What is Clean Eating and how do you apply it?

What is Clean Eating and how do you apply it?

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It's been a real hype for a while… Clean Eating. But what exactly is Clean Eating and how do you apply it in everyday life? In this article, we'll take a closer look at this. Are you reading along?

What is it?

The principle of Clean Eating is that you only eat “real” food and no manufactured products. Only pure products, straight from nature, fall under Clean Eating. No E numbers and preservatives have been added and added (refined) sugars and other flavorings are also a no go. It's like going back to basics by putting together your own meals. This way you know exactly what you are taking in because you have made your meal from scratch.

With Clean Eating it is important to get the right balance of nutrients. Think of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals.

How do you proceed?

With Clean Eating you eat as little processed food as possible. It's a completely different way of dealing with food. You only eat food intended to which no unnecessary substances have been added or which have been unnecessarily processed. An apple from the tree therefore falls under 'real' food, a bag of chips, on the other hand, not because of all the unnatural processing. Please note, prepackaged pieces of fruit and vegetables can also contain anything that has been added.

You can easily check this by checking the ingredients list on the packaging. When there are more than 5 ingredients in it, you know immediately that it is not clean. These unnatural foods do not fit in a clean diet. The cans are therefore replaced by only fresh (homemade) variants.

Clean eating is not a diet

You probably associate this way of eating with diet. But that's not true. An important difference between clean eating and all kinds of diets is that clean eating is a way of life. So you are not concerned with limiting your calorie intake or avoiding specific nutrients such as fat or carbohydrates.

You are just replacing all processed products in your diet with clean, unprocessed products. In a complete diet you should always get enough proteins, fats and carbohydrates. In a clean diet you also take good proteins, especially slow carbohydrates and healthy fats.

Awareness

Clean Eating is also a piece of awareness. You buy little prepackaged food and when you buy something that comes in a jar or package, you make sure you know exactly what is in it. There is a good chance that you will also go to an organic market or store more often to do your shopping. Some clean eaters even grow as many vegetables, fruit and herbs as possible themselves, although that is of course not a requirement.

The advantages

Cutting out processed foods has many health benefits. It ensures that you get rid of your sugar addiction and you get more energy and a better night's sleep. And this is certainly reflected in your appearance. This way, skin ailments are reduced and you get a radiant skin. Your teeth will also become cleaner and whiter because of all the chemical sugars that no longer affect your teeth. How beautiful is that!

Tips

When you start with this lifestyle, it is important that you build it up slowly and get used to this way of life slowly. We have selected a number of tips for you to help you on your way.

  1. We can't say it often enough. But it is very important to drink enough water. Instead of fruit juices, opt for water or tea. If you like coffee, opt for fresh or black coffee. Other varieties often contain unhealthy additives and many calories.
  2. We often think that something is very healthy, but when you look closely at the packaging, we are still disappointed. You think you are making a conscious choice, but that is often not the case. For example, there can be many additives in (drinking) yogurt, cruesli, salad dressings and ready-to-use soups. Keep that in mind.
  3. Try replacing pork and beef for chicken or fish and eat lots of vegetables and fruit. You can create a light and nutritious meal in no time at all.
  4. Keep varying! To ensure that it does not become monotonous, it is important that you fill your kitchen cabinets well with natural flavor enhancers. For example, choose: fresh peppers, chili flakes, garlic, ginger root, coriander, mint, parsley, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, lime, lemon or a little mustard.

Which products fall under Clean Eating?

  • Unprocessed vegetables (fresh or frozen)
  • Unprocessed fruit (fresh or frozen)
  • Whole-grain cereal products (oat flakes, whole-wheat flour, whole-wheat spelled flour, rye)
  • Eggs
  • Sugar-free almond, soy or rice milk
  • Unsweetened coconut
  • Honey
  • Meat as lean ground beef and chicken breast
  • Whole-weat pasta 
  • potatoes
  • Seeds (Flaxseeds, Sunflower Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Quinoa, etc.)
  • Nuts (unroasted and unsalted)
  • Dark chocolate (minimum 85%)
  • Dairy (yogurt, milk and cheese)
  • Legumes (without added salts)
  • Fish (salmon, tuna, smoked mackerel, pangasius, etc.)
  • Sea salt
  • Green tea, herbal tea and rooibos
  • brown rice
  • Black coffee
  • Olive oil, coconut oil or fat, sunflower oil and sesame oil

After a few days of Clean eating you will already feel this physically. It is therefore definitely worth a try. Start with a few days or once a week, everything is nice.

Do you have any Clean Eating tips of your own? Then be sure to let us know.

Read more interesting articles about nutrition at our blog!

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