Clean eating is a deceptively simple concept. Rather than revolving around the idea of ingesting more or less of specific things (for instance, fewer calories or more protein), the idea is more about being mindful of the food’s pathway between its origin and your plate.
At its simplest, clean eating is about eating whole foods, or ‘real’ foods – those that are un- or minimally processed, refined, and handled, making them as close to their natural form as possible.
However, modern food production has become so sophisticated that simply eating whole foods can be a challenging proposition these days.
Thanks to extensive research that has linked eating whole foods with good health, we do know that largely plant-based diets are healthy.
Multiple studies have shown that diets heavy on fruits and vegetables can curb or prevent certain life-threatening conditions and diseases, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Plus, there’s research linking diets high in fruits and veggies to healthy weight management and glowing skin and hair.
Cooking does alter your food, but it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. While it’s true that some nutrients are lost during cooking, like vitamin C, other nutrients are increased when foods are cooked, like lycopene, so it’s best to eat a wide variety of foods, in both their raw and cooked forms.
When cooking food, the focus should be on maintaining the integrity of what you are consuming and avoiding high-fat cooking methods such as deep-frying or stewing in animal or vegetable fats.
When cooking, opt for flash-cook methods such as stir-frying and ones without additives like steaming. For fruits and veggies, raw is best, but steaming is a close second in terms of preserving nutritional value and keeping the food’s natural integrity.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are a dieter’s dream, but the pesticide residue on them can keep your calorie-burning machine from performing at its peak.
Pesticides may affect your thyroid’s ability to function and there’s evidence that they also harm the functioning of mitochondria, the parts of a cell that convert fuel into energy.
Government researchers say you need to scrub fresh produce for at least 30 seconds to remove the residue.
You can also minimize your exposure by purchasing organic produce, especially the kind with an edible peel, as well as organic beef and dairy products, because regular cattle feed can contain high concentrations of pesticides.
Each piece of skin contains 69 calories and six grams of fat, so it makes sense to separate it from the breast before popping it in the oven, right?
Not really. The skin locks in moisture, so you get tender, more flavourful chicken for not a lot of extra calories.
Don’t remove the skin until right before serving, and the chicken won’t need as much calorie-rich sauce, salad dressing, or mayo.
The exception, however, is if you’re making a soup or a casserole. The fat from the skin will drain into the dish, so peel it off beforehand.
In order to burn the most fat, you should go 12 hours overnight without eating.
The reasoning behind it is that during the day your muscles use some of the calories you eat for fuel, the rest is stored as glycogen.
Overnight, that glycogen is converted to glucose. Once the glycogen is gone, your liver starts burning the fat cells.
Fasting for 12 hours overnight allows your body the chance to convert the glycogen and start burning fat.
Therefore, if you usually eat your breakfast at 7:00am, try to have your dinner by 7:00pm the night before.
Not all carbohydrates are an enemy. It’s the refined carbs (like white bread, white sugar, and sweets) that you need to avoid.
They seem harmless, but they have been stripped of their macronutrient content and reduced to a simple sugar that your body quickly digests.
The result is, your blood sugar spikes, your body pumps out tons of insulin to get the sugar into your cells, your blood sugar plummets, you feel sleepy, and any sugar the insulin didn’t deal with gets converted into fat.
This access fat typically sits around your belly, which can lead to illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.
Complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, help to maintain well-controlled blood sugar levels. Keeping you energized, slim, and healthy.
They are your body’s main source of fiber, giving you energy to keep you perky even during the grey days of winter.
The mood-boosting neurotransmitter serotonin comes from an amino acid called tryptophan, which is only able to enter the brain after digesting a healthy serving of carbs.
So for your waist’s (and your mood’s) sake, don’t give up all carbs!
Almonds are the perfect healthy snack.
They can help curb your appetite and prevent you from eating too much at mealtimes.
So add a stash to your handbag for hunger emergencies!
1. Fill up on plenty of wholesome, fresh food
2. Try to cook meals from scratch as often as possible
3. Savour food, be mindful of every mouthful that you eat
4. Eat a balance of all food groups instead of cutting one out
5. Avoid eating in front of the TV or at the desk, as distractions can lead to overeating.
Check out the Joseph Joseph TriScale.
The clever and compact scale opens out into a stable surface for bowls and plates, and keeps the screen and controls protected when folded down.
As well as a great example of product design, it is a must-have kitchen gadget. Top marks all round!
Make 2014 both a happy and healthy new year, with these 5 pledges to help you to look and feel greater than ever.
1. Get enough shut-eye
It is recommended that you get at least seven to nine hours sleep a night. This gives your body enough rest to repair, burn fat and ward off stress.
The main three factors causing lack of sleep are caffeine, stress and alcohol. As well as reducing these, try the following foods to help you get a goodnights sleep:
2. Eat a healthy, balanced diet
A balanced diet starts with eating lots of fresh vegetables, protein, good fats and carbohydrates (yes some carbohydrates are actually good for you!).
Not all carbohydrates are an enemy. Many of us fear the consequences of this food group and their associations with weight gain have stuck with many dieters. It’s the refined carbohydrates (like white bread, white sugar, and sweets) that you need to avoid.
Complex carbohydrates, like whole grains, help to maintain well-controlled blood sugar levels. Keeping you energized, slim, and healthy.
And if you need another reason not to curb the carbs, this macronutrient is in fact the only fuel that our brains can utilise, so without this our brain health and memory deteriorate.
3. Get active
Hit the gym, take a walk or go for a bike ride. Whatever you do, just get moving!
Regular exercise is not only good for your physical health (helping to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and strokes, as well as maintaining bodyweight), but it can boost your mental health too.
When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins, which trigger a positive mood making you feel happier and increasing your self-esteem.
4. Drink more water
Staying hydrated is one of the easiest things you can do for energy. When you skimp on water, the cells in your body shrink, so they can’t function as efficiently. This triggers feelings of fatigue.
The signs of mild dehydration, such as low energy and sleepiness, can dupe your brain into craving food. Many people confuse that empty-pit feeling in your belly as hunger, but in fact it’s quite often triggered by thirst.
Water is the perfect hydrator and drinking plenty of it helps flush away toxins that build up in our cells. You should aim to drink at least 1.2 litres of fluid (six to eight 250ml glasses) a day.
5. Stand Tall
Good posture is probably the world’s simplest beauty secret. It makes you instantly look taller and slimmer. You take in more oxygen, improving your skin and creating a wealth of new energy.
The perfect poise will help you look and feel more confident. To improve your posture, just follow these simple steps: