We all want to feed our families right but clean eating can be confusing and overwhelming sometimes, especially if your newer to the whole healthy eating scene. In this post I share 7 simple swaps you can make for a cleaner diet.
Pasture Raised Eggs:
Healthy eggs come from healthy hens, meaning you want eggs from hens who spent plenty of time outside forging for insects and other food, like chickens are supposed to. Swap out what ever eggs your using for either pasture raised store bought eggs, or fresh farm eggs from a local source you know gives their hens plenty of outdoor time.
Many commercially farmed eggs come from hens who spend their lives crammed in barns with hundreds of other hens. Some never get to see the light of day.
For more information about the different labels on eggs and what they mean, check out my post about Pasture Raised vs Free Range Eggs
Unbleached or Whole Wheat Flour:
If your a wheat consuming household, switch to unbleached flour or a combination of unbleached and whole wheat flour. Bleached flour is treated with bleaching agents to get it's white color. It might look nice this way, but residue from the chemicals used to bleach it can be left in the flour. The bleaching process also lowers the protein content.
Whole wheat flour has more fiber than refined flours, and is a natural source of b vitamins and iron. Refined flours typically have b vitamins and iron added back in, but they are processed or artificial versions of the nutrients, making them harder for the body to use properly.
Avoid Cooking Oils With Low Smoke Points:
When cooking at high temperatures, avoid oils with low smoke points. The smoke point means more than just the point at which an oil begins to smoke, it's also the point at which important nutrients and phytochemicals begin to break down. Oils also begin to release harmful free radicals at this point.
My favorite cooking oil with a high smoke point is avocado oil. For more information and to see a chart of common oils and their smoke points, check out Smoke Points Of Oils For Healthy Cooking from the Baseline of Health Foundation.
Organic Dairy:
Buying organic can be pricey, so I try to prioritize. Dairy is one food group definitely worth spending the extra for organic.
In order for dairy products to be labeled as certified organic, they must be made with milk from cows that have never been treated with hormones or antibiotics, and at least 30% of their feed must come from pasture. This ensures the cows got to spend at least some of their time grazing outdoors.
Additionally, the remainder of the cow's feed must be grown without chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or GMO seeds.
Hormones and endocrine disrupting chemicals in our food can have devastating effects on health. They have been linked to precocious puberty, cancer, fertility issues, and other health problems.
Organic Dirty Dozen:
The dirty dozen list is a list put out yearly by The Environmental Watch Group ranking pesticide contamination in popular fruits and vegetables. When it comes to produce on the dirty dozen list, definitely splurge and buy organic. Organic produce must be grown without chemical fertilizers and pesticides .
Here is this years list, starting with the highest contamination:
1. Strawberries
2. Spinach
3. Nectarines
4. Apples
5. Grapes
6. Peaches
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Tomatoes
10. Celery
11. Potatoes
12. Bell Peppers
Ditch The Refined White Sugar:
Refined white sugar is just plain awful for you. It rots your teeth. It supresses the immune system and has a negative impact on gut health. It raises glucose levels, and may even cause cancer.
Raw honey, real maple syrup, and maple sugar are all healthier alternatives. All three are lower on the glycemic index than refined white sugar, meaning they effect glucose levels less.
Both honey and maple syrup are rich in antioxidants, contain some important vitamins and nutrients, and have various other health benefits.
Raw honey, real maple syrup, and maple sugar are all healthier alternatives. All three are lower on the glycemic index than refined white sugar, meaning they effect glucose levels less.
Both honey and maple syrup are rich in antioxidants, contain some important vitamins and nutrients, and have various other health benefits.
Meatless Mondays:
Try going meatless a night or two a week. While I'm a big believer that some people really need animal products in their diet, most Americans eat too much meat. Eliminating just a meal or two worth of meat a week can help prevent heart disease and lower your family's exposure to hormones and antibiotics.
For some meatless main dish ideas check out 13 All Time Best Healthy Vegetarian Meals from
Two Healthy Kitchens.
What are your best clean eating tips?
What are your best clean eating tips?
If you enjoyed this post, check out:
Pasture Raised vs Free Range Eggs: What's The difference?
The Amazing Health Benefits Of Bone Broth (and how to make your own)
I went Vegan for a month as I was trying to see if it would help my health overall. I did lose some weight that I was finding hard to shed before but I didn't see much other changes overall. I don't eat too much meat as it is but I do like a few little pieces of chicken or steak, not to mention I really like bacon. I try to at least do one meatless meal a week. Thank you for the list and a good reminder about the dirty dozen!!
ReplyDeleteI tried going vegan once too but it was impossible for me to take in enough protein without animal products. I thrive on a high protien diet and feel awful if I don't get enough.
Delete