A diet focused on clean eating consists of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, high-quality animal and plant proteins as well as the absence of processed foods with added sugar, artificial flavors or preservatives.
When shopping, stick to the outer edges of the store where most of the fresh, natural foods can be found. Avoid drinks with added sugar; unsweetened tea and coffee, water and seltzer are better alternatives.
Fruit
Clean-eating movements may become extreme for some individuals who attempt to eliminate all traces of added sugars, high fructose corn syrups and preservatives from their diet. Such rigidity may lead to disordered eating practices if guilt trips are used as control measures for food choices.
Clean eating involves eating whole, unprocessed foods in their natural state while limiting ultra-processed items like packaged snacks, chips and cookies. Fruits, vegetables, nuts & seeds, legumes (beans lentils peas) & low-fat dairy should all form part of a nutritious diet plan.
Fruits are packed with important nutrients such as dietary fiber, potassium, folate and vitamin C – so keeping a bowl of ready-to-eat fruits in your fridge is an easy way to incorporate healthy eating habits throughout the day.
Vegetables
Vegetables are the cornerstone of a healthy diet. Packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, vegetables help your digestive system run efficiently while aiding in weight loss. Vegetables also contain cancer-fighting compounds like potassium, folate and sulforaphane as well as eye health-enhancing vitamins A and C – essential ingredients in any healthy diet!
Make an effort to purchase organic produce when shopping, and employ cooking techniques which preserve essential vitamins and minerals – such as steaming or stir frying – when preparing meals. In addition, avoid high-fat or sugary sauces or dressings which might enhance exposure.
Make sure your clean eating plan includes all types of vegetables, such as starchy ones like potatoes and legumes, leafy greens and canned tomatoes – they all count toward meeting your 2-to-4 cup daily vegetable goal! There are convenient solutions like precut vegetables and frozen veggie noodle products available from supermarkets to help meet this goal more easily.
Dairy
Dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt make up the Dairy group of foods. Dairy provides high-quality proteins as well as essential minerals like calcium. Dairy works particularly well when combined with vegetables, fruits and whole grains.
Dairies are excellent sources of fiber, helping promote gut health and assist in controlling body weight. Furthermore, dairy contains calcium which promotes strong bones.
Before pasteurized milk became widely available, outbreaks of tuberculosis occurred regularly across the U.S. Since pasteurization and improvements on dairy farms have become the norm, tuberculosis cases have decreased substantially.
Look for lower fat and reduced sugar options when selecting dairy. One cup from the Dairy Group should meet daily nutritional recommendations; The Food Group Gallery can assist in identifying what counts as dairy such as lactose-free milk, fortified soy milk and yogurt.
Added Sugar
Avoiding added sugars is key to healthy eating, but even foods made from “clean” ingredients like fresh-pressed juice may still contain too much. Vegan chocolate pudding also is high in sugar content.
Strict definitions of clean eating may lead to restrictive diets that exclude certain foods, which could then lead to disordered eating patterns like bingeing and overeating. Furthermore, it could contribute to nutritional deficiencies while simultaneously creating emotional turmoil as it brings guilt when forbidden items are eaten in error.
Food that is minimally processed and close to its natural state should be the priority when shopping for groceries. Packaged and sweet snacks should also be avoided. When it comes to beverages, water, seltzer and unsweetened tea or coffee should be the go-to choices; when choosing sweetened varieties add fruit slices for sweetness.
