Spring cleaning your eating

What is clean eating?

One way to think of clean eating is in terms of different levels of processing of foods:

Level 1 (More Processed):

Ingredient lists can be covered with the width of your thumb (less than an inch. You can pronounce all the ingredients and recognize them as foods (not chemicals)

Level 2:

Five “real food” ingredients or less

Level 3:

Foods that are minimally processed and as close to the source as possible Example: Good (or sometimes just OK): 100 percent apple juice; kettle-cooked potato chip (not ideal)

Better: Unsweetened, natural apple sauce; mashed potatoes Best: apple; baked potato

Level 4 (“Cleanest” or Least Processed):

No ingredient list – the item itself is the one and only ingredient (think fruits, veggies, and whole grains)

What are the benefits of clean eating?

More gut-friendly and digestion-boosting fiber – processed, stripped down foods give you all the sugar and none of the fiber to help with blood sugar absorption and promote gut health and good digestion. The same is true for whole grains as compared to refined grains.

Less sugar, salt, and saturated or trans fats – the amount of salt, sugar, and fat we add as flavorings to our food when we cook with whole, minimally processed real foods pales in comparison to the amounts added by food manufacturers to packaged, processed foods.

More energy – from better blood sugar regulation and more crucial vitamins and minerals

How to get started:

Include more fresh fruits and veggies – and other “more clean” foods rather than packaged, processed foods or snacks.

Look for cleaner versions of your favorite foods – maybe a granola bar you eat regularly and slowly, make replacements – or better yet, make your own!

Slowly work your way to simple, fresh, whole foods – start from Level 1 working up to Level 4.

Alison Bradow is the chronic disease prevention coordinator at the YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing. Contact her at (517) 827-9656 or at ymcaoflansing.org.