When I first heard the phrase “clean eating,” I had no idea what it was. Wash your fruits and veggies, maybe? Then I learned that clean eating is all about eating foods that are not processed. Then I looked in my pantry. Ohmagoodness!! What am I supposed to eat?! Everything is processed!
What To Look For
I’ve learned to look at the ingredient list on the package.
1. Is it a small list or a paragraph?
2. Can you pronounce the ingredients?
3. Do you know what they are?
A long list of words you can’t pronounce is a good sign that what you’re about to eat contains a lot of chemicals and fake ingredients.
So What?
If “they” are able to make it and sell it, surely it’s safe to eat, right? That’s what I thought, but I’ve learned to do my own research and challenge the “norm.” One of the problems with artificial ingredients is that our bodies aren’t able to process it as normal food. It messes with our ability to digest and absorb nutrients. Our bodies can recognize when the chemical make up is altered. In addition, some of these ingredients have not been tested for human consumption and the long-term effects are unknown. This isn’t meant to be a scholarly article on the topic, so I just want to present a couple of issues for you to do your own research on. Define your own philosophy.
I Hate Cooking. Now What?
Well, first of all, I need to “woman up.” Some days, I look in my fridge and my pantry, and I just want to cry. I don’t know what to cook. I don’t want to cook. The last thing on Earth I want to do is to cut a vegetable, let alone create an entire meal. My husband can look in that same fridge and that same pantry and see a gourmet meal. He pulls out a handful of ingredients and wham, bam, yum! If I had the attention span to watch him, I might learn a thing or two. But I don’t.
I’m responsible for feeding my family, and I can choose to feed them crap, or I can put a little effort into making a healthy meal. Don’t get me wrong, some days we indulge. But as a general rule, I want to feed my family with healthy foods.
Also, I need to be ok with messing it up. I have implemented cleanER eating habits over time, but I still don’t claim to be a 100% clean eater. I just keep moving toward cleaner eating, phasing some processed foods out, and replacing them with better options. I also make meals that flop sometimes. I’ve made a lot of progress though, and that’s worth celebrating!