The Clean Eating diet is out –

5 reasons why you should eat real food every day

Clean eating has been the latest fad when it comes to diets. Publicised both in the press and all over social media, it created a lot of confusion. Although the idea of eating unprocessed food is excellent, cutting out complete food groups may not be right for some people.

To maintain good health, everyone should be selecting natural ingredients which are as close to nature as possible, free of chemical additives and rich in nutrients. Real foods include:

• 100% whole wheat and wholegrain products
• Organic dairy products which are whole and unsweetened
• Free range local meats
• Wild caught fish and seafood
• Natural sweeteners such as honey and maple in syrup – always in moderation
• Seeds and nuts

Here are 5 benefits of eating real food every day.

1. Rich in vital nutrients

Wholefoods are packed with vitamins and minerals which are essential for our body to function well. When choosing ready to eat food, ingredients have usually been processed and cooked at very high temperatures affecting the nutrients in the ingredients. Eating raw or lightly steamed vegetables for example, provide larger amounts of these vital nutrients.

2. Real taste

Seasonal wholefoods cooked from scratch taste so much better than processed food. For example, fresh green beans will taste a lot different than canned green beans. If you wish to eat vegetables out of season, go for frozen as the nutrients are mostly preserved.

3. Naturally low in sugar

Food prepared from scratch contain no preservatives or hidden sugar. You are in total control of what goes into your body.

4. Good for your gut

Fibre is an important part of a healthy balanced diet. It can improve digestive health and can help balance blood sugar levels. Many processed foods such as cereals and breads, have added fibre but these sources of fibre are not the healthiest. Wholegrains like porridge oats, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds all contain high amount of healthy fibre.

5. Brings the family together

Cooking and sharing a meal made with fresh ingredients is an opportunity to bring the family together. Children love to get involved in the kitchen. They will be more likely to eat the dish if they understand how it is made. On top of that, research shows that eating at a table in the kitchen or the dinning room is linked to lower BMI for both children and adults.

Real, natural, unprocessed foods is the way to go if you wish to become and remain healthy. It may be a challenge to produce homemade dishes everyday but the benefits are huge. If you need a little hand in the kitchen and wish to learn how to prepare quick and healthy dishes for your family, family cooking coaching sessions are available at www.savoirfayre.co.uk.

To contact  Sandrine about nutrition and healthy cooking, call her on 07983 335 647 or email her on s.olmi@savoirfayre.co.uk website: www.savoirfayre.com

Posted by Sandrine Olmi: Nutritionist and member of SCHN