Clean Eating

I really want to try to retrain my palate because I'm tired of feeling sick from so much processed and sugary food. So, I guess I'd like you guys to post some of your favorite natural, or healthy foods that aren't so processed. I'll be heading to the store on Monday to start buying my new foods. Maybe you can tell me stories of how clean eating helped your weight loss or just your mind overall. 

I think I'll toss in my 2 cents... XD

Coming from an asian family where a mother insists on raw ingredients for home-cooked meal every night, that's the first thing I'd suggest - more RAW things that you can cook yourself anyway you like. I'm pretty sure you already know more about this though.

Things I'd suggest (they're not very processed or sugary, so I don't know how much this helps):

-FRUIT, definitely keep a bunch of your favourite fruits on hand - really helps with sugar craving (simple, health snack is like strawberries with fat-free yogurt or something)

-nuts (good fats) apparently, replacing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats by eating things like nuts and avocados will reduce inner fat - the kind that's really dangerous for your health and helps you lose weight by being satisfying(good fiber content) JUST watch portions...

- fresh/frozen veggies like carrots and maybe fat-free dressing

-jar of PP2 (GREAT replacement for peanut butter and MUCH lower in calories, I've heard...) 

-sugar-free gum :D (to keep yourself busy when all else fails)

Hehe, I won't be posting any stories of mine this time - I only addressed your frist question. I know this is very basic advice, but that's what I'd do! XD

I saw the title of this thread and thought of "Fight Club" ........... those of you that have seen that movie will know what clean food really is.

I started with going to all natural sweeteners, getting rid of all bleached flours in favor of whole grains, removing hydrogenated oils and all frozen dinners and fast food. I also agree with the theory of anything you can get that is raw fruits and veggies and organic meats. Main thing that I do is to keep the ingredients to a minimum and recognizable in the litely processed foods that I do use.

I've been a long time "dieter" but I've only been a clean eater for about 6 months.

In July 2005, I decided to do a 10-day detox, designed by a naturopath, which involved eating all whole foods, consuming a lot of water and eliminating dairy, bread products, caffeine, alcohol, red meat and salt. This was a big eye-opener for me, in terms of proper eating. I was cooking for myself for the first time! The detox definitely got me on the right path to proper eating habits and water consumption and it turned me on to natural/organic food choices.

In February 2008, I visited a nutritionist who suggested I cut out artificial sweeteners, cut down on excess sugar and add more protein to my diet. I switched from sweetened yogurt to plain yogurt. I gave up deli meats. I got creative with my food choices and chose REAL food options. I gave up Splenda and all other artificial sweeteners completely and now consume 90-120 g of protein daily... it has made a HUGE difference in my appetite! I am rarely hungry. At this point, I became a clean eater. I generally avoid "diet" food that has been overly processed or has ingredients I can't pronounce. It has really made a difference in my mentality towards food.

Favourite Clean Eating foods (besides fruits, veg, tofu, lean meats, eggs, nuts, etc... those are given!)

* Nature's Path Multibran flax cereal

* store-made natural peanut butter

* Crofter's blueberry jam

* Any sprouted grain bread and bagels, especially Silver Hills brand (may be only in Canada)

* Plain non-fat or low-fat honey

* Agave nectar or honey as a sweetener

* Armstrong brand individual cheese pieces

* Kashi dark chocolate cherry granola bars (some may debate the "cleanliness" of these since there are a lot of ingredients)

* So Nice brand soy milk & fruit juices

* Silk light plain soy milk

All the other foods I eat are prepared and not packaged.

Before you start clean eating have you got a good selection of chopping boards, knives, wooden spoons, casserole dishes?... :-)  Because clean eating, more often than not, means buying fresh ingredients and making something to eat from them rather than going to the store and buying things ready-made. 

My favourite natural/healthy foods are pretty much everything in the fruit and vegetable department....   That's what I base most of my meals around.   Next up are the pastas, rice (preferably brown basmati), pulses/legumes, nuts, seeds and other wholefoods.   And finally, whole muscle meat, fish, free-range eggs, tofu, and dairy products - organic if it's available.  Those categories give you plenty of scope.

I find my cleaner diet means I (and my family) don't seem to get sick as often with coughs and colds.  We're all happy, calm types but that could just be a coincidence!  My complexion is excellent and - for a forty-something - my BP and cholesterol etc., are in good shape.  Combining a  healthier diet with calorie-counting means I've lost 50lbs+ and maintained that loss for the last 3 years.  A great book I can highly recommend you read as you embark on this is "In Defence Of Food" by Michael Pollan.    It's an entertaining read and makes many good points (without resorting to lecturing or hectoring) why we should all be a little more concerned about the quality and provenance of what we eat.

I read "In Defence of Food" and it's a good starter book but the one that really *scared* me into clean eating was "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser.

I'd go for organic honey...  "I happen to be a local beekeeper in the Washington D.C. Metro area. When bees are low on food reserves during a dearth beekeepers feed them syrup (sugar water) we mix ourselves. Some especially, larger commercial operations, however, also use liquid HFCS. [I don't]. Using just HFCS can make the honeybees sick." (Quoted from http://www.drmirkin.com/nutrition/honey.html). Certified organic honey harvesters don't do that, or it wouldn't be organic anymore.

Oh, and if you need some easy on-the-go foods? Raw food bars are wonderful. Larabars are my favorite!

Woah baby - my list of healthy foods can go on and on which is great for you to know because you will NEVER get bored!!!

- All vegetables EXCEPT for Corn, Potatoes, Carrots, Yams, Peas 

- Low Sugar Fruits - Berries - To cure your "sweet tooth" 

- Lean Protein Sources such as ALL FISH & SHELLFISH, Grass-fed Red Meats, Chicken & Turkey Breast, Egg Whites & Yolks, Beans in small portions

- Healthy Fats such as olive oil, olives, macadamia nut oil, flaxseed oil & flaxseeds, fish 

 

*My Diet Consists of All those Vegetables & All those Protein sources - and my diet started 6 years ago (almost 7 now)... I lost 40 pounds - but got a little too skinny so I increased my healthy fat consumption & portion sizes and now am at a healthy weight and stable & will NEVER CHANGE ANYTHING about my diet because I find it very rewarding!!!