Clean eating is one of those things we encourage everyone to do. And before you ask, it doesn't mean cutting out all of your favourite foods forever; it's about making choices that say no to excessive preservatives, sugars and foods that may be damaging to your body in the long term. It's also about finding the right balance between eating well and enjoying your favourite treats, so you can reduce bloating, inflammation and an upset stomach.
So, what does clean eating involve? We've broken it down below.
Watching out for processed foods
There's a lot of controversy around the world processed and with good reason. Even a packet of chopped mushrooms can be considered processed, as they went through a process to achieve their chopped state. Rather than avoiding all processed foods, and therefore, avoiding all foods, it's important to avoid heavily processed foods (or at least limit them in your diet). These include foods that are typically altered so much that they no longer contain their natural nutrients (if any at all).
A great example of a heavily processed food would be a chicken nugget, which uses reconstituted meat (in many cases) to form a nugget filling. If you're not sure what's considered heavily processed and what isn't, the truth is in the appearance. If it doesn't look natural, it most certainly isn't. We're talking about those blue cereals, bright green lollies, and ultra-orange cheese.
While on the topic of processed foods, however, it's important to acknowledge that some processed items are still packed with nutrients. This includes yoghurts, canned fish and packaged salads. Knowing the ingredients and steps of what grants something its processed title is the first step of ensuring you're choosing the right ones in your clean eating diet.
Make it from scratch where possible
Supermarkets have been providing convenience for families for decades. But with convenience comes some staggering statistics, including the sugar and sodium content of most pre-packaged products. Even if it seems like the healthy choice, items such as curry sauces, salad dressings and bags of nuts can contain additives to give them that extra flavour. If you're eating them every day, you'll be consuming copious amounts of damaging compounds that can lower organ health, raise blood pressure and lead to a range of diseases.
That's where making it scratch comes in handy! Now, we don't expect you to bust out the pasta machine and make everything from ground zero from the get-go. But, it's important to remember that every change counts. Let's take a plain red sauce pasta, for example. Start with purchasing the ingredients to make the sauce from scratch where possible, such as fresh tomatoes, basil and chilli (as well as any other herbs and spices you like). These small changes allow you to control the salt content in your food, creating a much healthier and good-for-you end result.
When you get the time, you may even try to make the pasta on your own, too! But remember, every little change counts.
Use herbs and spices instead of salt
Salt is high in sodium (funny that), which can be bad for you if consumed too much. It's even linked to some health conditions, such as kidney stones. Subbing it out where possible in your cooking is a great way to ensure you're still getting a salty taste in your food without all of the sodium. But what should you sub them with?
Herbs and spices are a great start! And certain spices, like turmeric, nutmeg, cinnamon, paprika and pepper, have a range of benefits for your health. As always, though, consider where your product is sourced. Seasonings that are cheap are usually cheaply produced (and may even have added salt in them).
Choose whole foods where possible
The literal definition of a whole food is a product that has been processed as little as possible. Given that clean eating asks you to reduce processed foods as much as possible, you want to add as many whole foods to your diet as you can. The Jomeis Fine Foods range is a perfect place to find them.
All of our collections, from our Nutritional Lattes to our Adaptogenic Honey require little processing to produce, meaning they are fantastic for the body. Beyond this, they're also gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free and preservative-free to ensure your body is fueled with the nutritional goodness it needs to thrive. Some extra benefits to your body from the range include its antioxidising and anti-inflammatory qualities, which can keep your body feeling great and ailment-free.
Some other great examples of whole foods outside the Jomeis Fine Foods range include fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, whole grains, cheese and some yoghurts. As mentioned, though, reading the label and researching your brands is always the most effective way to guarantee you're choosing the best options for you.
Remember to love your diet
It's great if you want to start eating cleaner by cutting out foods that make your body unhappy. While good foods are great for the mind, it's important that you choose a diet that makes you feel happy, too. No amount of clean eating can make up for how much you may want that slice of cake or how much you're craving some takeout. The key to living your best is finding balance, knowing when to say no and when to indulge in what you love. Finding this balance will, in the long term, help your body feel better, form a better relationship with food and understand the importance of good nutrition.
Start your clean eating journey with Jomeis Fine Foods
Want to start eating clean (or cleaner) and don't know where to begin? We have food, drink and spreads available to help you get started. Discover our clean eating products and whole foods range online today.
