Here are 9 ways you can eat clean

While healthy, well-balanced diet is the key to a healthy life, eating clean is more of a lifestyle choice. Replacing processed and unhealthy foods with natural, nutritious options is part of clean eating.

Let’s take a quick look at nine methods to adopt a
healthy eating lifestyle:

Choose whole foods:

Eating foods that are as close to their natural
state is one of the basics of clean, healthy eating. One must therefore replace
packaged and processed foods with fresh, whole foods in their diet. So instead
of frozen meats, once should consume fresh meat, fruits and nuts instead of chips and cookies.

Whole grains:

Modern manufacturing processes take the nutrition
out of refined carbohydrate, like white bread, pasta, rice etc. Instead, you should consume whole wheat bread, and pastas and brown rice instead of white
ones. This little step can have a huge effect as it can reduce risk of heart diseases, diabetes, cholesterol
levels and colon cancer.

Fruits and Vegetables: 

Fruits
and vegetables are the cornerstone of a clean, healthy eating habit. While most
experts say fresh produce is the best, frozen or canned goods are not a bad
alternative if they don’t exceed a certain limit for salt or sugar.

Also Read| Easy and scrumptious dip recipes that your guests will devour in no time

Whole fruits should be consumed instead of
juices, which can be deprived of their fiber content. Depending on an
individual’s caloric needs, one must partake five to nine servings of fruits
and vegetables.

Avoid added salt and
sugar:

Clean foods are low on salt and sugar content. Processed
foods, on the other hand, have a high percentage of both and thus must be
avoided. On must read labels to regulate salt and sugar intake and be mindful of
how much one adds to their food and drinks.

Avoid artificial ingredients:

Any clean, healthy diet has to be without any artificial
colouring, sweetners, preservatives and other such ingredients.

Drink enough water:

One must choose water over sugary drinks such
as colas and fruit juices. Water can also help feel full and increase energy
levels. It also works wonders for the skin.

Also Read| Satiate your snack cravings with these easy-to-make recipes

Avoid alcohol/caffeine:

While some clean eaters may choose to consume
moderate amounts of alcohol and caffeine, others leave them out entirely. Experts
recommend a maximum intake of 400 milligrams of caffeine (around 3-5 cups of
coffee) per day and serving of alcohol for women and two for men.

Organic food:

Organic food may be one of the best ways to eat
clean as organic farmers do not use artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Although
another way to avoid them is to choose fruits and vegetables whose skins are
discarded, like avocados, corn and onion.

Meat and Dairy:

Dairy and poultry animals are usually injected
with growth hormones and antibiotics, which should be avoided if one is to
adopt a clean eating lifestyle. Organic or local sources should be used for
clean eating. While seafood is not labelled as organic, sustainable fishing
options can be chosen.