EAT CLEAN

CLEAN EATING 

DEFINITION :

• Clean eating is a deceptively simple concept. Rather than revolving around the idea of ingesting more or less of specific things (for instance, fewer calories or more protein), the idea is more about being mindful of the food's pathway between its origin and your plate.
• At its simplest, clean eating is about eating whole foods, or "real" foods — those that are un- or minimally processed, refined, and handled, making them as close to their natural form as possible. However, modern food production has become so sophisticated that simply eating whole foods can be a challenging proposition these days.

WAYS FOR CLEAN EATING

1. Pick Whole Foods

• The basic idea of clean eating is to choose foods that are as close to their natural form as possible. So instead of boxed, bagged, or packaged foods, choose fresh, whole ones.
• When you avoid highly processed foods, like chips, cookies, and ready-to-eat meals, you skip their loads of calories, sugar, salt, and saturated fat.

2. Load Up on Fruits and Veggies

• These natural foods are two staples of clean eating. It should be fresh.

• Also choose whole fruits instead of juices, which have less fiber and more sugar. Aim to get at least five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

3. Watch Out for Salt and Added Sugar

• Clean foods are naturally low in salt and sugar, and adding them goes against the as-natural-as-possible approach. Since processed foods are a major source of them, you can slash your intake when you avoid them. 
• Otherwise, read food labels to look for added sweeteners and salt, even in foods that seem healthy, like yogurt or tomato sauce. Also keep tabs on how much you add to your foods and drinks. Try flavoring with spices and herbs instead.

4. Skip Artificial Ingredients

• Artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives, and other man made ingredients don’t have a place in a clean-eating diet. 

5. Sip Plenty of Water

• Instead of sugar-heavy soft drinks and juices, sip low-calorie beverages, such as water and herbal tea. Water can curb your hunger and help you feel full, but it can also fend off fatigue and give you more energy. 
• Miss flavored drinks? Try infusing your water with a slice of citrus or sprig of mint.

6. Rethink Alcohol and Caffeine

• Some clean eaters cut them out entirely in favor of drinking plenty of water.  Clean eater or not, experts recommend no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine (about three to five 8-ounce cups of coffee) per day, and one serving of alcohol for women and two for men. Also skip the sugary extras: 
• Opt for plain tea or coffee, and avoid sweet mixers for alcohol.

7. Decide If You’ll Go Organic

• Organic farmers use natural pesticides and avoid man-made ones, so s organic produce is the best way to eat clean. It’s up to you to decide how important it is to your diet. 
• You can also shop at your local farmers market to find out what kinds of pesticides the vendors use.

8. Be Smart About Meat and Dairy

• Meat, dairy, and eggs you buy at the store may come from animals that get growth hormones and antibiotics. Clean eaters avoid them and choose organic or opt for local sources that raise animals humanely.
• A farmer’s market is a good place to learn more about where your meat and dairy come from. Seafood isn’t labeled as organic, so look for items low in mercury and that use sustainable fishing. 
• The cleanest approach to protein? Get most of it from nuts, beans, and legumes.