Clean Eating Dinner Recipes Index - My Natural Family (2024)

FAQs

Are eggs clean eating? ›

But it's pretty easy to get the recommended daily 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight—approximately 56 g daily for men and 46 g daily for women—even on a vegetarian or vegan diet. Eggs, dairy, beans and nuts are all suitable protein sources for a clean, vegetarian diet.

The more veggies — and the greater the variety — the better. Potatoes and French fries don't count. Choose fish, poultry, beans, and nuts; limit red meat and cheese; avoid bacon, cold cuts, and other processed meats. Eat a variety of whole grains (like whole-wheat bread, whole-grain pasta, and brown rice).

If you're looking to detox and get back to being healthy, you can make yourself a 5 day clean eating plan. Clean eating is a simple concept— you only consume whole foods. By that, we mean foods that aren't processed or refined or are at least minimally processed.

For those who can tolerate dairy, cheeses can be a healthy and nutritious source of proteins and healthy fats if consumed in moderation. Cheese is allowed in the clean eating meal plan, but with an asterisk. Processed cheese slices or other packaged foods that contain cheese should be avoided.

While it's true that some brands of peanut butter have higher amounts of sugar or sodium, peanut butter is generally still a safe and healthy option when consumed in moderation.

UNREFINED GRAINS AND LEGUMES

Must be 100% whole wheat or whole grains. Examples of whole, unrefined grains include brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, oatmeal, and popcorn. Always look for whole wheat flour. Whole wheat flour is different than wheat flour, so make sure the word "whole" is listed.

Eating cleaner means limiting processed foods like bologna, salami, pepperoni and hot dogs. These—and other processed meat products—are usually high in sodium and may contain artificial colors as well as preservatives. Choosing environmentally sustainable protein when possible can help you with clean eating, too.

As a processed meat, bacon is not what most experts would consider a health food. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared bacon and other processed meats class one carcinogens, a category of substances known to cause cancer that also includes cigarettes and asbestos.

A clean-eating meal plan includes tons of fresh fruits and veggies, high-fiber whole grains and legumes, healthy fats and lean proteins (like fish and chicken). It skips added sugars and minimizes sodium and saturated fats that can damage our hearts when we eat too much of them.

The meals and snacks in this plan will have you feeling energized, satisfied and good about what's on your plate. And at 1,200 calories, this diet meal plan will set you up to lose upward of 4 pounds over the two weeks. Need a higher calorie level? See this same clean-eating meal plan at 1,500 and 2,000 calories.

What happens the first week of clean eating? ›

After one week of eating healthy, you will feel more energized and alert throughout the day. This is because the foods you eat contain nutrients that boost your energy levels. The type and quantity of food you eat plays an essential role in determining your energy levels during the day.

When it's air-popped and lightly seasoned, popcorn is an efficiently healthy snack. That's because it is a whole grain, and high-fiber whole grains have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers and other health problems.

When eaten in moderation, pasta can be part of a healthy diet. Whole-grain pasta may be a better choice for many, as it is lower in calories and carbs but higher in fiber and nutrients.

Eat your veggies — any veggies

Fresh and plain frozen vegetables are obvious good choices, as well as reduced-sodium canned. Since potatoes (and yes French fries) count as a vegetable, you're best off with baked, boiled, or oven-roasted at home, versus highly processed versions fried in refined oils.

Although eggs don't contain fibre (which we know is good for the gut as our microbes love it), they can contain small levels of omega 3 which can increase the bacterial diversity within our gut.

Commercially sold eggs in America go through a washing and sanitizing process that clears contaminants, but also removes the natural protections that eggs have against bacteria.

In general, eggs are a healthy, nutrient-rich food. For most people, eating eggs does not increase cholesterol levels much. Even when they do, they often increase HDL (good) cholesterol and modify the shape and size of LDL (bad) cholesterol in a way that reduces disease risk.

Eggs in a lot of processed food such as mayonnaise are likely to be from caged birds, so look out for products that state the use of free-range eggs on the label. If you want to be really ethical, get your own hens and eat the eggs. Rescued battery chickens are increasingly popular.