Kickstart Your Year with a Clean Eating Reset: 10 Tips for a Healthier You

A new year is when many strive to make healthful changes to their eating and lifestyle habits. Polls indicate that one-third of American adults have resolved to improve their diet and food choices this year.¹

Whether you got off track from your regular, balanced eating or are looking to start new trends this year, clean eating focuses on eating and preparing primarily whole foods that are minimally processed and consuming less processed, store-bought foods. 

Following clean eating guidelines can increase your intake of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, dairy, eggs, and lean protein and potentially reduce your intake of higher-sugar and nutritionally empty foods.

As with any eating style, creating a sustainable and realistic eating plan that fits your lifestyle and needs is crucial. You can use tips that resonate with you to improve your health this year. 

Keep reading for a beginner’s guide to clean eating and transitioning to healthier food choices with ten tips from a registered dietitian and responses to FAQs.

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What is Clean Eating?

Clean eating is not a regulated term or eating style. However, it is defined as choosing whole, minimally processed foods while limiting the consumption of processed foods.² 

Clean eating recipes and meals tend to be higher in protein, fat, and fiber, which keeps you full longer and helps maintain optimal blood sugar levels.²

Some proponents of this eating style can encourage absolute restriction of processed or artificial foods or ingredients, which can lead to disordered eating with the complete elimination of any ‘unclean’ food.

Instead of extreme restriction, opt for a balance of mostly (or 85% of your foods) nourishing and nutrient-dense foods as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This allows for up to 15% of your intake to come from sugars, fats, and discretionary calories that make foods and life palatable and enjoyable.³ 

Striking a balance between all foods can help you maintain an eating pattern for life rather than for a few months. 

Clean Eating Foods to Include 

Here is a beginner’s list of foods from each food group that are considered whole and minimally processed:

• Fruit and Vegetables: any fresh (or frozen) fruit or vegetable
• Whole Grains: any whole grain, such as brown rice, oats, barley, amaranth, quinoa, whole wheat bread and pasta, or air-popped popcorn
• Lean Protein: dried beans, lean meats (beef, chicken, turkey), fish (salmon, tuna, cod), eggs, seeds, nuts, and nut butter
• Dairy: low-fat cheese, milk, minimally or unsweetened yogurt or kefir
• Fats: olive oil, avocado oil, ground chia seeds, or ground flaxseed
• Drinks: water, herbal tea, unsweetened black or green tea, kombucha, and coffee
• Spices, Sweeteners, or Seasonings: honey, maple syrup, dried dates, fresh and dried herbs and spices, lemon and lime juice, and vinegar

Benefits and Risks of Eating Clean

Limited research exists on the health benefits of eating clean. However, the key components of aiming for most of your intake from whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and dairy products benefit your health.³ 

Higher fruit and vegetable intake (around 4 to 6 cups daily) reduces the risk of heart disease, cancer, and death.⁴ 

Higher fiber intake from plant foods like whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables can help improve gut motility, relieve constipation, facilitate weight loss, regulate blood glucose and insulin levels, reduce inflammation, reduce heart disease, prevent colon cancer, and improve gut health.⁵ 

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend 14 g of fiber for every 1,000 calories consumed, an average of 28 g daily for most adults. Plant-based foods on a clean-eating diet can significantly contribute to total daily fiber intake.³

On the other hand, research suggests that clean eating can be restrictive for some individuals, leading to eating disorder behaviors. This is particularly true for those following social media influencers without credentials who recommend absolute restriction of processed or artificial foods.^{2, 6} 

Consider balance rather than strict adherence. Rather than completely removing anything artificial or processed, consider a realistic eating pattern over the long term.

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href=clean-eating-meal-plan>Clean Eating: 7-Day Meal Plan for Beginners</a></a>.</div>

10 Tips for a Healthier You This Year

Here are some clean eating tips for starting a healthier eating style this year. 

1. Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that benefit your health.  Fiber offers many protective benefits ranging from improved digestion and gut health to aiding in weight loss.⁵

A higher intake of fruits and vegetables is linked to a lower rate of heart disease and obesity.⁷  

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), only 10% of Americans consume the recommended 2 to 3 cups of vegetables daily, and only 12.3% consume the recommended 1.5 to 2 cups of fruits daily.⁸ 

Start simple: Add your favorites to at least one meal a day. As that change becomes routine, add fruits and vegetables to additional meals and snacks to further boost your intake. 

2. Experiment in the Kitchen

When aiming to consume primarily whole, minimally processed foods, you will spend more time preparing meals and snacks in the kitchen. Most fast food or sit-down restaurants are highly processed. 

Whether a novice or an experienced cook, you can learn basic skills from online tutorials, recipes, cooking shows or videos, a friend or family member, or a registered dietitian. 

Start simple: If you have never boiled water or sauteed vegetables on the stovetop, learn basic cooking skills to build your confidence. 

You can avoid cooking when eating whole foods as many fruits and vegetables can be eaten fresh (raw). However, for the long-term sustainability of this eating style, learning to experiment and gain skills in the kitchen will benefit you greatly.

3. Make Your Seasonings, Dressings, and Condiments

Many seasoning mixes, salad dressings, and condiments contain several ingredients that would qualify them as highly processed, often with added sugar and sodium.

Opt for fresh or dried herbs and spices like black pepper, garlic, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and vanilla. These additions enhance the flavor and enjoyment of your food. 

Learn how to make simple olive condiments and dressings with oil, vinegar, spices, and lemon juice for delicious salad dressings or marinades for meat, fish, and vegetables. You can control the ingredients and the flavor.

4. Choose Lean Animal Protein and Plant-Based Protein

Protein is a filling and nutrient-filled component of meals and snacks. Aim for one-quarter of your plate to come from a protein source like beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, or dairy products like cheese or yogurt.⁹ 

You can also choose plant-based protein sources such as nuts, seeds, edamame, beans, lentils, hummus, and nut butter.⁹ 

Seasoning and cooking your protein sources at home ensures they contain minimal added ingredients and less processing. 

5. Swap Simple Carbohydrates for Complex Carbohydrates

Consuming an abundance of carbohydrates from refined or simple sources is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes.^{10, 11} 

People consuming more complex carbohydrates have a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.¹⁰

Complex carbohydrates (or whole carbs) are found in fruit, vegetables, beans, lentils, milk and dairy products, oats, whole grains, and brown rice. They are also found in a clean-eating diet. 

Refined (or simple) carbohydrates include white bread, baked goods, pasta, sweets, desserts, juice, sweetened cereal, chips, and snack foods. These foods are limited when following a clean eating diet. 

6. Add Healthy Fats to Eat Meal and Snack

Healthy fats are often overlooked, but they make food filling and enjoyable, and help your body absorb vitamins. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults consume 20 to 35% (or 400 to 700 calories) of their daily calories from primarily unsaturated fats for optimal health.³

Some healthy fat choices for clean eating include salmon, tuna, nuts, seeds, nut butter, olive oil, avocado oil, and avocados.  

Eating 2 to 3 servings of fish per week is also associated with lower rates of heart disease.¹²

7. Rethink Your Drinks 

Most Americans consume added sugar through sugar-sweetened beverages like soda, juice, sports drinks, sweet tea, alcohol, and sweetened coffee. Rethinking and swapping your drinks for no-added-sugar options like water, black tea, unsweetened teas, and sparkling water will help you hydrate without added sugar. 

Added sugar is a refined carbohydrate and is highly associated with nutrition-related chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and heart disease.¹⁰

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting added sugars to less than 10% of daily calories (about 50 grams or 200 calories). The American Heart Association recommends a lower daily limit of 25 grams or 100 calories for women and 36 grams or 150 calories for men.^{3, 13}

8. Keep Simple Snacks On Hand

Clean eating involves more cooking and meal preparation, but it is critical to keep simple snacks on hand to help fuel you well on busy days and prevent reverting to packaged items or fast food. 

Keep dried nuts, seeds, fruit, peanut or almond butter, cheese, Greek yogurt, raw veggies, and dark chocolate in your pantry or refrigerator to create a quick snack.

Pair a protein source (nuts, nut butter, cheese, or yogurt) with a carbohydrate source (fruit and yogurt) for a filling option.

9. Stay Accountable With Grocery Pick-Up

Sometimes, grocery shopping can inspire healthy cooking and food choices. But, it can also serve as a high-risk situation when you are confronted with snack foods, chips, sweets, and other foods you are trying to limit. 

Grocery pick-up is often free after a minimum of $35 spent. You can shop the store by section and order exactly how much fruit and vegetables you want. Most shopping apps allow you to save your commonly purchased foods to simplify grocery shopping. 

Using grocery store pick-up and app shopping can prevent impulse buys and accidentally forgotten recipe ingredients. You can peruse your pantry and refrigerator, check recipes, and add items to your order to make a weekly meal plan.

10. Check the Nutrition Label

Becoming familiar with the nutrition label can help you eat clean. The nutrition label contains information on added sugar, sodium content, and ingredients to help you make informed choices about your food.¹⁴ 

For example, the added sugar is listed as a percent daily value to help you understand how much sugar the food or beverage contains. Foods with 20% or more of the daily value are considered high sources of added sugar.¹⁴ 

Ingredients are listed by weight on the ingredient list and can help you avoid certain ingredients and processed foods. 

Take some of these ten tips to help you eat clean and healthier this year. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does Clean Eating Mean?

Clean eating is not a regulated term or eating style. It is defined as choosing whole, minimally processed foods while limiting the consumption of processed foods.

Is It Okay to Occasionally Indulge in Non-clean Foods?

Instead of complete restriction, choose a balance of mostly (or 85% of your foods) nourishing and nutrient-dense foods. This allows for up to 15% of your intake to come from non-clean foods like sugars, fats, and discretionary calories that make foods and life palatable and enjoyable.

What Foods Are Considered Clean?

Whole, minimally processed foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, dairy, eggs, and lean protein, are considered clean foods. 

<div class="pro-tip"><strong>Learn More: </strong><a href=how-to-start-a-diet>How to Start a Healthy Diet and Stick To It</a>.</div>