have different tastes and preferences when it comes to food so following this rule can often keep you on track.

One of the things I find common around people that want to eat clean is their choice of food containers to keep their meal preps in. If you truly want to avoid contaminants, try to use containers that are not plastic that contains BPA. By doing so your food will not contain toxins that comes from container use.

If you are the family cook, you can prepare your meals separate from the rest of the family or use one of your food preps if what is being eaten does not fit into your diet. Food preps can often be the savior of an eat clean diet.

Rule Number Four: Read the Label

Just because food comes in a package does not mean you cannot eat it. The secret is in looking at the label to see what’s in the food you want to purchase.

One of the main culprits I look for is sodium content in the foods I want to purchase. Low sodium content helps your cardiovascular system and is a must for people suffering from hypertension. Leaving excess salt out of your foods will make you more healthy.

Reduced carbs, no artificial sweeteners or sugars, and unneeded fat are all things to look for on labels. Make your shopping journey a successful one by using your eyes to get the best food choices.

Rule Number Five: Clean Your Kitchen of Processed Foods and Snacks

Processed foods are the one thing you want to limit or eliminate from your diet to make it as clean and healthy as possible. For this reason, you should see what’s in your pantry and keep it as food clean as possible.

Sugar is the main culprit when it comes to processed foods. The more whole foods you eat, the less chance of excess sugar weaving it’s’ way into your diet.

For the same reason, avoid restaurants as much as possible. It’s hard to tell what the chef puts into your food even when you request it. Not saying you should avoid restaurants entirely, but limit your use of them. Convenience is the reason most people eat out and if this is you, read the paragraph on food prepping again to keep those food triggers at bay.

Rule Number Six: Stay Hydrated By Using Water as Your Beverage of Choice

About 60 percent of the human body is made of water. Water helps speed up chemical processes in the body and helps to flush out toxins, excess sugar, and excess salt from the body.

Proper hydration is important to help with body functions and to assist in preventing illness. As a basic block of eating clean, it’s hard to beat water consumption.

One of the items people that are successful at eating clean do is to avoid sodas. Sodas are often highly processed drinks that either contain excess sugar or artificial sweeteners. Often, sodas will cause dehydration if consumed frequently. For this reason, avoid carbonated drinks.

Many fruit juices also contain excess amounts of sugar. You should carefully consider the use of these in your diet.

If you cannot tolerate drinking water, adding fruit to flavor the water is acceptable. I often use lemon or lime to flavor my water at times. It’s a great way to stay hydrated and enjoy the taste of the water you consume.

One last word on beverages. Some people like to consume alcoholic beverages. These are fine but only in moderation. If you like consuming alcohol, wine containing resveratrol may be one of your best options. Resveratrol may be great for your cardiovascular health and a glass or two a day may actually work wonders for your health. You may also purchase non-alcoholic wine to consume.

Eating clean is not complicated. It’s an educated way of avoiding toxins every day in the food you eat and eating more wholesome to promote your health.

If you are not eating clean right now, take steps to improve your diet. Start by looking at and eliminating the toxins right there in your kitchen. Watch what you consume and try to eliminate foods that are bad for you. Make eating clean a habit and watch your health improve.