Detox for Dummies
How to eat clean
Wednesday, 2 Jan 2013
Dilemma: you need to get back on track after weeks of over-indulgence but you can’t quite do the whole juice fast thing. Solution: Eat clean. We asked Vanessa McNamara from The Travelling Dietitian, to demystify the situation and give us her five top tips on eating clean. 1. Ditch the packaged foods Try to focus on eating foods that are in their most natural state. Go through your cupboards and start by throwing out any packaged foods that contain ingredients you’ve never heard of, particularly those you can’t pronounce, or ingredients you wouldn’t keep in your own cupboard. Fresh is best. 2. Eat locally and seasonally This helps us to eat food that’s fresher, tastier, cheaper, and better for the environment. Many think this is tricky in Singapore but it’s easy enough to go to your nearest wet market and stock up on fresh, locally grown fruit and vegetables, meat, and seafood. 3. Choose unrefined grains Choose delicious and easy-to-prepare wholegrains such as quinoa, burgul and brown rice as the base of each meal. Buy freshly baked wholegrain bread from your nearest bakery (we like Simply Bread, Baker & Cook, and Swissbake). Try baking your own snacks, such as homemade muesli bars or banana muffins. 4. Eat a rainbow Fill your fridge with as many different coloured fruit and vegetables as you can and aim to eat a rainbow of colours everyday. Set a goal to try a new fruit or vegetable once a week – ever tried rambutan, jambu, chiku, kangkong or lotus root? Now’s your chance. 5. Go for quality not quantity Try to choose foods because they are good quality and taste delicious rather than because they’re there! Spend a little more on your favourite healthy produce, such as free-range chicken, freshly baked bread, or high-quality dark chocolate, and just eat less of it. Eat slowly and savour every mouthful. Satiate that appetite and feel better about your body – too easy! These healthy tips were brought to you by The Travelling Dietitian, e: vanessa@thetravellingdietitian.com or p. 9295 0658, a Singapore-based dietitian, offering in-home or in-office consultations and programs to ensure you & your family are eating right. Image: SuperNature
