Make clean eating a choice

Healthy eating trends come and go. Sometimes the fads are extreme, over-the-top and hard to maintain, but others offer simple, attainable changes that make them well worth incorporating into your lifestyle. Clean eating, actively seeking out foods that are minimally processed with simple, natural ingredients, is a relatively recent food trend that's well on its way to becoming a popular lifestyle choice for many people.

Over the past several years, more and more people have begun seeking out foods with simple, familiar ingredient lists. The clean eating trend incorporates some very healthful practices, such as eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean, wholesome proteins.

Although some interpret the idea of "clean eating" as eliminating entire food groups, such as dairy or anything that contains gluten, the true essence of clean eating is to eat a wide variety of nutritious, wholesome foods that are minimally processed.

If you're thinking of incorporating clean eating into your lifestyle this year, here are some tips to get you started:

* Read labels. Foods that align with the "clean eating" trend will have fewer ingredients, and ingredients will be easily recognisable as food rather than additives or preservatives.

* Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. That's where you'll find the least processed foods, including the produce section, dairy and egg cases. You can even find minimally processed foods, such as frozen fruit and veggies, in the freezer section.

* Rely on water to quench your thirst. Plain water is the most natural, healthful beverage you can drink.
The best way to approach clean eating is to think in terms of what you will eat, rather than what you might eliminate. Choose lean protein sources like all-natural turkey, nutritious whole grains, fruits and vegetables and you'll find eating clean can be delicious, easy and rewarding.