Читать книгу Anti-Inflammatory Diet For Dummies - Artemis Morris - Страница 39

More than likely you’ve hear a lot about clean eating, but do you really know what cleaning eating means? Is it just a matter of making sure you scrub your fruits and vegetables before eating them?

Well, kind of. But not really. Clean eating is really about changing your eating habits to focus on fresh, whole foods and those that have been minimally processed.

Eating clean isn’t a diet or a fad — it’s a lifestyle change. It’s getting rid of the processed and refined foods and replacing them with natural, clean alternatives, which may mean getting started can be a bit tricky. Don’t plan to leap head-first into the clean eating lifestyle: start slowly and introduce new foods while eliminating some of the bad ones. Prepare more foods at home so you can experiment and discover what you like and what you don’t before braving it out in public.

Here are some tips for starting a clean eating lifestyle:

 Stock up on fresh organic fruits and veggies. Doing so is apparently harder than you may think. According to a 2018 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), just 1 in 10 Americans were eating the right amount of fruits and vegetables per day; a little more than 12 percent were getting their daily allowance of fruits and just 9 percent were getting their daily allowance of vegetables. Keeping fruits and vegetables a key part of your diet can help in the fight against heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and obesity.

 Eliminate or minimize processed foods. When you think “processed foods,” the first things to come to mind are likely boxed meals and processed meat. Those are, of course, included, but so are things like refined sugar, white rice, and refined flour. Processed foods include those foods that go through a change so drastic from their original state that they lose many of their nutrients and replace them with sugars and chemicals.

 Eat gluten-free whole grains. If you want to eat grains, be sure to reach for the ones that are least processed, such as steel-cut oats and sprouted grain bread. Refined grains lead to better gut health and can help to reduce inflammation.

 Don’t forget the protein, fat, and carbs. Eating clean doesn’t mean eating only plant-based foods. Include some meats in your diet. Just be careful because processed red meat can actually trigger inflammation. Some good meaty protein sources include wild-caught salmon, tuna, and lean poultry.

 Be sure to read the label. Although eating clean does involve eating mostly natural items, some packaged foods like nuts, some vegetables, and some meats are good, too. Just be cautious — read the labels and look for preservatives, added sugars, or the wrong kinds of fats (refer to Chapter 6 where we discuss fats in greater detail). Some nuts are roasted in vegetable oil, for instance, and some pre-washed salads may come with processed cheese or fatty dressings.

Clean eating isn’t always black and white; there is always room for flexibility according to your own needs and preferences. You don’t have to avoid any food groups — unless your doctor says you should — so keep in mind that moderation, even of the not-so-clean foods, can sometimes be okay.