What is clean eating? Does it mean the food that you are eating is not appropriate? Are we all eating dirty food for so long? No, a clean eating diet plan includes all the natural food items like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, meat products etc.
Clean eating simply means you are eating food that would make you feel whole and provide you essential nutrients for better functioning of the body. One following a clean diet plan would minimize the consumption of processed foods and junk food. After all, no processed and junk foods are good for you.
All additives, artificial flavors, and colors are omitted from clean eating. A clean eating approach can help encourage mindful choices where you prioritize health by choosing natural food sources.
Clean diet can include variations of diets like, protein rich diet, keto diet, vegetarian diet or vegan diet. You can choose your diet plan that can fit with your lifestyle and health goals. A clean dietary approach can help you be on track for achieving your fitness goals and with the help of certified nutritionists you can not only incorporate a healthy and clean diet but can also make sure that the food you eat is fulfilling your long-term health goals.
Clean dieting does not restrict you to a particular diet. All you have to do is include nutrient-rich food and avoid fried foods, packed foods, and sugary food items that impact your health negatively.
Benefits of a clean diet plan:
A clean diet plan is going to drastically improve your health. It has multiple health benefits, some of which are mentioned below:
A clean diet includes nutrient-rich food:
Clean eating emphasizes eating nutrient-rich food from natural sources. You will omit all the unhealthy foods from your diet hence focusing only on “clean food” that will provide you rich nutrition.
A clean diet helps in weight management:
You will experience weight loss in your body by adding fiber rich food that not only supports weight loss but weight management as well. Clean food is rich in nutrients and low in calories that are major contributors for weight gain. Keeping your diet clean will help you with your weight loss goals and would even be useful to maintain the weight throughout. Clean food will also help to regulate appetite and prevent overeating.
A clean diet helps improve digestion:
A clean diet meal plan includes whole foods like fruits and vegetables that are rich in macronutrients like protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Along with that, you will get plenty of fiber through whole grains. A high-fiber diet will help improve digestion and prevent issues related to the digestive system.
A clean diet will help to increase your energy levels:
Adding natural foods to your diet will provide you with a steady source of energy, unlike sugary foods that provide just a spike of energy and increase your appetite leading to overeating. The energy from clean food will promote sustained energy throughout the day preventing energy crashes. Avoiding processed food can also help in stabilizing blood sugar levels.
A clean diet helps to enhance mental clarity:
You will experience improved mental health when you switch to clean eating. Foods with omega-3 fatty acids like salmon and walnuts are good for improving cognitive functions and clarity of mind.
A clean diet supports skin health:
The cleaner the food the clearer your skin will be! Consuming a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats promotes radiant skin inside and out. Not only will you feel good, energized, happy from inside but the same will reflect on your face as well. You will experience healthy skin and hair as well. The natural foods provide essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that provide protection to your skin from damage.
A clean diet helps to reduce the risk of chronic disease:
The more you will avoid processed food, the better it will be for your overall health. A clean diet can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Clean foods are naturally low in saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium that increases the risk of factors associated with such chronic diseases.
Types of clean diet plans:
Clean eating can have variations and one can choose from them to keep their health on track. Here are a few types of clean-eating diet plans:
Vegetarian diet plan:
A vegetarian diet focuses on a plant-based diet. Meat and poultry are excluded from this type of diet. A vegetarian diet emphasizes adding foods like:
- fruits (apples, bananas, berries, and other),
- vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, carrot, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini etc),
- whole grains (Brown rice, quinoa, oats, whole wheat),
- legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans etc),
- nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, pistachios, peanuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds etc)
- a few dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. All these foods will help you get essential nutrients for your body.
Vegan diet plan:
- A vegan diet goes a bit extreme when it comes to eating “plant-based food” only. A vegan diet does not include any animal products or by-products. Yes, a vegan diet would not include honey, or dairy milk, or dairy yogurt or even dairy cheese.
- A vegan diet includes fruits and vegetables like apples, berries, and bananas. One should incorporate a variety of fruits and vegetables in a vegan diet to get a diverse range of nutrients.
- Whole grains should be an important part of your vegan diet. Ensure to choose minimally processed whole grains whenever possible.
- You can get high fiber by adding legumes and pulses like beans, lentils, chickpeas, and others in your vegan diet.
- Include nuts and seeds like almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds in your vegan diet.
- Healthy fats like avocados, olives, and their respective oils are essential for you to add in your vegan diet.
- You can also choose to add plant based protein alternatives like tempeh, tofu, seitan in your diet to incorporate clean food items.
Low-carb diet:
- A low-carb diet focuses on protein-rich foods and healthy fats to include in your diet and keep the consumption of carbohydrates through foods to a minimal amount. A low carb diet helps to control insulin levels in your body by limiting the consumption of carbohydrates that are responsible for energy in your body. By consuming a low-carb diet your body will use fat as a form of energy leading to weight loss.
- You can add foods like plant-based protein sources like tofu, tempeh, cheese, milk, etc if you do not want to include animal-based foods in your low-carb clean diet plan.
- Choose healthy fats like avocados, nuts and seeds, olives and their respective oils, or full-fat dairy.
- Consume non-starchy vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bell peppers mushrooms, zucchini, etc.
- Choose low-carb fruits including a few berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries along with avocados, lemons, and lime.
How To Incorporate a Clean Diet Meal Plan?
A clean diet plan includes only natural foods from plant and animal sources that are minimally processed. But these foods should be included in your diet in balanced amounts so you can achieve your health goals.
For instance, if your goal is to lose weight you would need to keep a check on the consumption of nutrients. Every human body is different and not all diet plans are suitable for everyone. For a suitable clean diet plan you should consult a medical professional like a certified nutritionist who can help you plan a clean diet plan that aligns with your fitness goals.
How can we help you?
We at Desi Nutrition help people in their weight loss journey by providing meals crafted by our culinary experts and designed by our certified nutritionists and dietitians.
A clean diet meal plan should be taken under the supervision of medical experts. Our certified team of nutritionists and culinary experts collaborate to give our customers a meal plan that aligns with their fitness goals.
Subscribe to Desi Nutrition to get customized keto meal plans for your specific fitness goals. We at Desi Nutrition are committed to helping you in planning your meals to achieve your health goals so you don’t have to go through the hassle of daily planning and cooking your meals.
No fitness goal is unachievable and our experts make sure to keep you motivated with the right guidance and tasteful meals!
