I have been interested in the clean eating phenomenon recently. It appears to have a different meaning to many, but this will be my interpretation.
The Concept: Eating whole foods that are as close to their natural state. Minimal processed foods. Lots of vegetables.
Look at your plate for each meal. Your goal ratio should be 25% Protein, 50% Vegetable, 25% Carbohydrate. For my mathematically challenged, here's a picture.
If you are American, your ratio is probably starting out 50% carbohydrate, 45%protein, 5%vegetable/fruit. Even bodybuilders don't need that many carbs so unless you have a rare metabolic disease, you may proceed. If you have problems with portion control, download
MyFitnessPal. It will calculate calories you require to lose or maintain weight on a daily basis.
Fruit and Vegetables should be raw. If not raw, then steamed. If not steamed, then baked.
Let me just stop here and say I eat like this currently 30% of the time. This should not be done in rapid succession as you are likely to get frustrated and eat a dozen donuts in a frustrated rage. Make changes slowly. Each grocery trip should be an opportunity to swap old habits for healthy ones.
Back to processed foods.....
Some people like to refer to this as the 5-ingredient rule. If a product has more than 5 ingredients listed, it is likely to contain preservatives and additives. Clean eating requires minimal processing, so that basically excludes any food with additives, but not processed food as a whole. Let's take bread for example:
Nature's Valley Whitewheat
Ingredients: Wheat Flour Enriched Unbleached (Flour, Barley Malted Flour, Niacin, Iron Reduced, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid (Vitamin aB)) , Water, Sugar, Fiber(Soy Fiber and/or Cottonseed Fiber) , Wheat Gluten, Yeast, Contains 2% or less of the Following: ( (Calcium Sulphate (Sulfate), Calcium Carbonate, Vegetable(s) Oil [Soybean(s) Oil Or Canola Oil] , Salt, Soy Flour, Dough Conditioner(s) [Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Calcium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate, Monoglyceride, Calcium Iodate, Ethoxylated Mono-And Diglycerides, Calcium Peroxide, Datem, Azodicarbonamide] , Wheat Flour Cultured, Guar Gum, Vinegar, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Monocalcium Phosphate, Ammonium Sulfate, Soy Lecithin)
Food For Life Ezekiel Bread
Ingredients: Organic Sprouted Wheat, Organic Sprouted Barley, Organic Sprouted Millet, Organic Malted Barley, Organic Sprouted Lentils, Organic Sprouted Soybeans, Organic Sprouted Spelt, Filtered Water, Fresh Yeast, Organic Wheat Gluten, Sea Salt.
Now, this match up is a little unfair as we are comparing an expensive, organic product to a cheaper, readily available product. The main concept is read your labels. If you can't understand it, you don't need to eat it. Whole wheat bread has less vitamin and mineral additives as it is naturally rich. It does not need enhancement to make the nutrient value look appealing.
The approach for beginners:
Start with the easiest meal for you to change. Mine was breakfast. I was eating cereal with milk at 7am and by 9am I was starving. I applied the clean eating rules to my breakfast and now it looks like this:
Pepper and Onion 2 Egg Omlette, Toast with Jam, Red Grapes
My next approach will be lunch. I pack my lunch most days, so making meals ahead of time is key. If you would like ideas, google image search "meal prep sunday" (monday works too). This will give you a bevy of ideas to start. This is a concept used by anyone who lifts weights on a regular basis, but it is applicable to everyone.
To get started, download my printable
Clean Eating Shopping Guide. Post questions and comments!
My list is simple. If you would like options, try
this list or
this list.
Recipe ideas can be found at
Clean Eating Mag.
Not sure about a product? Look at the rating, ingredients, and nutrition label at
Food Facts.
Read your labels! Here are some guiding principles and marketing scams.
No Sugar Added VS Unsweetened VS Sugar-Free
-No Sugar Added: This is a good thing. It means the product only includes its natural sugars (Applesauce)
-Sugar-Free: Means something else. If a product is Sugar-Free, it has likely been sweetened with the artificial sweetener, aspartame (Sweet and Low or similar).
-Unsweetened: Also good!
No Salt Added VS Low Sodium VS Salt-Free/Sodium-Free
-No Salt Added: Read the label. Your daily salt intake should be 2,300mg MAX. This product likely contains salt, but they have not added additional salt for flavor.
-Low Sodium: Usually good. Again, check the ingredients as additives are sometimes added for flavor in low-sodium products.
-Salt Free/Sodium Free: This is best if it is a naturally occurring salt free food, but it is helpful in the spices aisle to choose the best pre-mixed spice blends. Mrs. Dash is a salt-free line of spices.
Fat Free VS Low-Fat VS Reduced Fat VS Light
-Fat-Free: Usually good. These items tend to be naturally fat-free.
-Low-Fat: Use caution. This means 3g of fat or less, which is good. But remember our 5-ingredient rule of thumb. If you cannot pronounce the ingredients, put it back.
-Reduced Fat: This is a (25%) light version of the original, which is good if the original is ok.
-Light: Again, a light version of the original, but 50% more so. But do not be deceived. I compared Hellman's Mayonnaise with Hellman's Light Mayonnaise and they just swapped around the first two ingredients (Original: Soybean oil, water Light: Water, soybean oil). You just paid for more water.
Organic VS Preservative-Free VS Natural
-Organic: Great! Unless its cookies as they do make organic cookies.
-Preservative/Additive/BPA Free: Awesome!
-Natural: Scam. This is not a regulated term therefore gives you no information about the product.
