5 Reasons to Eat More Clean Food

You may have heard about clean food or seen the #eatclean hashtag on Twitter. Eating clean means eating real, honest food that is organic, not processed. Check out these 5 reasons to eat more clean food:

1. You’ll Feel Less Sluggish

Clean food is our best source of energy, and it definitely knocks the socks off a temporary energy high from a drink or protein bar. If you’re eating too many carbs and fat, and not enough real, whole, clean foods, you could feel sluggish and tired.  The less processed food you eat, the quicker your body gets the nutrients it needs to function and help you get through your day with a bounce in your step.

2. Get Clear Skin

Acne can be induced by what you’re eating, especially if it’s processed foods. When you switch to a clean food regimen, your skin will clear up and breakouts will become less frequent. Broccoli, kale, carrots, mushrooms, oats, sesame seeds, walnuts, chia, carrots, berries, and almonds are some of the raw, clean foods that are especially good for skin.

3. Spike Metabolism

When you stop giving your body unnatural, added sugars and fats, it will take notice. All of that sugar in processed food and packaged treats help pack on the pounds, but eating all real, clean food will help shed pounds. Eat spicy foods. Red chili and cayenne peppers contain capsaicin, which is known to help speed up metabolism and, in turn, aid weight loss. Check out these 10 clean food vegan meal ideas to get you in shape for summer.

4. Keep Cravings in Check

Have you ever found yourself craving your favorite candy bar or junk food? The excess amount of fat, sugar, and salt in those foods makes us crave them later on. That’s why it’s possible to become addicted to the food. All of that greasy, sugary deliciousness makes our brains go haywire; it’s too much. When you eat real food and have plant-based protein sources, you will stay full and alert longer. You might even replace a 3 p.m. dessert craving with a bowl of juicy, ripe fruit.

5. Learn to Cook Well and Save Money

All of the above perks are certainly enticing enough as an incentive to adopt a clean food diet, but a fun perk is learning something new and saving some cash! Learning to prepare real, clean food meals will save you money if you eat out all the time. You’ll learn to cook with few ingredients, as well as learn to savor the taste of the food instead of the added flavor, sugar, and salt.

Check out these meals for your clean food diet plan: vegan chili thai kelp noodles and hearty barley-lentil soup with potatoes.

Lead image source:  Raw Zucchini Noodles with Tomato Basil Sauce and Portobello Meatless Balls