A new year means evaluating where we’ve been and setting goals for the year ahead.
This year let’s make a goal to eat clean. We’re not talking about washing your hands and food – although clearly we support that kind of cleanliness. Instead, we’re talking about eating foods that are organic, pesticide-free and basically as close to all natural as you can get.
While this kind of diet has been popular with athletes for some time, the movement originated in the 60s with those getting closer to the earth.
Basically, natural foods that are unprocessed with little refined sugar should offer you and your family more nutritional goodness like vitamins. Eating in-season food plays well into this kind of dietary change. Like this time of year you could add broccoli to dinner and be healthy and seasonal.
There are many benefits to clean eating like improved energy and overall health. It will decrease consumption of pesticides and sodium. You’re causing a smaller impact on the environment. Also, if you plan correctly, it can be very cost effective. Think about the cost of a meal deal at your local fast food joint. Buying the veggies for a soup should cost less. Also, it’s a sustainable lifestyle since there will always be farms producing the foods on your grocery list.
Consider adding free range animals and their products, like eggs into your diet. Also, fish is a wonderful addition to your diet as long as you’re mindful of mercury levels.
And remember, even if you’re buying “clean” food, you should still actually clean your food! To help you get started, here are some clean foods:
Clean Foods List
Lean Beef
Chicken Breast
Turkey Breast
Fresh Fish
Canned Tuna
Canned Salmon
Eggs
Beef Jerky
Lite Cottage Cheese
Sweet Potatoes
Yams
Long Grain Brown Rice
Old Fashioned Oats
Steel Cut Oats
Eggplant
Squash
Romaine Lettuce
Spinach
Asparagus
Avocado
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Cucumbers
Celery
Peppers (any color)
Mushrooms
String Beans
Zucchini
Apples
Bananas
Fresh or Frozen Berries
Extra Virgin Olive oil
safflower Oil
Flax Seed Oil
Almonds
Walnuts
Natural Sugar-Free Peanut Butter
Cashews (raw)
Pistachios (raw, insides only)
Pears
Tomatoes
Chick Peas
Sweet Potato
Kidney Beans
Almond Butter
Ezekiel Bread
Egg Beaters/Liquid Egg Whites
Fibrous Vegetables
Alfalfa Sprouts
Artichoke Hearts
Asparagus
Bamboo Shoots
Bean Sprouts
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Chives
Collard Greens
Cucumber
Eggplant
Endive
Escarole
Fennel
Hearts of Palm
Jicama
Kale
Leeks
Lettuce
Mushrooms
Okra
Onion
Parsley
Peppers
Pumpkin
Radicchio
Radishes
Rhubarb
Sauerkraut
Scallions
Snow Pea Pods
Sorrel
Spaghetti Squash
Spinach
String Beans
Summer Squash
Turnips
Water Chestnuts
Wax Beans
Zucchini
Chef Gigi Gaggero 