Many of my patients will hear me remind them and exhort them to “Eat Clean!”. What, exactly does that mean? What I’ve learned is that most people have no idea. The words themselves give you a clue. But it doesn’t mean wash your food! (Although, that is a great idea!)
Clean eating means eating foods that are REAL, not packaged in a box, bag or plastic wrap. It means not eating processed foods. It means eating foods such as vegetables, fruits, meats and fats that come directly from the source as much as possible.
WHen you go to the grocery store, if you only do perimeter shopping, most of what you put in your cart will fall under the “eat clean” category. Perimeter shopping is shopping only the outer edges of a grocery store and not going into the aisles for products. IF a food is shelf stable, you probably shouldn’t be eating it.
Example: You walk into the grocery store and directly into the produce section. You pick up broccoli, asparagus, lettuce, cucumbers, butternut squash, carrots, onions, beets, cauliflower and a few apples and berries. Then, you go on around to the meat department and pick out a few meat items that are on sale, some chicken, beef or fish. Moving along, you grab some great organic eggs and butter, and possibly some organic creamer. Then, you are finished!!
It’s quick, easy and a lot less expensive than buying a bunch of processed, packaged foods.
I know, occasionally you will have to go into the aisles to get a few things…quality olive oil, coffee or tea, mustard, etc. but in general, most of your shopping can be done in the perimeter. It will save you time and money.
Look for another blog post to help you understand what to do with all that fresh food once you get it home! Don’t worry, I have delicious ideas for all of it!