Clean Eating 101: A Guide to Healthy and Mindful Eating

Chances are, if you’re reading this article, you’re curious about clean eating or pursuing a healthier lifestyle overall. Clean eating has become a popular buzzword within the health and nutrition community in the last few years, but what exactly does it mean? 

Clean eating is the concept of prioritizing whole foods over processed foods and being more conscious of the foods you eat. If you’re new to clean eating or are curious to learn more, then keep reading. We’re going to break down everything you need to know.

Rule  #1: Limit the amount of processed foods you eat. 

There are three core guiding principles to clean eating. The first rule of thumb is not eating or limiting the number of processed foods that you eat. If your food grew, swam, or ran, and then you ate it, that food is considered unprocessed. Foods that come from nature are the kind of food you should eat more. Minimally processed foods are food that came from nature but is later touched and packaged. 

Like Doritos or other junk food, high processed foods are made with artificial ingredients and chemicals. Highly processed foods are convenient, and they’re made to be addictively good for a reason. But the truth is, highly processed foods contain potentially cancer-causing preservatives and other unhealthy ingredients you should stay away from. 

Limit the amount of processed foods you eat to avoid common health issues like high cholesterol, weight gain, and diabetes. Awareness is arguable the first step to clean eating. Limiting processed foods isn’t just about clean eating, but also it’s about regaining your control and your ability to make educated choices about the food you eat. 

Rule #2: Eat more whole foods. 

Have you ever eaten something and then felt hungry almost immediately after? This is because processed foods take less time and energy to digest in your body, and they do not contain the nutrients to keep you full. Whole foods, on the other hand, contain nutrients to keep you feeling full and energized. 

Cooking more meals at home, finding clean recipes, and shopping at organic grocery stores are easy ways to eat more clean. Don’t set yourself up for unrealistic expectation, when you start your clean eating journey. It’s not easy to be 100% organic, given that most of us don’t grow our food, and sometimes life just gets in the way. So, when you commit to clean eating, be kind to yourself and don’t feel the need to deprive yourself of everything. 

Rule #3: Be mindful of what you eat. 

The last principle of clean eating is mindfulness. This is actually the first step in the 7-steps to eating clean guide. Before you pick up something in the grocery store, get into the practice of reading the nutrition label. The nutrition label contains all the information you need to determine if the food is clean or processed. The first thing you should pay attention to is the ingredients. If you can’t pronounce the names of some of the ingredients, that should tell you right away that food is highly processed and should be avoided. In most cases, the fewer ingredients listed, the cleaner the food. 

The next thing you should take notice of is serving sizes. Pay attention to how many servings there are per container and how many calories per serving size. It’s easy to eat more than one serving size of foods like crackers, or nuts, so be mindful of your portions. The final component you should pay close attention to is the fat and sugar content. 

Trans fats are not great for you, but some saturated fats like avocados or coconut oil aren’t all bad. Figuring out the sugar contents can be trickier. Sugar isn’t always explicitly listed under the ingredients lists, so keep an eye out for words like fructose, glucose, or any word that ends with “ose.” 

Nutrition labels contain all the information you need to make an educated choice on the food you eat. It’s also a good idea to look for nutrition facts based on your goals or health. If you have high cholesterol, pay attention to sodium content. If you have diabetes, pay attention to sugar contents, and so on. 

As you can see, clean eating isn’t about having a 100% organic diet. The reality is that it isn’t common to consume whole foods exclusively, and more importantly, you aren’t required to stop eating processed foods entirely. The point is to eat with care and be more mindful of the foods and ingredients you’re putting into your body. Remember, when you feel better, you do better, and ultimately you will feel better. 

Learn more with the Clean Eating 101 E-book to get more details and healthy substitute ideas.