Clean Eating -- What's That?

Because so many folks have asked, here's the quick and dirty on eating "Clean."

"Clean eating" is a term most commonly referring to a diet that emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods and is low in saturated fat, added sugar, sodium, preservatives, artificial colors and artificial flavors. Foods included in clean eating are typically high in nutrients and fiber and are often (but not necessarily) organically grown and prepared. Many people are interested in clean eating for its health benefits, which include successful weight control and lowered risk of high cholesterol, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases. Clean eating is healthy at any age. Its main ideas are simply basic nutrition guidelines that promote optimal physical health.

Step 1: Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. A major tenet of eating clean is a focus on plant-based foods, which the American Cancer Society recommends. Fruit and vegetables are low-fat, low-calorie, high-fiber and packed with valuable vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that fight disease and keep your immunity strong.

Step 2: Choose whole grains instead of processed and refined grains. Whole grains provide fiber, protein and nutrients. Their unprocessed make-up means they are slow to digest and provide sustained energy rather than the extreme blood sugar spikes that often follow the ingestion of refined foods. A clean-eating diet includes plenty of whole-wheat bread, whole-grain pasta, brown rice, bulgur, quinoa and barley. Clean eaters are not afraid of healthy complex carbs, they embrace them.

Step 3: Eat lean sources of protein, advises the Mayo Clinic. Some clean-eating diets are partly or completely vegetarian, but not all of them are. Clean eating emphasizes plant-based protein sources such as beans, legumes nuts and soy. These proteins are much lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, and higher in fiber and certain vitamins and minerals, than meat. They also generally avoid the preservatives, added hormones or antibiotics and other additives people often find worrisome about store-bought animal products. Clean eaters do generally eat meat but choose to eat less of it and pick leaner cuts of meat, low-fat poultry and fish.

Step 4: Refrain from processed snack foods and sugary drinks. Eating clean means avoiding, as much as possible, low-nutrient foods such as chips, candy, pastries and soda. Instead, choose whole-food snacks such as raw veggies with hummus or un-buttered popcorn. To drink, opt for water and skim or soy milk rather than sugar-filled juices, sodas or blended coffee drinks. These choices keep you healthy at any age.

Hope that helps!