Though different people have different ideas and definitions of what they consider to be ‘clean eating’, the bottom line is that it refers to eating foods that are completely unrefined and unprocessed, and the best way to achieve this is by sticking to a diet that consists only of whole foods.

When it comes to fresh ingredients, such as fruits, vegetables and meats, this is easy enough to achieve.  Other ingredients however, for example store-bought ketchup and mustard, maybe not so much. Though I personally can’t adhere to a full 100% clean eating lifestyle, I will say that my attempt to get as close as possible does encourage me to cook more, and to make most things from scratch – not always easy, but we do the best we can.

The benefits of clean eating

Mainly is that it is the healthiest way to eat, as we are consuming foods that are high in nutrients and have not been heavily processed.

Sadly, and what we don’t realise, is that we live in a time where we rely heavily on processed foods, due to their convenience, and the fact that they actually do taste good. These however, when consumed in abundance are in fact extremely unhealthy, as they are also made of synthetic ingredients and are packed with fat, sugar, sodium, chemicals and preservatives, food colourings, and other unknown ingredients that our bodies may not be able to digest. Over time, these additional ingredients will take a toll on our bodies, and have proven to be contributing factors to common health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and obesity.

With that said, it is all the more important to be mindful and adopt a clean eating lifestyle as much as you can.  Though it may not sound ideal to begin with, believe me, once you start to look and feel better, the likelihood of falling back on old and bad habits will lessen over time. And once your body starts to fuel up on clean, whole foods, thereby increasing your intake of vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein and healthy fats, you will find that the processed foods that you used to enjoy do not taste as good anymore. Also, healthy nutrition is vital to better heart and brain health, weight management, a stronger immune system and increased energy levels, among other benefits. So, what’s there to think about?

Don’t be discouraged – the benefits far outweigh the concerns!

Ready to get started? Here are the food items to consider

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Lean meats and fish
• Whole grains
• Dairy Products
• Beans and legumes
• Nuts and dried fruits

Items to be wary of include sugary drinks as well as jarred or canned foods.  Of course, sometimes these conveniences are necessary, to which I say go ahead, but read the ingredients, and opt for brands that use more of the ingredients you can understand and less of the ones you don’t.

Hope this helped, but do share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Check out the yufeed app for some healthy recipes to make at home.