6 Clean Eating Tips To Improve Your Health

With some adjustments to your diet, you can improve your overall health and shed some extra kilos (if that’s what you want to do).

Clean eating may sounds daunting and troublesome, but is actually manageable and easy to do. While this is diet trend has caught on, many people may still not know what “clean eating” is exactly, or how to start cleaning up their diet.

# Consult the Food Pyramid

The Food Pyramid is like your grocery list — vegetables, fruits, proteins, carbohydrates and healthy oils should make the list every week, along with a little dairy if desired. It is a visual representation of how many servings of what foods to eat in a day. The base, which constitutes the largest portion, are foods that should be eaten more. The peak, which is narrower, are foods that can be indulged on, but in limited quantities.

The Food Pyramid makes clean eating much simpler* — eat more of what is at the bottom, and less of what is at the top. Fruits and vegetables dominate the bottom layers, and fats, oils and sugar are found at the top. So the first clean eating tip is to remember to consult the food pyramid to see if you are consuming the recommended things.

# Load up on fresh fruits and vegetables

The base of the pyramid is fruits and vegetables. Besides being a great source of vitamins, fibres, antioxidants and much more, fruits and vegetables are an integral part of a diet. They are low in calories and packed with nutrients.

Frozen fruits and vegetables are, in fact, just as nutritious as fresh produce. However, (another clean eating tip!) beware of certain foods that are disguised as being healthy. Fruit juices, which are often marketed as healthy, often contain high amounts of sugar. Many juices also lack the much-needed fibres that fruits provide. Dried fruits should also be eaten in moderation, as their nutrients are concentrated into a smaller package. This makes it easier to accidentally over-consume on fructose, too.

# Choose complex carbohydrates

Next, we have our carbohydrates. Carbs are our main source of energy, and it powers us to walk, run and even breathe. Carbs are an important part of any diet. The problem comes when one consumes too much of unhealthy carbs.

Instead, a clean eating tip is to opt for healthier options like wholegrains over refined grains. That means brown rice over white rice, or wholemeal bread over white bread. Wholegrains are minimally processed and are more nutritious than refined ones.

# Reduce meat intake

Next, we have our proteins — they come from meat, fish, eggs, beans and even tofu. Proteins is necessary for growth and development, and they help make us stronger.

While most meats contain protein, they are not created equal. Lean meats such as chicken and fish provide more protein per calorie than fatty meats like beef brisket and T-bone steak. Opting for lean meats means you can get your protein without potentially clogging up your arteries.

# Consider plant-based proteins

As mentioned, not all protein comes from meats and fish. Beans, nuts and legumes are also rich sources of protein. Beans come in many forms, too — soybeans and its tofu, black beans, kidney beans… the list goes on. Going meatless doesn’t mean sacrificing protein — you can get your fair share of it from these alternative sources.

If you can’t completely give up meat, you may consider plant-based meats. These innovative, ground-breaking foods tastes and feels just like meat, but actually aren’t. These “meats” are made from beans, mycoproteins, legumes and other healthier, plant-based choices. Iron is added to these foods to give you the satisfaction you get when eating meat. However, be sure to check the food labels when buying plant-based meats. Sometimes, artificial “plant-based” meats may be jam-packed with all sorts of chemicals. Tip: If it looks a bit too questionable? Go with your gut and opt for natural plant protein instead.

# Hold back on dairy products

While milk, yoghurt and cheese are excellent sources of calcium and nutrients, they may contain undesirable amounts of unhealthy saturated fat. For older children and adults, eating too much fat can contribute to excess energy intakes, which can lead to gaining excess weight. A diet high in saturated fat can also lead to raised levels of cholesterol in the blood.

If possible, always choose low-fat options, and enjoy cheese in small amounts. Switch out sugar-loaded yoghurts with Greek yoghurt, and cow’s milk with plant-based milk if you can. Other recommendations: Go for lower-fat spreads, and to cut down on the amount of cream in your diet.