Scroll through many an Instagram account and you will see people talking about ‘clean eating’ – essentially ditching sugary or heavily processed foods in favour of natural wholesome choices. That is the philosophy upon which The Bare Food Company is built. But just how will these changes improve your lifestyle? Here are 10 ways…
1. You will lose weight
Yes, it seems obvious but it stands to reason. When you remove heavily processed foods from your diet, especially those laden with sugar, your blood sugar levels start to level out and you feel less inclined to snack. Lots of studies have shown that sugar’s effect on the brain is similar to that of cocaine in terms of how addictive it can be. Remove or dramatically cut down on this and you will eat more for nutrition than not for comfort.
2. You can blast yourself with nutrients with smoothies
The more you wean yourself off sugary snacks, the more you will crave better nutrition and what better way to get these than with smoothies. They can provide a vitamin and nutrition hit in a deliciously palatable form.
3. You will begin to embrace good fats
For years, we were always told that fat was bad, but these days we know to embrace some good fats such as coconut oil and avocados. These are high in monounsaturated oleic acid, a “heart-healthy” fatty acid that is believed to be one of the main reasons for the health benefits of olive oil. These have been shown to be great ‘brain food’ and also a great energy source.
4. You will sleep better
People who sleep only four hours a night are more likely to choose high-carb, sugary, and starchy foods over healthier picks, a recent University of Chicago study found. The reverse is also true: Eating certain healthy foods calms your nervous system and triggers a sleep-inducing hormonal response, scientists say, helping you rest better at night.
5. You will do better workouts
Firstly you will feel more inclined to do them having stopped the endless cycle of sugar highs and lows. Then you will benefit greatly from the increased protein consumption from nuts, lean meats and eggs. Your heart will be in much better condition too, thanks to all of those healthy fats.
6. Your heart will be happier
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables lowers your coronary heart disease risk and also protects against stroke and high blood pressure. A clean diet rich in healthful fats, the type found in nuts, avocados and olive oil, lowers harmful cholesterol levels, which also fight cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, an unhealthy diet rich in saturated fat increases your blood cholesterol, which threatens your cardiovascular health.
7. Your mood will be better
Excessive congestion within the body from unnatural and processed foods, particularly in the colon, can leave us feeling lethargic, listless and emotionally out of balance. 90% of the serotonin in our bodies is located in the intestine so it follows that if our intestinal health is compromised from a poor diet. This means the function of serotonin in the body (which includes regulating our moods) will be sacrificed.
8. You will save money
There can be a misconception that healthy eating is expensive… but think about it. You will eliminate lots of aisles from the supermarket, often just shopping in the fresh fruit and veg and meat aisles. A huge amount of food can be purchased for not too much money.
9. You can eat plenty
Fresh fruit and vegetables aren’t that calorie-dense. You can eat lots of spinach, broccoli and other fruit and vegetables and there will be tons of fibre which will fill you up.. This is perfect for people who simply love to eat!
10. Your digestive system will be better
Switching from heavily processed foods like white flour, white pasta and tons of dairy products can leave your digestive system lacking. Switching to fibre-rich fruits and vegetables will make your gut a lot happier.