Before looking at meal ideas and other tips for a clean eating lifestyle, hone in on what exactly this type of diet will do for you. The following information goes over clean eating, what is allowed and not allowed, and basically how it works.

The Simple Rules of Clean Eating

A good place to start with clean eating is to learn about the simple and basic rules involved with this lifestyle. In general, you are focusing more on healthy, whole, and fresh foods. Instead of counting calories or cutting your carbs, you are simply trying to cook more, using fresh ingredients, and avoiding highly processed foods. This means grating your own cheese, no longer using canned fruits and veggies, and only having eggs or dairy from free-range or grass-fed animals. With a clean eating lifestyle, you should be cooking most meals on your own and reducing your saturated fat and trans fat. You also want to reduce your caffeine and alcohol intake as much as possible.

Go For Fresh Produce

With clean eating, produce will be a big part of your diet. You can also have some carbohydrates and plenty of protein, but fruits and veggies are a good portion of your meals, particularly with lunch and dinner. You want to have fresh produce as much as possible. This means even trying to reduce how often you turn to frozen veggies and get them in the produce section and slice them up yourself. To save money and have a larger selection, try finding local farmer’s markets.

Avoid Processed Foods

Processed food is a major no-no on the clean eating diet. You want to use as many natural and fresh ingredients as you can. If it comes in a package, consider whether there is a more natural version of that ingredient. Shredded cheese comes in a block of cheese you grate yourself, for example. Plus, you should only have dairy when it is from a grass-fed cow. Chopped onions come in full onions you can buy and chop yourself. These are good examples to start with.

Start Cooking More

As you can see, cooking is a major component to eating clean. It would be very difficult to do if you were not cooking regularly. You need not be a natural chef, but you should be able to follow a simple recipe. If you don’t have a lot of time to prep and cook, invest in some appliances that help the process go faster, such as a food processor for chopping, and a slow cooker to cook your meals during the day while you are at work or school.

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