Four Easy Ways to Clean Up Your Diet

Let's take a look at the concept of "clean eating" In general, clean eating means eating foods that are fairly close to their natural state, and getting rid of the excess clutter in the form of a lot of added fats, sugars, salt and unnecessary additives. Cooking foods at home and sourcing fresh, local ingredients is often part of the mix, too. Overall, clean eating is meant to call more awareness to what we’re putting in our bodies.

It’s a great concept, but let’s not get carried away. First of all, no one would argue that whole, unprocessed foods without packaging or labels are anything but good choices. But creating a daily diet made up of only those foods might be intimidating to those who simply need to get a meal on the table at the end of a busy day. Besides, there are plenty of healthy, wholesome foods that come in packages; frozen loose pack veggies and fruits, canned tuna, salmon or beans, brown rice or whole grain pasta, just to name a few.

So if you’re already eating plenty of vegetables and quality proteins, including eggs, fish and red meat, your diet might be pretty clean already. But if you're not then a little decluttering might be in order.

How to Clean Up Your Diet

Read food labels to help you avoid extra sugar, salt and fat.
You've heard it before, but it’s generally true – shorter ingredients lists usually mean fewer unwanted additives and more wholesome products. Check labels for added fats, salt and sugar, and do your best to choose items that have minimal amounts added. For example, choose plain yoghurt rather than ones with added sugar (which are most of them). Choose plain frozen vegetables rather than those with sauces added. There are low sugar options for many products so just do a little research in the supermarket when you get a chance.

Ditch the seed oils
Seed oils have a number of issues. Vegetable oils are also just seed oils, as is margarine. Seed oils usually go through high heat processing using chemical solvents which results in the formation of a number of unhealthy compounds that increase oxidative stress on the body. They are also high in Omega-6 fatty acids. Most people are deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids and the imbalance can result in inflammation in the body. Use healthy alternatives such as olive oil, avocado oil, butter and ghee.

Lose the refined carbs and up your fruit and veggie intake.
This sounds so simple, but it’s one of the best things you can do to improve the overall quality of your diet. When you make a point to include a fruit or vegetable at every meal, it "squeezes out" many of the unwanted foods and ingredients you might otherwise eat. Swap sugary, fatty ice cream for a delicious bowl of berries, have a side salad with your sandwich instead of fries, or try snacking on baby carrots and humus instead of chips.

Get rid of the calorie clutter in your beverages.
When it comes to added calories, beverages can be a minefield. Between sugary soft drinks, fruit juices (yes, even 100%, fresh-pressed, all-organic), alcoholic beverages and fancy coffee drinks, it’s not hard to take in hundreds of calories a day from beverages alone. Plain tea and green tea are a great alternative because they can be drunk hot or cold, have no calories, and contain naturally-occurring compounds that also offer some health benefits.

With even a few of these changes you can significantly increase your health as well as drop some weight.

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