There are so many different diets out there these days that working out what to eat can cause so much confusion and anxiety that it really is no wonder that so many people just have no idea what to eat. While I am not a dietician, years of agony over this topic has finally led to what I now consider to be a healthy balanced life.
So, the basics. Food is fuel. At the very basis food is there for us to survive, give us energy, and the vitamins and minerals our bodies need to breathe, sleep, run, laugh, cry and live. And it is also there to celebrate, show love, creativity and enjoy. To interpret this into what to eat - food should be wholesome and come from nature not a factory. Clean food is food that is consumed in closest to it's natural state. My general rule is that if it grew on a tree, vine or in the ground, or is straight from an animal, then it's clean. If Mother Nature made it, it's clean.
If we go back to the basic 'food is fuel' analogy, then it would make sense that the better quality fuel we put in, the better performance we get out. We are made from Mother Nature, so we need fuel from Mother Nature to make us healthy and vibrant. Food should not be confusing, it should be simple and unrefined and of course delicious. Eating clean and balanced is not hard, and can fit into any schedule or budget. I'll take you through some of the big food groups to help you differentiate a clean healthy food choice, and a processed food choice.
Sugar
If there is one food group that I try my hardest to avoid it's this one. Sugar has it's place, but it is something that I believe is as addictive as cocaine. Sugar is in nearly every food to some degree, however it's the processed white stuff that is the killer. As everybody knows, consumption of sugar causes the body to provide insulin to digest it. Depending on the type of sugar, and the amount, the body will produce varying amounts. Any form of processed sugar such as white, raw, brown, muscsvado and icing sugar (basically anything found in the baking aisle of the supermarket) are highly processed and cause a massive spike in insulin production upon consumption. And as with the rule of everything, what goes up must come down. After a massive spike comes and massive plummet and your body crashes back down to where it was, or sometime even below that. Then you want another sugar hit to get you back up there, and so the cycle begins. I try my best to cut out all processed sugar from my diet, and have found a reduction in cravings, increase in energy and better sleep. Thats not to say that the odd piece of cake or white chocolate is out of the question!! Just limit it.
Natural sugar - there is natural sugar in a lot of food. Some diets such as the Paleo diet suggest not to consume these sugars either. This includes sugar in fruit, potatoes, grains and rice. This is a matter for yourself. I stick to the "if Mother Nature made it" theory. I personally love fruit and include a lot of it in my diet. Fruit contains so many other vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that I don't believe in cutting it out. The sugar in fruit does not cause a dramatic surge in insulin levels, particularly if combined with some form of protein e.g. fruit and greek yoghurt.
Carbohydrates
Now here's a food group that has been the target of much conjecture. Depending on which diet is the hot topic of the week, poor old carbohydrates get a real beating. But here's a secret - carbohydrates are good for you! Our bodies need carbohydrates for energy, cell repair and even mood regulation! Our bodies depend on carbohydrate consumption for Serotonin synthesis. Serotonin is the chemical produced by your brain that makes you happy, and is then turned into a chemical called Melatonin which helps you sleep. When the body is not given carbohydrates, the brain produces a chemical called Neuropeptide Y which causes a drive to eat them, causing those all too familar craving for carb rich foods.
There are different types of carbohydrates, and being aware of these different types will assist you in your food choices. To make it easy I will talk about simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are from highly processed foods such as white flour and have a similar effect on our bodies as sugar intake does. Complex carbohydrates are a more natural form of carbohydrate that are broken down slowly by the body, preventing a surge in insulin. These are found in whole grains, brown rice, sweet potatoes and vegetables.
So, moral of the story is, our body needs carbophydrates, and it needs good ones. Foods that are from a natural source, or are in a form closest to it's natural state such as wholegrain bread are best. Just make sure you check the label for too much added sugar and preservatives. I find foods such as brown rice and sweet potato the best, can't get much closer to the natural form than that!
Protein
Protein seems to be the magic nutrient at the moment, with grams of protein counted more than calories (not that I agree with calorie counting). Protein produces enzymes and hormones that regulate body processes and help tissue repair, which is why it is so popular with body builders and gym junkies. It's keeps you fuller for longer because it is a sustained release nutrient, and balances your blood sugar. Proteins are especially good with some form of carbohydrate as it helps the body to slowly digest the goodness from carbohydrates.
For the vegetarians out there, meat and other animal products are not the only form of protein and there are so many plant based proteins that meat is no longer a necessity. Our body digests plant based proteins differently to animal based proteins. Due to certain amino acids present in animal based proteins, it is generally absorbed more readily than plant based protein. However both are good for you and can be adapted by each individual. Protein should be consumed at every meal in some form for strong healthy bodies! The most wholesome protein sources for me are chicken, greek yoghurt, tuna, nuts and peanut butter. These all feature regularly in my diet amongst other things.
Protein shakes - many diets these days, including some clean eating plans include protein shakes or bars. I don't eat or drink any of these, firstly because they are not in a natural state (!!) no matter what the label says it's still processed powder that you're consuming, and because they are expensive. If you like them however, just make sure you read the label and watch for added sugar.
Fat
Fat does not make you fat. I'll say that again. Fat does not make you fat. Eating too much food in general makes you fat. Eating too much processed foods makes you fat. Processed foods contain a lot of fat, but not the good stuff. Saturated, gets stuck in your arteries kinda fat. Our bodies needs good fat. Fat helps our bodies to digest some nutrients eg vitamins A,D,E and K are all fat soluble and so we need to consume fat to digest them. Fatty acids such as Omega 3 helps with our skin, nails and hair repair, and also keeps us fuller for longer. Foods that contain good fats are avocado's, nuts and nut butters, fish, oils and dairy.
Low fat options - When making food choices, you would think that to become healthy, the low fat or non fat option would of course be better for you. Not necessarily!! Many low fat options add sugar to replace the taste of fat, the biggest culprit for this would be food such as yoghurt or ice cream. Or alternatively they are highly processed to become non fat. When making your food choices, again it comes back to, food in it's natural state, or as unprocessed as possible.
So... What do I eat?
After all that jibber jabber about whats in food, what should you eat?? Here are the basic guidelines that I stick to:
- Unprocessed, whole foods made from mother nature
- Eat what makes you happy
- Eat when you are hungry
The last of these guidelines may seem a little obvious. But it would be surprising how many people eat for other reasons other than hunger. Boredom, loneliness, sadness and other emotional triggers cause so many people to over eat. I read a saying somewhere, I can't remember where, but it stuck as soon as I saw it
"If hunger is not the problem, food is not the solution"
Makes sense doesn't it? If you have a problem with these kind of issues, stay tuned I will post at a later date some strategies and alternative eating habits that you can try.
To get started on your Clean Eating lifestyle here are some everyday changes to get you started:
- Change white bread to wholegrain
- Include fresh fruit and/or vegetables at every meal
- Eat regularly through the day, 5 - 6 times a day
- Eat smaller portions. Divide what you would normally have for a large meal and have half at the normal time and half for the meal after
- Cut the processed sugar!! Cut back sugar in tea and coffee and have a piece of fruit instead of a chocolate bar
Eating clean will not send you broke. You do not need to throw out your whole pantry or read every label obsessively. Every time you do groceries try and replace something you would normally buy with something a little less processed. Instead of chips buy some nuts or some extra fruit. Instead of mayonnaise buy some avocado.
Now is the time to change!! Time to start giving your body the love and nutrition it needs! I will post later what I generally eat and exercise and some ideas for yummy food that will feed your body and your soul. Happy eating!
