Cleaning Eating Challenge

CLEAN EATING CHALLENGE

We are issuing 3 Food Challenges this month.  The first is to eat CLEAN for a month.  Basically you will eat whole foods - foods that only contain ONE ingredient, the food itself.  Think vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, & water! 

What is Clean Eating?   Clean Eating is eating foods closest to the state in which they are found in nature. The majority of “clean” foods can typically be found in the outer aisles of the supermarket where fruit, vegetables, unprocessed nuts, organic eggs, etc. are located.  Clean food is any food that could be made by a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen with readily available, whole-food ingredients.  Most processed foods have been chemically altered through additives such as flavor enhancers, binders, colors, fillers, preservatives, stabilizers, emulsifiers, etc.   To summarize:  Read ingredient lists, NOT the nutritional label.  If there is an ingredient that is not a whole food, or that you cannot pronounce, put it back!



Processed Foods:  The only processed foods allowed, are those whose ingredient lists contain ONLY recognizable whole food ingredients.
*CLEAN ingredient example:  tomatillos, green chili, water, onions, jalapenos, salt, spices
*NOT clean ingredients example:  ENRICHED macaroni product, FERROUS SULFATE, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, chicken, broccoli, SODIUM CITRATE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, DISODIUM INOSINATE... 

Why Clean Eat?  Eating clean is the key to achieving optimal body composition, excellent health and immunity, and increased energy levels.  Your body will respond in many ways if you make the commitment, simply because this is how we were designed to eat.   

Sweeteners:  NO sugar.  NO artificial sweeteners.  Acceptable sweeteners:  honey, maple syrup, Stevia 

Vegetables & Fruits:  Eat LOTS!  These are some of the most nutrient dense foods available to you.  

Butter/Oil:  Butter & olive oil are acceptable, but please use as minimally as possible, as these are NOT health foods and are empty calories.  NO margarine (chemicals) or other artificial spreads or oils.

Meat:  If you choose to eat meat, select lean cuts of skinless, boneless chicken/turkey breast, ground turkey breast, or fish.  NO deli meat (processed)

Chocolate: DARK chocolate only, limit to 4 ounces, 2-3x per week

Beverages:  Water!  Coffee, green/black tea. 

Wine:  None or if you must, limit your intake to 2-3 glasses RED wine per WEEK.

Flour:  100% WHOLE grain flour (whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, spelt flour, oat flour, etc.)  NO white flour!

Dairy:   NO drinking cow’s milk or using coffee creamer.  Instead, use almond, soy, hemp, coconut milks, etc.  NO pasteurized processed cheeses (think Velveeta, Cheese Whiz).  Deli cheese, string cheese are okay in very small amounts.   Try coconut yogurt or plain Greek yogurt. 

Breads: 100% WHOLE grain breads.  We recommend Ezekiel bread (in freezer section).  Great Harvest Bread Company also has many great bread choices.

Pasta/Rice, Etc:  NO white pasta/rice!  Eat WHOLE wheat pasta, brown rice, or other WHOLE grains:  quinoa, barley, bulgur, couscous, farro, etc.