Eating "clean" is not as hard or as expensive as you may think!
To eat healthy doesn't have to take a lot of time or money. Just a few changes can make a big difference in how our body looks and feels.
Before you go to the grocery store for the week - checkout some healthy options you could put in your cart:
CLEAN FOOD #1
FAT- FREE COTTAGE CHEESE
In a half cup of fat-free cottage cheese you're getting no fat compared to about 2g ( more than half of it saturated) in the same amount of low-fat cottage cheese. But with fat-free versions of usually high-fat foods, the fat is often replaced with SUGAR. Sugar causes an increase in your-blood -sugar levels, which results in your body producing an insulin spike to deal with the problem-which it does by converting the excess sugar to fat.
*Your best bet is to grab a low-fat rather than a fat-free version- just like milk, cottage cheese comes in 2% (regular is 4%). When you choose the low-fat variety, you don't get as much sugar, making it a cleaner selection to add to your diet.
(1/2 CUP) FAT-FREE COTTAGE CHEESE LOW-FAT COTTAGE CHEESE
Calories: 72 82
Protein: 10.8 11
Carbs: 7.2 5.5
Sugar: 5.4 3.7
Total Fat: 0 2.3
Sodium : 405 366
* Cottage Cheese is rich in glutamine , an amino acid that helps keep your immune system, muscle glycogen and growth hormone levels at a higher level.
CLEAN FOOD # 2
REDUCED -FAT PEANUT BUTTER
Most " normal" peanut butters offer as much nutritional value as a helping of cake frosting! Reducing the fat makes it even worse. A tablespoon of reduced -fat peanut butter packs close to 2g of sugar. Even if you're stuck on skimming the fat, reduced varieties will only lighten your spoon by a mere 2g- mostly on the healthy side of the fat content.
* Try Natural peanut butter , made with 2 ingredients- peanuts and salt. Natural peanut butter is loaded with mostly protein and healthy fats, an occasional indulgence won't leave you feeling deprived and will help you ward off cravings.
1 TABLESPOON - REDUCED -FAT PEANUT BUTTER NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER
Calories 95 100
Protein 4 4
Carbs 7.5 3
Sugar 2 0.5
Total Fat 6 8
Sodium 125 60
* A diet high in foods like olive oil , walnuts, and peanut butter is more likely to help you lose weight and keep it off than a regimented , low-fat diet.
CLEAN FOOD #3
WHOLE- WHEAT BREAD
Not all brands that tout whole wheat provide it in the cleanest form. They're mostly the starchy part of the wheat grain instead of the bran and wheat germ, which have the most nutritional value. In which case, the bread that appears to be good for you on the label offers as much nutritional value as a stick of chewing gum! Unless the label says 100% whole wheat, you wont reap most of the potential benefits of this slow- burning carb. Your gut, on the other hand, will harvest a truckload of gluten with any fraction of wheat. So if you are gluten sensitive, you will want to stay clear to avoid digestive disaster.
* EZEKIEL 4:9 BREAD
Ezekiel bread wont lighten your grocery bill, but it will give you more lean muscle gains than any other clean bread option. Made from 6 organic whole grains and legumes- wheat, barley, millet, spelt, lentils, and soybeans- this sprouted bread combines a healthy heaping of whole protein that closely parallels that of milk, eggs, and whey. Despite having it's roots in the same source- grain bread that has wheat in it- Ezekiel bread contains less gluten due to its sprouting process. Each low-glycemic slice is loaded with flavor and bursting with nutrients ( vitamins A,B,C and calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium). Even better , you'll find a field's worth of ingredients on the list.
1SLICE WHOLE- WHEAT BREAD EZEKIEL 4:9 BREAD
Calories: 70 80
Protein: 3 4
Carbs: 25 15
Fiber: 2 3
Sugars: 2 0
Total Fat: 1 1
Sodium: 140 75
* With fiber, glucose takes even longer to enter the blood stream, so your blood-sugar level stays steady and you feel full longer
