6 Principles for Low-Carb Clean Eating

Introduction

Clean eating calls on us to change our lifestyle to improve our health. While many naysayers may try to label this way of eating as a tagline, fad, or “latest craze,” low-carb clean eating continues to receive praise for its impact on people’s lives.

Clean eating challenges us to make healthier decisions about what we put in our mouths. It forces us to ask the tricky question: Am I eating real food or that which comes from nature?

Clean living gives us a lot of health benefits, like preventing heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, and some types of cancer. Low-carb, clean eating can improve our mood and boost our energy levels.

6 Principles for Low-Carb Clean Eating

What constitutes a “low-carb diet” may vary depending on who you ask. Eating Well suggests that, at a minimum, you should aim for 40 percent of your calories to come from carbs, or 120 milligrams per day. Others will challenge you to aim for a lower carb count, possibly around 80 milligrams daily. This balance ensures that you maintain a healthy distribution of nutrients in your diet. 

Should you choose to embark on this method of eating, there are a few principles associated with low-carb clean eating that you will need to consider. 

Stick with Whole, Natural Foods 

Your goal should be to stick with whole, natural foods or eat foods as close as possible to how they are in their original state while avoiding highly processed foods that come in a package, box, bag, or can. 

However, clean-eating experts point out a few exceptions to this rule. For example, frozen veggies in a bag are not necessarily bad. Also, your goal should be to eat whole, natural foods most of the time. In all likelihood, you will deviate from this standard, either voluntarily or involuntarily. The keyword here is most.

Go for the Unrefined Foods in Place of Refined Foods

If you genuinely try to stay in the low-carb zone, most carb-laden foods like rice and quinoa will be off-limits. However, if you do decide to step out of the low-carb lane from time to time, eat whole grain, unrefined foods like quinoa, amaranth, millet, or brown rice and reduce your portions of these foods to keep the carb count low.

Shirataki rice or noodles may be another option for eating rice or noodles without carbs. Prevention magazine says that if you break the hard rule of not eating highly processed foods, you should try to choose the option that has been processed the least. 

Reduced Salt and Sugar Intake

When you choose to follow a low-carb clean eating practice, you naturally reduce your salt and sugar intake. Your goal is to avoid foods that contain sugar and even those that claim to be sugar-free, including cookies, cakes, sodas, diet drinks, and juices, as much as possible. 

The great thing about following a low-carb diet is that it reduces your craving for sugar over time. Contrary to what most people think, sweeteners don’t always have the same benefits as less sugar. Your best option is to avoid these foods or minimize your interaction with them. 

Avoid Artificial Ingredients

Clean eating teaches us to eat real food and avoid processed foods with extra ingredients, colors, and preservatives. Again, follow the maxim of consuming foods in their most natural state. 

Revisit Your Coffee and Tea Habit

You should rethink your sugar habit if you cannot drink coffee without a dash of sweetness and a splash of creamer. Over time, you should slowly decrease the frequency with which you add these condiments to your coffee. 

Drink More Water

You need to drink more water because you won’t be drinking as many sodas and juices. That is because low-carb clean eating requires you to drink less soda and juice. If you drink more water, your body will respond positively, giving you more energy and making you feel full. 

There are several ways to give your water flavor. Try adding slices of citrus fruit like lemons or limes to your water for a bit of taste. 

These are a few principles of low-carb clean eating. Take your time adopting this way of eating. Begin with slow changes. Sweeping changes can be overwhelming, so establish a plan for a gradual transition.

Conclusion

It can be so easy to fall into unhealthy habits regarding our diet. But these few principles are the most effective for low-carb clean eating and help you maintain the habit. Not only will these principles help you in your low-carb clean eating journey, but they can also be helpful in other areas of your life.

Please share your thoughts and questions in the comments if you have any. We would love to hear from you!

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