You want to make better food choices, feel better, and improve your health, but you don't know where to start or what to do.
Here are 5 tips to help you get started on your clean eating journey.
Remember, this isn't an all-or-nothing thing. Do what you can do. Every little bit makes a difference. In fact, we recommend starting with one tip at a time and trying to incorporate that into your life. That helps make it a lifestyle change instead of something drastic.
1. Eat foods your great-grandmother would recognize. Foods have been genetically modified and processed over the years. Your best bet is to consume as many whole foods as you can. These are the foods that you can identify without having to read the ingredients label.
2. Eat minimally processed foods. These are foods with only a few ingredients. In other words, if the ingredient list is long and full of tons of words you can't pronounce, pass. Or, find a version with fewer ingredients.
3. Avoid added sugar. Even if you are saying to yourself, "I don't really eat sugar," the truth is, there's probably more sugar in the foods that you are eating than you realize.
Read labels and look for "added sugars". Some seemingly healthy choices are packed with added sugar, such as yogurt, granola, salad dressing, ketchup, other condiments, and pizza/pasta sauce. If you do some digging, you can usually find a version without sugar added.
4. Reduce dairy intake. Dairy may take a bigger toll on your digestive tract than you realize. It often leads to bloating and inflammation. There are so many alternatives out there now, and you can start by making a few simple swaps. For example, opt for Earth Balance vegan butter instead of regular and non-dairy milk and yogurt.
5. Find alternatives to the foods you love. Love pizza? Try making it at home with wholesome ingredients. Love ice cream? Try So Delicious Dairy-Free ice cream with no added sugar. Love pasta? Swap in red lentil and rice pasta. You can get creative and have fun with it! Food swaps are not only important for your physical health, but for your mental health too. It can help curb cravings and feelings of being on a diet or living a really restrictive lifestyle.
Follow us on IG @superhumansoul for recipes, tips, and food swap ideas. Also, here are some of our favorite resources: Elevate Nutrition, Sweet Simple Vegan, and Forks over Knives.