Clean Eating

Are you familiar with eating clean?  While it can mean different things to different people, most followers agree that processed foods should be very limited.  Have you ever read the label of your favorite processed food?  If you have then you have notice how much sugar (not always called sugar) and how many chemicals are listed. 

Ideally you would stop eating all processed foods, but one rule of thumb to go buy is that if you can't pronounce something on the label, don't eat that product. 

There are several benefits of eating clean.  These include weight loss, stronger hair and nails, clearer skin, improved mood, better sleep and increased energy. Here are some tips for helping you make the change to clean eating. 

1. Cook your own food.  
2. Stick to whole foods as much as possible.
3. Reduce consumption of refined carbohydrates.
4. Keep meals consistent.
5. Balance your plate with protein, carbohydrates and fat.  
6. Emphasize quality over quantity.  

You may discover as you eat more whole foods that you actually eat less.  For example, it is pretty easy to eat an entire bag of chips, but very difficult to eat several apples at one sitting. 

The Institute of Integrative Nutrition provided this three-day sample menu of eating clean and allowed me to share it with you. 

Day 1 

Breakfast: • Oatmeal with blueberries, coconut flakes, chia seeds, and cinnamon • Tea or coffee

Lunch: • Brown rice with spinach, grilled tofu, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and basil • 1 oz dark chocolate • Water with lemon

Snack: • Whole grain bread with nut butter and sliced banana • Fresh green smoothie

Dinner: • Grilled salmon • Baked sweet potato with coconut oil and sea salt • Sautéed kale with onions and garlic • 1 glass red wine

Day 2 

Breakfast: • Poached eggs over whole grain toast with sliced avocado and tomato, sea salt, and olive oil • Tea or coffee

Lunch: • Turkey wrap with hummus, cucumbers, lettuce, and tahini sauce • Apple • Water with lemon

Snack: • Beet chips with guacamole

Dinner: • Grilled grass-fed steak • Sautéed peppers and onions over rainbow chard • 1 oz dark chocolate

Day 3 

Breakfast: • Buckwheat waffles with fresh fruit, nut butter, and pure maple syrup • Tea or coffee

Lunch: • Arugula with grilled shrimp, quinoa, red onion, sliced almonds, olive oil, and vinegar • Water with lemon

Snack: • Whole grain toast with nut butter and raw honey

Dinner: • Grilled chicken marinated in herbs and balsamic vinegar • Lentils sautéed with spinach, onions, and garlic • 1 glass red wine