Despite many popular
interpretations — from Martha Stewart to Gwyneth Paltrow to "Eat Clean
Live Well" author and chef Terry Walters — it's challenging to find a
clean-eating plan that is both rich in nutrients and something you can stick
with long term.
The foundation of all
clean-eating plans is limiting (or eliminating) all packaged and processed
foods. But some recommendations include elimination of red meat, gluten and
dairy. Others espouse juicing to 'rest" your digestive tract (nothing
could be further from the truth: food is the best workout for your digestive
tract).
Before you start any plan, always
talk to your doctor before eliminating whole nutrient groups from your diet.
Clean eating is a concept that
must be followed regularly, over time, to reap any health benefits. But you
don't need to be a perfect eater —no one is! If you stick with these
recommendations at least 80 percent of the time - give yourself a little "wiggle
room" - you'll feel more satisfied after eating and boost your energy
level.
The best — and easiest —
clean-eating strategy would be quite familiar to our parents and grandparents.
It's a "one-size-fits-all" eating plan supporting a healthy heart,
brain, and digestive tract.
Following a clean eating plan is
much easier than you might think. It doesn't require a lot of extra time or
money to follow these 7 basic tips:
1. Avoid most packaged and
processed foods
The first step in clean eating.
Read labels to avoid added sugars, salts, and fats. While bagged, boxed, or
canned foods can be a convenience - especially for healthy, out of season foods
(think canned tomatoes), make the habit of looking for added sugars, salt, and
fats. You can always "correct" the flavors if you choose, with your
own additions.
2. Choose real foods
Look for foods that you can
recognize in their whole, natural state. Choose seasonal fruits and vegetables
for optimal nutrient density and freshness. And include frozen fruits and
vegetables in the mix (without sauces). You'll save money and enjoy
out-out-season produce, like blueberries in winter.
3. Cut back on added sugars
All humans are born with a "sweet
tooth". And fruit is nature's candy. Fresh or dried, before there was
candy, cookies, cake and other vehicles for loads of added sugars, we turned to
fruit. Portable, economical, and a treat for your taste buds. And there is a
range of sweetness in fruits. Slightly under-ripe fruit is on the lower end of
the sweetness scale, while super-ripe and dried fruits concentrate and boost
the sweetness signals.
4. Avoid trans-fats/ Limit
saturated fats
Swap out unhealthy,
artery-clogging fats from all sources to healthy ones. Processed and packaged
foods are the main sources of trans fats, but meat also contains small amounts.
Saturated fats are found in fatty meats, full fat dairy, butter, and
coconut/palm oils. Use heart-healthy plant-based oils like nuts, olives, and
avocado.
5. Cook and eat at home
While not a food-specific
recommendation, when you cook at home you know the ingredients and seasonings
in every dish. No guesswork or taste-testing for hidden fats, salt, and sugar
found in restaurant meals and prepared foods. You can personalize your eating
with spices and herbs instead of salt, smaller amounts of healthy fats, and a
lot less sugar.
6. Stay hydrated
Our bodies need abundant water
for optimal function. And while fruits and vegetables are mostly water and
contribute a large portion of daily fluid needs, added fluids are needed daily.
While the newest guidelines suggest drinking "when thirsty", most
people ignore these signals, or don't really recognize them. Aim for at least 6
glasses of water daily (which also includes non-caffeinated drinks, like herbal
teas and coffee and seltzer). Spruce up your water with a slice of fruit, or
even cucumber and mint.
7. Limit caffeine and alcohol
New science fully documents the
health benefits of moderate amounts of caffeine. Caffeine can boost alertness,
energy, and mental focus when used modestly.
As caffeine intake rises, so do
negative side effects including jitteriness, anxiety, stomach upset, and
insomnia.
Aim for up to 300 mg daily, which
is about 2 large mugs of coffee (typical coffeehouse size of 16 - 20 ounces),
or 4 large mugs of tea.
If you find you're
"caffeine-sensitive" with these guidelines, as many people are, cut
back to an amount that is symptom-free for you.
And while alcohol can be a health
plus, limit your intake to up to one daily serving for women, and two for men.
A serving is not the size of your glass. It's:
5 ounce glass of wine
12 ounce beer
1.5 ounces of spirits
Never add alcohol as a health
booster if it's not already part of your lifestyle.
Courtesy of: http://www.today.com/health/clean-eating-basics-its-surprisingly-easier-you-think-t24901
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