Finally I was able to publish this post! Since last week I've been struggling with the internet signal in my house and I could not edit, update or publish on the blog, but today I finally was able to do it and I am so happy to be sharing this post with you. By the way, I have good news for the readers of Berry Balanced: I just enrolled at Clean Eating Academy! It's a cooking school and I am very excited because I will learn new things that of course I'll share with you.
Do you know the term "Clean Eating"? You probably have heard it, read it or seen it in a magazine, blog or social network because of its current popularity. Its even in the name of my cooking school! If you don't know what it means, don't worry because today I will tell you a little about it.
"Clean Eating" is not a diet, it's a lifestyle focused on the preparation and consumption of natural, whole foods and the avoidance of processed foods. Eating clean is a good way of achieving a proper nutrition, preventing diseases, improving your weight, eliminate toxins and promote your wellbeing.
Some tips to start eating clean are:
Eat 5 to 6 times a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus two healthy snacks.
Drink a minimum of 2 liters of water everyday.
Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.
Moderate your dairy intake.
Read the ingredient list of the foods you buy. Foods considered clean, have a short list of ingredients that are easy to pronounce.
Avoid processed and refined foods such as white flour, sugar, white bread and pasta.
Plan and prepare your meals. Try cooking your food by steaming, baking or grilling.
Learn and apply portion control.
Examples of clean foods are:
Vegetables like kale , spinach , lettuce , broccoli , asparagus , green beans , zucchini, carrots, etc. Seasonal vegetables are an excellent choice because they also help save money.
Fruits like apples, strawberries, blackberries , bananas , papaya , grapes, etc. Seasonal fruits are an excellent choice because they also help save money.
Proteins such as chicken breast, egg, fish, shrimp, tuna and lean beef or lean turkey.
Complex carbohydrates and grains such as oats , quinoa , rice , whole wheat pasta, whole wheat bread, and sweet potato.
Good fats and oils such as avocado , almonds, natural peanut and almond butter, coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil and chia seeds .
Dairy products that are nonfat or low-fat, low-fat cottage cheese, greek yogurt and almond milk.
Legumes such as beans, chickpeas and lentils.
As you can see, following the "Clean Eating" lifestyle is healthy and simple. You only need a little time and creativity to plan and prepare your food.
Here are a few pictures of some of the dishes I have prepared following the "Clean Eating" lifestyle.
** In number 7 I advise you to plan and prepare your own meals. This is very important because clean eating means to avoid eating processed foods. What do I mean by this? Salad dressings, jams, spaghetti sauces, seasonings, bouillon, etc. These are just a few examples of products that you can make at home and that when you prepare them yourself, you decrease the amount of unnecessary calories, salt, fat and sugar that enter your body.