6 Fast Ways to "Clean" Your Diet
by Lexi Patronis, Glamour
"Clean" eating has always intrigued me. Have you ever tried it? Here's what it is: some experts say that the average American's diet includes unwanted servings of pesticides, chemicals, and colorings. In fact, one study (by the Environmental Working Group) found a single bell pepper was contaminated with 15 different pesticides. Ick.
There aren't really any guidelines on how many pesticides are safe to ingest, but research shows that the stuff can be really hard on your body, causing everything from breakouts to weight gain. And the foods that come in boxes and packages aren't always healthy, either--processed foods can have lots of added salts, sugars, and junk.
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So that's where a "clean diet" comes in. According to Jared Koch, nutritionist and founder of Clean Plates, it's easy to clean up your diet. Here are his tips!
1. Eat more veggies. Before cutting back on anything, Koch says, start by adding in vegetables. Err on the side of organic, to nix wax coatings or pesticides, and try for locally grown versions, since produce loses nutrients every day after it's been picked. So the less time it takes to reach you, the healthier it can be (and often, it's better-tasting). Also, try this serving size trick: for each meal, try to fill at least half your plate with vegetables.
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2. Beware of packages. Processed foods are more likely to contain dyes, colorings and chemicals, plus too much salt and sugar. So be sure to check the labels.
3. Get less sugary. Of course dessert is OK... every once in a while. Too much sugar means too many empty calories. Instead, satisfy your sweet tooth with natural sweeteners like maple syrup, honey, or coconut palm sugar, which at least contain some nutrients.
4. Choose better meats. A vegetarian diet isn't right for everybody. If meat helps you feel your best, just try to eat it in moderation. Aim to buy hormone-free, grass-fed meats. Healthier protein sources equal a healthier you.
5. Test yourself. Ever notice that when you eat certain foods, you don't feel so hot? Start paying attention to how you feel after you eat certain things (maybe try keeping a food diary for a week). Does your stomach gurgle every time you drink milk? Do you feel completely worn out after eating a bagel? You can even try cutting out a food type for three to four weeks, and see if your symptoms clear up. Common food sensitivity triggers include dairy, sugar, gluten, and highly processed foods because they tend to contain many chemicals. (Sometimes, it's a chemical or a dye, and not even a food group, that causes a reaction.)
6. Go easy on yourself. Extreme any-kind-of-eating isn't good, so use the 80-20 rule: 80 percent of the time, eat clean. And 20 percent of the time, forgive yourself. Nobody's perfect, and nobody has a perfect diet.
Easy enough, right? Want to give it a try?
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