If you ever wanted to lose weight, feel good about yourself or give clean eating a go, but don’t quite understand the benefits, this chapter is for you.
So, have you been trying clean eating for some time?
But for some bizarre reason, the benefits keep eluding you, thus putting your goals on hold. Clean eating is part of a healthy lifestyle, and setting goals will help you achieve the outcomes that you desire. So it is really important to stick to a plan.
If you’re new to eating clean or have started but need the motivation to carry on working towards your goals, these benefits may help.
1. Reduced Appetite
Clean eating is all about eating balanced portions of protein, healthy fats and carbs which will distribute energy all over the body. This happens after a few hours of eating, and your appetite has been satisfied.
There are a variety of foods and drinks that can help you reduce your appetite but what you need to focus on is the healthy foods such as:
• Almonds – They contain a high amount of antioxidants, magnesium and vitamin E, which after a handful or two will make you feel full and suppress your hunger.
• Black Coffee – A substantial amount of coffee can stop hunger and boost your metabolism. This is due to caffeine, and the high amounts of antioxidants it has.
• Ginger – Not a lot of people are aware, but ginger improves your digestive system, by acting as a stimulant which gives you more energy, and thus making you less hungry. You can find ginger in many foods such as stir frys, soups and curries. (Don’t go overboard on the curries though, make them healthy)
• Avocados – They are high in healthy fats and a good source of fiber, avocados when eaten in moderation will help you feel less hungry. Because they are a nutrient dense food, the body feels full quicker.
• Apples – High in fiber and pectin, apples of all varieties help you feel full. As they require you to chew a lot, your body is signaled as no longer being hungry. Apples are also a great source of energy levels.
2. Increase in Energy
A clean diet always includes lots of vitamins and micro-minerals, that are essential for maximum energy production.
Eating clean stabilizes your blood sugar levels, which makes you feel less fatigued.
Have you ever felt tired after eating a take-out?
This is because it is mostly processed food which contains a large amount of simple high GI carbohydrates.
People who experience a lack of energy have usually had a large breakfast that is full of nutrient poor carbohydrates. The easiest way to get the energy boost you need first thing in the morning, is to have a balanced meal of protein, healthy fats, and whole grain carbs. This balanced meal will also give you energy for the hours through to lunch time.
3. Lower Risk of Disease
The choice of food you decide to eat affects your health in positive and negative ways. Have you considered what puts you at risk, and what can prevent diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes?
Lets look at how clean eating can reduce the risk of serious disease, and overall be of great benefit to you.
• Obesity – Being over-weight has been linked to many diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Eating foods that are high in carbohydrates and sugar will increase your weight, putting extra strain on the body’s organs. When the body is stressed, this is the time that illness and disease will appear.
• Lack of nutrients – To strengthen your bones, you need to take on enough calcium as it can help prevent the disease osteoporosis. Osteoporosis causes your bones to become weak and in worse cases brittle. Many vegetables are a really good source of the macro elements, e.g. calcium, needed to maintain good bone strength, and prevent brittleness.
• High Cholesterol – LDL, which is sometimes referred to as “bad” cholesterol, can be associated with heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Eating foods that have a high amount of saturated fat will cause your cholesterol to rise to unhealthy levels. By having a balanced meal of protein, high fats, and carbs you are less likely to be at risk.
4. Mental Health
There isn’t a specific diet that can assist your mental health. By eating fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, and sardines, you will be consuming enough omega-3 to keep you healthy.
Essential fatty acids are really important in our diet to maintain optimal brain health. It is interesting that the incidence of dementia has increased with the marketing of “low fat” foods.
The brain is composed of some 70% fat, and all our nerves are encased in a sheath of fat (called the myelin sheath). When the diet is low in fat the nerves are not able to function correctly.
5. Improvement in Sleep
If you’re suddenly waking up, moving around a lot and cannot seem to get any sleep, it is probably due to eating junk food. If you have had a late sweet treat, or pizza, the day before, try giving these a miss. Instead eat a handful of nuts that are full of tryptophan. Tryptophan is an important amino acid that helps us sleep.
It is recommended that you consume around 280mg of tryptophan per day. If you noticed on Thanksgiving that you feel a little drowsy, it is because turkey contains tryptophan.
Other foods such as fish, oats, beans, lentils, and eggs contain higher amounts of tryptophan, so may be a better option than having a large turkey dinner.
6. Healthy Skin
There isn’t enough proof in the world to associate any type of diet with healthy skin. This is not to say you should drop different foods groups all together but rather eat well-balanced meals. Cutting out processed foods is a good start but adding the following nutrients well help you maintain healthy skin.
Vitamin A – This is found in most skin care products and is used to help treat acne.
Zinc – Stops bacteria from allowing acne to form all over your skin.
Omega-3 – Usually found in fatty fish, omega-3 will reduce inflammation.
Antioxidants – Protection from the sun is crucial, and antioxidants can be found in vitamin C and Vitamin E.
7. Fewer Sugar Cravings
Clean eating helps your cravings for sugar cease as you’re eating less processed foods which contain a lot of carbohydrates.
If you develop candida, which is a yeast infection that needs high levels of sugar to grow, then it’s time to reduce your sugar intake. Clean eating with lower sugar intake, is really great to stop candida growth. So skip the need for medication, just lay off the sugar, and you’re off to a healthy start.
Most diets are only used for short periods like the Ketogenic diet, which should only be used for around to 90 days. Clean eating is more of a lifestyle and is sustainable which makes you feel amazing.
You will be eating a variety of foods that are rich in flavor and will provide you all the nutrients you need to live a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. You will enjoy it as it is not as restrictive as other diet and you are not depriving yourself of anything other than bad processed foods.
No diet can guarantee that you will live a happy longer life, but the benefits above show us that the odds are stacked in our favor.
