Clean Eating: What Is It and Why Do It?
We hear a lot of discussion today about clean eating. It might be a conversation about real food, some encouragement to eat whole food, or a friend talking about their gluten-free eating habits. You might hear someone talking about trying a “keto recipe” or starting a Paleo diet, and you wonder if that is clean eating.
Seriously, what does it all mean?
For those who want to try to get healthier and eat healthier foods, all of these terms can be confusing and overwhelming. So, let’s talk about clean eating and whether it really does make a difference. (And if you have a health-related or food-related topic that you’d like to see covered, be sure to leave a comment letting us know!)
The Skinny on Clean Eating
So what is clean eating? Why is it important? Should you consider clean eating for your family?
First of all, clean eating isn’t a diet, so don’t get it confused with some of the popular diets out there. Most people think of a diet as a time of eating fewer calories in order to lose weight. While clean eating can definitely help you lose weight, it’s not a diet in the sense that you eat fewer calories for the purpose of losing weight. (It very well may help you lose weight, though, especially if you often eat “empty” calories like the ones found in many packaged and junk foods.)
Clean eating is a way of eating. It’s a choice to eat healthy, less-processed, whole foods. It’s a lifestyle, not a temporary diet.
Why Is Clean Eating Important?
The answer to that might be different for different families. I know several families who began eating clean in order to lose weight or overcome health problems. Some of these people have lost weight, lowered cholesterol, and gained energy. In some of these families, the children’s behavior has improved drastically!
So often we go to the doctor for high blood pressure, lack of energy, skin problems, or brain fog. Sometimes we visit the pediatrician to check out hyperactivity or oppositional behavior in our children, and other similar concerns. The doctors prescribe medicine but rarely suggest that improving our diets might be effective.
I’m thankful for doctors and what they can do for us, but more and more I’m seeing that changing our diets can be just as effective (or in some cases more effective).
The problem is that taking a pill is so much easier than watching what we eat, isn’t it? I used to be the person who would rather take a pill and keep eating whatever I wanted to eat. Now, though, I’ve become a believer in clean eating because I’ve seen first-hand what it can do!
How to “Eat Clean”
A few of the basic principles of clean eating (sometimes called eating real food) are these:
Say yes to:
- Eating whole/natural unprocessed foods (including foods such as nuts, fruits, dried fruits, and seeds. These foods often have only one ingredient on the label (such as raw almonds) or may not have a label at all (such as fresh fruits and vegetables).
- Cooking from scratch when possible. (Cooking real food from scratch can also be tasty!)
- Using natural sweeteners (like raw honey or real maple syrup).
- Eating/drinking unrefined dairy products such as whole milk, yogurt, cheese, and eggs.
- Eating 100% whole grains (unrefined). Even those who are gluten-free can eat whole grains–they just need to be sure they don’t contain gluten.
- Eating meat that is pastured and humanely raised.
Say no to:
- Refined flours, refined sugars, and artificial sweeteners—even those that are often considered to be healthy. This includes white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, and even organic sugar.
- Deep fried foods.
- Highly processed foods—even those that are often considered to be healthy such as those labeled low-carb and low-fat. This also includes foods like organic cookies and crackers and other junk foods.
- Packaged foods with a long list of ingredients.
These are some of the basic principles of clean eating. In plain and simple language, clean eating means eating foods that are as close to nature as possible.
It may seem impossible to make the change from the Standard American Diet (acronym: SAD–no surprise there) to clean eating, but it really can be done! And it truly can make huge changes in the way you feel, how much energy you have, and how your children behave.
Last Point on Clean Eating:
It is almost impossible to stick with any new way of eating if you don’t have a meal plan!
BEFORE you get started on your clean eating adventure, you need to plan at least a few days’ worth of meals–a week is even better. If you get hungry and have no idea what you’re going to eat, you’re far more likely to grab junk food or sweets that are easily available. But if you take a little time to decide what you will eat for a few days and make sure you have everything you need on hand, you’ll be far more likely to succeed!
Isn’t it worth a few minutes of planning and a trip to the grocery store to feel (and look!) better and be healthier?
Need some help getting started?
Here are some cookbooks and clean eating guidebooks to help you get started on your clean eating journey! I have not read or used all of these, but these were books that have high ratings and should get you well on your way.
Although you can get started using the guidelines above, some people (like me!) prefer to have a book or cookbook to go by. But the main thing to keep in mind–whether you choose to go it alone, with a support group, or with or without a cookbook is that you can do whatever you decide is important!
If you really want to eat healthier and feel better, you can do it!
Clean Eating Made Simple: A Healthy Cookbook with Delicious Whole-Food Recipes for Eating Clean
Clean Eating: 365 Days of Clean Eating Recipes
Eating Clean: The 21-Day Plan to Detox, Fight Inflammation, and Reset Your Body
The Clean Eating Cookbook & Diet: Over 100 Healthy Whole Food Recipes & Meal Plans
In the mean time, I’d love to hear from you! Have you tried clean eating? Why or why not? Do you have questions about clean eating, eating gluten free, or other diet and lifestyle topics you’d like to see more about? Please leave a comment and let us know!