Jonathan Wright, MDMedical Director, Tahoma Clinic, lecturer on nutritional medicine

Linda LarsenNutritionist and Busy Cooks’ Guide for About.com

Learn to:• Change your eating habits without

sacrificing taste or breaking your budget

• Improve your overall health, prevent disease, and stabilize moods

• Make more than 40 delicious clean-eating recipes

Eating CleanMaking Everything

Easier!™

Open the book and find:

• The benefits of eating clean

• How to identify and avoid preservatives and additives

• The nutrients your body needs (and doesn’t need)

• Questions to ask about clean produce

• Ways to deal with food allergies and sensitivities

• Foods you should always buy organic

• Tips for cooking food, storing food, and using leftovers

• Recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks

Dr. Jonathan Wright, MD, America’s Top Holistic Doctor, is the author of

several books, publishes the monthly newsletter Nutrition and Healing

(with a subscriber base of over 100,000) and hosts the radio show Green

Medicine. Linda Larsen is a nutritionist, recipe creator, and the author of

29 books.

$19.99 US / $23.99 CN / £14.99 UK

ISBN 978-1-118-00013-7

Health & Fitness/Special Diet

Go to Dummies.com®for videos, step-by-step examples,

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The fast and easyway to start eating cleanUsed as a way of life, clean eating can improve overall health, prevent disease, increase energy, and stabilize moods. Whether you’ve lived on white bread and trans fats all your life or are already health conscious, Eating Clean For Dummies embraces this lifestyle and provides you with an easy-to-follow guide to eliminating processed foods from your diet and improving your health (and budget) by eating clean.

• Clean up your act — find out how the foods you eat affect your body and mind, understand the danger in processed and refined foods, and discover the many benefits of eating clean

• Here’s to living cleaner — get the scoop on how eating clean can help you live longer, fight illnesses like diabetes and heart disease, lose weight, and boost your energy

• Start cookin’, good lookin’ — browse through a collection of quick and tasty recipes for every meal of the day, from eye-opening egg dishes to satisfying suppers and snacks

• Make it personal — learn to keep a clean eating diet at restaurants and parties, deal with picky eaters at home, and get special dietary considerations if you’re vegan or suffer from food allergies

Eating Clean

WrightLarsen

Start with FREE Cheat SheetsCheat Sheets include • Checklists • Charts • Common Instructions • And Other Good Stuff!

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by Dr. Jonathan Wright, MDLinda Larsen, BS, BA

Eating CleanFOR

DUMmIES‰

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Eating Clean For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2011 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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About the AuthorsA Harvard University and University of Michigan graduate, Dr. Jonathan Wright is a fore-runner in research and application of natural treatments for healthy aging and illness. Along with Alan Gaby, MD, he has since 1976 accu-mulated a file of over 50,000 research papers about diet, vitamins, minerals, botanicals, and other natural substances from which he has developed all-natural treatments for health problems. Since 1983, Drs. Wright and Gaby have regularly taught seminars about these methods to tens of thousands of physicians in the United States and overseas.

He was the first to develop and introduce the use of comprehensive patterns of bio-identical hormones (including estrogens, progesterone, DHEA, and testosterone) in 1982 and (at Meridian Valley Laboratory) directed the development of tests to ensure their safe use. He teaches use and laboratory monitoring of bio-identical hormones at several seminars each year.

He also originated successful natural treatment for elimination of childhood asthma, popularized the use of D-mannose treatment for E. coli urinary tract infection, developed effective natural treatment for seborrheic dermatitis, allergic and viral conjunctivitis, and Osgood-Schlatter’s disease, and discovered the effect of cobalt and iodine on estrogen and other steroid detoxification.

Dr. Wright founded the Tahoma Clinic (1973), Meridian Valley Laboratory (1976), and the Tahoma Clinic Foundation (1996). Tahoma Clinic was estab-lished to prevent and treat disease and help us stay healthy and live longer with the use of natural substances and natural energies. The infamous 1992 FDA Tahoma Clinic “raid” (“The Great B-Vitamin Bust”) was a major impetus for Congressional reform of vitamin/mineral regulation. Dr. Wright continues to be an advocate for patient freedom of choice in healthcare.

Internationally known for his books and medical articles, Dr. Wright has authored or coauthored 11 books, selling over 1.5 million copies, with two texts achieving best-selling status: Book of Nutritional Therapy and Guide to Healing with Nutrition. He authors Nutrition and Healing, a monthly newsletter emphasizing nutritional medicine that reaches over 100,000 in the United States and another 7,000 or more worldwide.

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Linda Larsen is an author and journalist who has written 26 books, many of which are about food and nutrition. She earned a BA degree in Biology from St. Olaf College and a BS with High Distinction in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Minnesota.

Linda worked for the Pillsbury Company for many years, creating and testing recipes. She was a member of the Pillsbury Bake-Off staff five times, acting as Manager of the Search Team and working in the test kitchens. Linda is the Busy Cooks Guide for About.com and writes about food, recipes, and nutri-tion. She has written articles for Woman’s Day magazine, Quick and Simple magazine, and First magazine. Her books include Medical Ethics For Dummies, Detox Diets For Dummies, Knack Grilling Basics: A Step-by-Step Guide to Delicious Recipes, The Starter Cook: A Beginner Home Cook’s Guide to Basic Kitchen Skills & Techniques, The $7 Meal Cookbook: 301 Delicious, Nutritious Recipes the Whole Family Will Love, The Everything Tex-Mex Cookbook, and The Everything Healthy Cooking for Parties Book.

DedicationFrom Dr. Wright: For Holly, my wife and very best friend.

From Linda: I dedicate this book first and foremost to my husband Doug. Throughout the last 30 years, we’ve had many adventures in food. Good food got us through a cancer diagnosis (he gained 70 pounds on chemotherapy with my cooking!), and we’ve turned to a clean diet in the last year. Through it all, he’s been by my side and is my biggest cheerleader and confidant. I’d also like to dedicate the book to my parents, Duane and Marlene Johnson, for their support and encouragement. They always told me I could do anything I attempted and let me cook and bake anything I wanted to.

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Authors’ AcknowledgmentsFrom Dr. Wright: Two real pioneers in staying well and healing disease:

Adelle Davis (1904–1974), whose book Let’s Eat Right to Keep Fit — with hun-dreds of citations to medical research never taught at medical schools — put me on a path to help those I worked with regain health, prevent disease, and stay healthy with the natural substances and natural energies of our planet Earth. Adelle Davis wrote: “As I see it, every day you do one of two things: build health or produce disease in yourself.”

Roger J. Williams (1893–1988), whose books Biochemical Individuality and Free and Unequal: The Biological Basis of Individual Liberty established the scientific basis for an individualized and entirely natural approach to pre-venting and treating disease and also established the scientific and biological basis for individual freedom, which was previously viewed only as a philo-sophical concept and not as a concept based on our biological and biochemi-cal heritage. As Professor at the University of Texas and Founder of the Clayton Foundation Biochemical Institute (now called the Biochemical Institute) from 1940 to 1963, he supervised the discovery of more vitamins and their variants than discovered at any other laboratory in the world.

On a practical level, the two people who made this book possible: Linda Larsen — who wrote most of it and let me kibbitz about the science — and Barb Doyen, who put the project together. And of course, the editors who rearrange everything for publication, and the publishers who make it avail-able to you!

From Linda: I’d like to thank my coauthor, Dr. Wright, first of all, for being such a wonderful friend and guide while working on this book. We have the same sense of humor and the same desire to share this information with the world. He is such a valuable resource for nutrition and medical information. I’d also like to thank the Department of Food Science at the University of Minnesota for giving me such a strong foundation in science. Thanks to our agent Barb Doyen. She had such confidence in my ability to write this book and encouraged me every step of the way. Thanks to our wonderful editors for their support, suggestions, and guidance. And thanks to my friends, espe-cially my Facebook friends, and my faithful family for their support and love as I worked on this book.

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Publisher’s AcknowledgmentsWe’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at http://dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.

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Contents at a GlanceIntroduction ................................................................ 1

Part I: Eating Clean: It Does a Body Good ..................... 7Chapter 1: Eating Clean for a Healthier Body, Mind, and Soul ..................................... 9Chapter 2: Applying Eating Clean Principles to Daily Living ...................................... 21Chapter 3: Nutrition Basics: You Really Are What You Eat ........................................ 37Chapter 4: More about Nutrition: Phytochemicals, Water, and Fiber ...................... 63Chapter 5: Eat More, Eat Often! ..................................................................................... 77

Part II: Meeting Your Eating Clean Goals .................... 91Chapter 6: Eating Clean for a Longer, Healthier, and More Active Life .................... 93Chapter 7: Eating Clean to Prevent Disease ............................................................... 115Chapter 8: Eating Clean to Manage Diseases ............................................................. 145

Part III: Planning and Preparing Your Eating Clean Adventure .................................... 169Chapter 9: Planning and Stocking the Eating Clean Kitchen .................................... 171Chapter 10: Incorporating Organic Food into Your Eating Clean Plan ................... 189Chapter 11: Preparing Clean Foods ............................................................................. 205

Part IV: Adapting the Eating Clean Plan to Fit Your Life ........................................................ 217Chapter 12: Eating Clean on the Go and in Social Situations ................................... 219Chapter 13: Getting Your Family on the Bandwagon ................................................ 235Chapter 14: Meeting Special Dietary Considerations ................................................ 251

Part V: Morning to Evening Recipes .......................... 271Chapter 15: Waking Up to Great Food: Satisfying Breakfast Recipes ...................... 273Chapter 16: Refueling Your Body with Some Smart Lunches .................................. 289Chapter 17: Sprucing Up Supper Time with Some Delicious Dinner Recipes ........ 305Chapter 18: Enjoying the Fun Stuff: Desserts and Snacks ........................................ 319

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Part VI: The Part of Tens .......................................... 335Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Tell If Your Eating Clean Diet Is Working ........................ 337Chapter 20: Ten Foods to Always Put in Your Shopping Cart ................................. 343

Index ...................................................................... 349

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Recipes at a GlanceBreakfast FoodsT Cantaloupe Banana Smoothies ................................................................................ 276T Wild Rice Egg Roll Ups .............................................................................................. 277T Green Tea Smoothies ................................................................................................ 278T Toasted Oat and Barley Hot Cereal ......................................................................... 279T Nut Butter Granola .................................................................................................... 280Chicken Pear Sausages .................................................................................................. 281T Pear Banana Nut Muffins .......................................................................................... 282T Tex-Mex Frittata ......................................................................................................... 283T Fruit and Nut Muesli .................................................................................................. 284T Fruit Compote ............................................................................................................ 285T Veggie Cheese Mini Quiches .................................................................................... 286T Whole-Grain Waffles .................................................................................................. 287

LunchesT Clean Cobb Salad ....................................................................................................... 292T Slow Cooker Tomato Barley Soup ........................................................................... 293T Clean Gazpacho ......................................................................................................... 294T Barley Sandwich Spread ........................................................................................... 295T Fruity Coleslaw ........................................................................................................... 296T Roasted Veggie Hummus Pitas ................................................................................ 297Fruity Chicken Pasta Salad ........................................................................................... 298Chicken Lettuce Wraps ................................................................................................. 299T Veggie Wild Rice Pasta Salad ................................................................................... 300T Quinoa Vegetable Soup ............................................................................................. 301T Fruit and Grains Salad ............................................................................................... 302Salmon Salad Sandwich with Peach Salsa .................................................................. 303

DinnersT Slow Cooker Barley Stew .......................................................................................... 307T Whole-Wheat Veggie Pizza ....................................................................................... 308Curry-Rubbed Salmon ................................................................................................... 309Tex-Mex Bison Chili ....................................................................................................... 310Greek Grilled Steaks ...................................................................................................... 311Chicken and Brown Rice Risotto ................................................................................. 312

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Chicken with Black Beans and Chiles ......................................................................... 313Baked Italian Fish Packets ............................................................................................ 314Roasted Pork Tenderloin and Veggies ........................................................................ 315T Vegetable Tofu Stir-Fry ............................................................................................. 316Salmon Risi Bisi .............................................................................................................. 317Clean Spaghetti and Meatballs ..................................................................................... 318

Snacks and DessertsT Dark Chocolate Bark .................................................................................................. 322T Sweet and Spicy Nuts ................................................................................................ 323T Apricot Pistachio Laraballs ...................................................................................... 324T Garlic Yogurt Cheese Spread ................................................................................... 325T Stuffed Dates .............................................................................................................. 326T Kale Chips with Spanish Salsa .................................................................................. 327T Granola Berry Parfaits ............................................................................................... 328T Clean Edamame Guacamole ..................................................................................... 329T Frozen Yogurt Bars .................................................................................................... 330T Slow Cooker Stuffed Apples ..................................................................................... 331T Chile-Spiced Nuts and Fruit ...................................................................................... 332T Blueberry Cherry Crisp ............................................................................................. 333

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Table of ContentsIntroduction ................................................................. 1

About This Book .............................................................................................. 1Conventions Used in This Book ..................................................................... 2What You’re Not to Read ................................................................................ 3Foolish Assumptions ....................................................................................... 3How This Book Is Organized .......................................................................... 4

Part I: Eating Clean: It Does a Body Good ........................................... 4Part II: Meeting Your Eating Clean Goals ............................................ 4Part III: Planning and Preparing Your Eating Clean Adventure ........ 5Part IV: Adapting the Eating Clean Plan to Fit Your Life ................... 5Part V: Morning to Evening Recipes .................................................... 5Part VI: The Part of Tens ....................................................................... 6

Icons Used in This Book ................................................................................. 6Where to Go from Here ................................................................................... 6

Part I: Eating Clean: It Does a Body Good ...................... 7

Chapter 1: Eating Clean for a Healthier Body, Mind, and Soul . . . . . . . 9What Clean Eating Really Is .......................................................................... 10

Eating clean doesn’t mean cleaning your food before eating it ..... 10Comparing whole versus processed foods ...................................... 11Gaining control with six degrees of clean eating ............................. 12

Considering the Dangers in Processed Foods ........................................... 13Preservatives and additives ............................................................... 14Label claims (also known as marketing hype) ................................. 15Junk food addiction ............................................................................. 17

Surveying the Benefits of Eating Clean ....................................................... 17Overall good health ............................................................................. 18Weight loss and disease prevention .................................................. 19A longer, more active life .................................................................... 20

Chapter 2: Applying Eating Clean Principles to Daily Living . . . . . . . 21The Principles of Clean Eating ..................................................................... 22

Getting your footing on the eating clean platform .......................... 22Making clean changes in your life ...................................................... 24Discovering real flavor ........................................................................ 25

Managing Cravings and Feelings of Deprivation ....................................... 29Understanding cravings ...................................................................... 29Dealing with deprivation ..................................................................... 31Living with lapses and backsliding .................................................... 33

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Eating Clean For Dummies xiiEating Clean for a Healthier World .............................................................. 34

Reducing waste and packaging .......................................................... 34Staying away from “cides” .................................................................. 36

Chapter 3: Nutrition Basics: You Really Are What You Eat . . . . . . . . . 37Figuring Out What Your Body Needs (And What It Doesn’t Need) ......... 38

How your body uses food ................................................................... 38What happens to additives and chemicals ....................................... 40What happens to excess macronutrients and calories ................... 43What happens if you don’t get the micronutrients you need ........ 45

Considering the Roles of Proteins, Carbs, and Fats .................................. 47Clean proteins: Amino acids, the building blocks of life ................ 47Carbohydrates: Energy for your body .............................................. 48Essential and clean fats ....................................................................... 50

Getting the Vitamins You Need to Stay Healthy ........................................ 53Recommended daily allowances and reference intakes ................. 53Understanding the role of vitamins ................................................... 54

Incorporating Minerals into Your Daily Diet .............................................. 56Identifying the minerals your body needs ........................................ 56Putting clean minerals to work .......................................................... 59

Eating Your Fill of Nutrient-Dense Foods ................................................... 60

Chapter 4: More about Nutrition: Phytochemicals, Water, and Fiber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Natural Body Armor: Introducing the Protective Phytochemicals ......... 63What phytochemicals are and what they do ........................................ 64Why phytochemicals are important .................................................. 65Where to find phytochemicals ........................................................... 67

Water: The Essential Nonessential Nutrient .............................................. 69Getting enough water .......................................................................... 69Evaluating your tap water ................................................................... 70Weighing the pros and cons of bottled water .................................. 72

Protecting Your Health with Fiber .............................................................. 74Surveying the different types of clean fiber ..................................... 74Bulking up your fiber intake ............................................................... 75Chew on this: Connecting fiber and weight loss .............................. 76

Chapter 5: Eat More, Eat Often! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77Listening to Your Body ................................................................................. 77

Decoding hunger cues ......................................................................... 78Identifying thirst cues ......................................................................... 80Understanding satiety ......................................................................... 80

Getting Started with Good Food Choices ................................................... 83Knowing what (and what not) to eat .................................................. 83Eating minimeals to combat hunger .................................................. 86Combining clean eating with your daily routine .............................. 88

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Enjoying Your Food ....................................................................................... 89Appreciating clean food’s natural tastes .......................................... 89Discovering natural flavor enhancers ............................................... 90

Part II: Meeting Your Eating Clean Goals ..................... 91

Chapter 6: Eating Clean for a Longer, Healthier, and More Active Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Eating Clean to Live Longer .......................................................................... 94Reducing inflammation in your body ................................................ 94Strengthening your immune system ................................................. 96Getting your probiotics and prebiotics ............................................ 98

Eating Clean to Lose Weight ....................................................................... 101Eating like your ancient ancestors .................................................. 101Being aware of your calorie consumption ...................................... 104Strengthening your willpower .......................................................... 104Developing good habits .................................................................... 105

Eating Clean for Energy ............................................................................... 107Jumping off the sugar roller coaster ............................................... 107Improving your metabolism by keeping your thyroid healthy .... 108

Eating Clean to Detoxify Your Body .......................................................... 110Understanding clean detoxification ................................................ 111Taking herbs and spices for detoxification .................................... 113

Chapter 7: Eating Clean to Prevent Disease . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115Eating Clean to Help Prevent Heart Disease ............................................ 116

Getting some variety in your diet (with lots of fruits and vegetables) .............................................................................. 116

Avoiding the bad foods ..................................................................... 121Adding clean monounsaturated fats to your diet .......................... 122

Eating Clean to Reduce Cholesterol .......................................................... 124Inflammation and your arteries ....................................................... 125How sugar, fats, and simple carbs raise cholesterol levels ......... 126The role of folate, lutein, resveratrol, and other nutrients .......... 128

Eating Clean to Help Reduce Cancer Risk ................................................ 129Looking at what causes cancer ........................................................ 130Lignans, folate, quercetin, and other cancer fighters ................... 130Stocking your cancer-fighting arsenal ............................................. 133

Eating Clean to Prevent Diabetes .............................................................. 135Understanding your pancreas .......................................................... 136Winning the fight against your lifelong love of sugar .................... 137Consuming the right nutrients and food to prevent diabetes ..... 138

Eating Clean to Help Prevent Autoimmune Diseases .............................. 142Decoding the causes of autoimmune diseases .............................. 142Getting the right nutrients ................................................................ 143Understanding the importance of organic foods ........................... 143

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Eating Clean For Dummies xivChapter 8: Eating Clean to Manage Diseases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

Eating Powerful Nutrients to Improve Health .......................................... 145Clean food’s healing properties ....................................................... 146Proven nutrient solutions ................................................................. 146

Eating Clean to Help Fight Heart Disease ................................................. 149Getting your antioxidants ................................................................. 149Chewing the good fat ......................................................................... 150Adding a few essential supplements: CoQ10 and L-carnitine ...... 151

Eating Clean to Manage Diabetes .............................................................. 153Eating enough fiber and whole foods .............................................. 154Making the best clean food choices ................................................ 156

Eating Clean to Fight Cancer ...................................................................... 158Avoiding sugar and artificial ingredients ........................................ 158Knowing which foods can help fight cancer .................................. 160

Eating Clean to Battle Autoimmune Diseases .......................................... 161Lupus ................................................................................................... 162Ulcerative colitis ................................................................................ 163Rheumatoid arthritis ......................................................................... 164Multiple sclerosis ............................................................................... 166

Part III: Planning and Preparing Your Eating Clean Adventure ..................................... 169

Chapter 9: Planning and Stocking the Eating Clean Kitchen . . . . . . 171Organizing Your Kitchen ............................................................................ 172

Sorting through your food ................................................................ 172Dumping the junk: Can’t pronounce it? Get rid of it! ..................... 174Classifying processed foods: Deciding

which ones are okay to keep ........................................................ 177Stocking Your Clean Kitchen ...................................................................... 178

Clean staples for your pantry ........................................................... 179Perishable clean foods ...................................................................... 181Clean staples for the freezer............................................................. 182

Navigating the Grocery Store ..................................................................... 183Sticking to your list ............................................................................ 183Mapping out the good and bad supermarket aisles ...................... 185

Shopping at Farmers’ Markets, Food Cooperatives, and CSAs .............. 186Farmers’ markets ............................................................................... 186Food cooperatives ............................................................................. 187Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) ...................................... 187

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xv Table of Contents

Chapter 10: Incorporating Organic Food into Your Eating Clean Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

Getting the Skinny on Organic Foods ........................................................ 190Organic produce ................................................................................ 190Organic meat and dairy products .................................................... 192100 percent organic standards and labeling .................................. 195

Are Organic Foods Healthier? .................................................................... 196Making Informed Decisions about the Food You Buy ............................. 198

Avoiding the filthy fifteen ................................................................. 199Realizing the dangers of imported produce ................................... 201Eggs with legs, grass-fed beef, and other healthy proteins .......... 202

Identifying Some Safe Nonorganic Foods ................................................. 203Why nonorganic can be okay ........................................................... 203Clean foods that you can buy nonorganic ...................................... 203

Chapter 11: Preparing Clean Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205Understanding the Best and Worst Cooking Methods ........................... 205

Heating before eating ........................................................................ 206Chilling out before eating.................................................................. 207Forgoing cooking altogether: The clean raw food diet ................. 208Avoiding less healthy cooking methods ......................................... 210

Combining Foods to Boost Nutrition ........................................................ 211Combining nutrients to increase their effectiveness

in your body .................................................................................... 212Deciding what to eat with what ....................................................... 213

Using Leftovers Safely and Effectively ...................................................... 214Planning to use every last bit of food .............................................. 215Safely storing and using clean leftovers ......................................... 216

Part IV: Adapting the Eating Clean Plan to Fit Your Life ......................................................... 217

Chapter 12: Eating Clean on the Go and in Social Situations . . . . . . 219Understanding Restaurant Menus ............................................................. 219

Getting familiar with key menu terms ............................................. 220Asking the waiter or chef for clarification ...................................... 222Ordering sauces on the side and substituting clean foods

when possible ................................................................................. 223Packing Good Lunches and Snacks ........................................................... 224

Making clean snacks .......................................................................... 225Packing clean lunches ....................................................................... 226Avoiding unhealthy lunches and snacks ........................................ 228

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Eating Clean For Dummies xviDealing with Dinner Invitations the Clean (and Polite) Way .................. 229

Knowing what to do when the invitation doesn’t ask about food preferences ............................................ 229

Considering some clean potluck solutions..................................... 231Picking at Party Food .................................................................................. 232

Eating healthy at parties: It’s possible! ........................................... 232Explaining your diet when you have to........................................... 233

Getting Your Mojo Back: What to Do When You Fall off the Plan ......... 234

Chapter 13: Getting Your Family on the Bandwagon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235Transitioning from Twinkies to Turnips ................................................... 236

Making changes the slow way .......................................................... 236Making changes the fast way ............................................................ 239Helping your family make the transition ........................................ 240Enjoying the benefits of clean eating .............................................. 241Getting worthwhile results from small changes ............................ 242

Avoiding Stumbling Blocks ......................................................................... 243Combating your innate sweet tooth ................................................ 243Dealing with your natural dislike of bitter foods ........................... 244Changing food preferences: It’s not easy but it can be done ....... 244

Inviting Participation ................................................................................... 245Grow it! ................................................................................................ 245Plan it! .................................................................................................. 246Buy it! ................................................................................................... 247Cook it! ................................................................................................ 248

Chapter 14: Meeting Special Dietary Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . 251 Food Allergies and Sensitivities ................................................................ 251

Understanding food allergies ........................................................... 252Decoding food sensitivity or intolerance........................................ 256Avoiding key allergens ...................................................................... 258

Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Disease ....................................................... 261Identifying gluten sensitivity ............................................................ 261Developing a gluten-free diet and lifestyle ..................................... 263

Vegetarian Diets ........................................................................................... 266Understanding the levels of vegetarian diets ................................. 266Combining foods for complete proteins ......................................... 267

The Vegan Lifestyle ..................................................................................... 269Getting plenty of nutrients on the clean vegan diet ...................... 269Remembering that protein is key .................................................... 270

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xvii Table of Contents

Part V: Morning to Evening Recipes ............................ 271

Chapter 15: Waking Up to Great Food: Satisfying Breakfast Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273

Understanding the Importance of Breakfast ............................................ 274Starting Your Day the Right Way with

Some Tasty Breakfast Recipes ............................................................... 275

Chapter 16: Refueling Your Body with Some Smart Lunches . . . . . . 289Making Smart Lunch Choices ..................................................................... 290Healthy Lunch Recipes ............................................................................... 291

Chapter 17: Sprucing Up Supper Time with Some Delicious Dinner Recipes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305

Making Dinnertime a Pleasant Time with a Few Simple Tricks ............. 306

Chapter 18: Enjoying the Fun Stuff: Desserts and Snacks . . . . . . . . . 319Satisfying the Munchies with Healthy Snacking ...................................... 320Whipping Up Tasty, Clean Desserts and Snacks

with Some Easy Recipes .......................................................................... 320

Part VI: The Part of Tens ........................................... 335

Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Tell If Your Eating Clean Diet Is Working . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337

Weight Loss .................................................................................................. 337Clearer Skin .................................................................................................. 338More Energy ................................................................................................. 339Healthier Hair and Fingernails ................................................................... 339Stronger Muscles ......................................................................................... 340Lower Blood Pressure ................................................................................. 340A Stronger Immune System ........................................................................ 341Lower Cholesterol Levels ........................................................................... 341Clearer Thinking .......................................................................................... 342A Happy Doctor ........................................................................................... 342

Chapter 20: Ten Foods to Always Put in Your Shopping Cart . . . . . . 343Sweet Potatoes ............................................................................................. 343Wild Salmon .................................................................................................. 344Olive Oil ........................................................................................................ 344

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Eating Clean For Dummies xviiiCruciferous Vegetables ............................................................................... 345Nuts ............................................................................................................... 345Avocados ...................................................................................................... 346Leafy Greens ................................................................................................. 346Curry Powder ............................................................................................... 347Berries (Especially Blueberries) ................................................................ 347Garlic and Onions ........................................................................................ 348

Index ....................................................................... 349

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Introduction

Clean eating isn’t a new idea, although it has been outshone by other, less healthy eating plans over the years. Coming out of World War II, in the space age during the race to space, packaged and processed foods started crowding the supermarket shelves. Just look at cooking and baking trends in the Pillsbury Bake-Off, which has been around for more than 40 years, and you can literally see the transformation from cooking and baking with whole foods to depending on convenience foods. But then the health food craze began in the 1960s and 1970s, and health foods, promoted by experts like Adele Davis, became the next big thing.

Of course, many people scoffed at what they called “hippie food,” which they perceived as nuts, roots, and twigs eaten by people wearing hemp necklaces and hand-woven shirts. But Ms. Davis was right. The “modern” diet of processed, quick, artificially flavored convenience foods isn’t good for the body.

In this book, we break down the scientific reasons for eating whole foods and avoiding processed and refined foods, and we show you how the eating clean plan can help you and your family live a healthier life. Along the way, we give you plenty of options so that you can design a plan that fits your lifestyle, tastes, and budget.

About This BookNutrition is an art and a science. The art comes from mixing different foods to create recipes that tempt the senses and satisfy the soul. The science comes from all the nutrients the foods provide and the complicated way those nutrients interact in the body. Not to mention science is a pretty big part of baking and cooking, too!

To help you understand the art and science (and the many benefits) of the eating clean lifestyle, we’ve arranged this book in a practical format. First, we look at what eating clean really means and explain why you should avoid pro-cessed food, fast food, and junk food. We offer tips for how to handle cravings and feelings of deprivation and explain why you really are what you eat.

We look at the basics of nutrition, explaining why proteins, fats, carbohy-drates, vitamins, and minerals are essential to daily life. Then we discuss the other nutrients in whole foods that can make a big difference in your overall health and well-being.

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2 Eating Clean For Dummies We show you how you can accomplish different goals with the eating clean plan. For example, we tell you which foods to eat (and which ones to avoid) to help prevent heart disease, lower cholesterol, reduce cancer risk, and pre-vent diabetes. And we explain how eating clean can help you manage these diseases if you already have them.

Understanding the physical science underpinning nutrition and healthy eating is all well and good, but working through the practical aspects of transforming your diet is just as important. To help you get the most out of your new lifestyle, we give you plenty of tips for how to get your family on the eating clean bandwagon, how to prepare and stock your newly clean kitchen, how to incorporate organic foods, and how to prepare delicious clean foods to maintain as many nutrients as possible.

But what if you eat out a lot? And what do you do when you’re at a party? Don’t start stressing yet! We offer lots of tips and tricks to help keep you on the right track in any social situation. And just in case you have any special dietary needs, we tell you how to handle food allergies and gluten intolerance, as well as how to adapt the clean eating plan to fit a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.

Finally, we include a plethora of delicious recipes! These recipes cover your whole day from morning to night with easy breakfast choices, delicious (and packable) lunch recipes, and satisfying dinner entrees. We even include snack and dessert recipes for those of you with a case of the munchies or a strong sweet tooth!

Conventions Used in This BookLike with all cookbooks, we recommend that you read through each recipe before you start making it. If you jump right in, you may not account for the refrigerating time, standing time, or freezing time in your schedule (and, as a result, your recipe may not be ready to eat when you are!). Reading the recipe’s directions beforehand also clues you into any special tools or mate-rials, like food processors or cheesecloth, you may need to complete that particular recipe.

Here are a few other guidelines to keep in mind about the recipes in this book:

✓ All butter is unsalted. Margarine is not a suitable substitute for butter unless we state you can use either one.

✓ Unless otherwise noted, all eggs are large.

✓ All onions are yellow unless otherwise specified.

✓ All pepper is freshly ground black pepper unless otherwise specified.

✓ All salt is kosher unless otherwise specified.

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3 Introduction ✓ All dry ingredient measurements are level.

To make sure your measurements are level, use a dry-ingredient measur-ing cup, fill it to the top, and scrape it even with a straight object, such as the flat side of a knife.

✓ All temperatures are Fahrenheit.

✓ All lemon and lime juice is freshly squeezed.

Finally, we use the following conventions throughout the text to make things consistent and easy to understand:

✓ All web addresses appear in monofont.

✓ New terms appear in italics and are closely followed by an easy-to-understand definition.

✓ Boldface highlights keywords in bulleted lists and the action parts of numbered steps.

T This little tomato symbol designates vegetarian recipes.

What You’re Not to ReadWe’ve written this book so that you can find information easily and understand what you find. Each chapter covers one area of eating clean and nutrition. But if you don’t have time (or the desire) to read every word, feel free to skip the text in sidebars. Sidebars are the shaded boxes you see throughout the book. They give detailed examples or other information that’s interesting and rel-evant but not necessary to your understanding of the eating clean lifestyle.

Dr. Wright (one of the authors) includes information gleaned from his prac-tice and years of experience in many of the sidebars. Specifically, some of the sidebars include information about supplements that Dr. Wright has researched throughout the years that may help you reduce the risk of dis-ease or manage certain conditions. If that info sounds interesting to you, don’t skip it!

You don’t need to read every single paragraph of this book to understand the eating clean lifestyle. Feel free to skip around to the stuff that interests you most.

Foolish AssumptionsAs we wrote this book, we assumed the following about you:

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4 Eating Clean For Dummies ✓ You want to change your diet, lose weight, or manage some type of med-

ical condition and have heard about the eating clean plan.

✓ You’re the head of a household, and you want your family to change their eating habits and eat food that will help them live longer, happier lives — with as little fuss and fighting as possible.

✓ You want to get off the fast-food/processed food/refined food treadmill and eat to live longer and just plain feel better, but you’re not quite sure how to start.

✓ You’re interested in knowing more about how food and the body interact — without having to wade through all the jargon of a scientific text.

How This Book Is OrganizedWe’ve divided this book into six parts to make the different topics more manageable and easier to understand. Each part deals with a certain aspect of transforming your life through the eating clean plan and discusses the relevant issues, including nutrition, taste, habit, social situations, lifestyle, and habit-centered families. You don’t have to read straight through the book from cover to cover; you can pick a chapter of interest and read it to find out everything you need to know about that issue.

Part I: Eating Clean: It Does a Body GoodEating clean is all about basing your diet on whole foods prepared in a clean manner. In the first couple of chapters of this part, we explain how eating can affect your body and mind and how it can change the way you look and feel. We also look at the dangers of processed and refined foods and explain the benefits of eating clean, whole foods. Then in Chapters 3 and 4, we cover the basics of nutrition, including why you need to eat a varied diet to get all the essential micronutrients in food. Finally, in Chapter 5, we go over the basics of the eating clean lifestyle and explain why it really is a lifestyle and not just a diet.

Part II: Meeting Your Eating Clean GoalsMaybe you’re beginning your eating clean path for medical reasons. Perhaps your doctor has said you need to lose weight or bring down your cholesterol numbers. Or maybe you’ve discovered that what you eat has a direct impact on how you feel and you want to eat for more energy and physical fitness. Or perhaps you want to reduce the risk of developing disease or need to manage

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5 Introductiona condition you already have. In this part, we tell you which foods and nutri-ents to concentrate on and which ones to avoid to meet all your eating clean goals, no matter what they are.

Part III: Planning and Preparing Your Eating Clean AdventureHere’s where we get into the nitty-gritty part of the eating clean plan. Before you start living your eating clean lifestyle, you need to purge your kitchen of junk foods and processed foods and restock it with the good stuff. We tell you how to do just that in Chapter 9.

After you prepare your kitchen, you have some decisions to make. Are you going to go all-in and purchase only organic foods? If so, turn to Chapter 10 for the lowdown on organic foods. If not, still go the Chapter 10 and check out the list of foods you can safely buy conventionally grown. What are the best ways to prepare these new clean foods? Are some cooking methods really better than others? We walk you through the best and most nutritional ways to prepare your clean foods in Chapter 11.

Part IV: Adapting the Eating Clean Plan to Fit Your LifeIn this part, we focus on how to make your new eating plan fit your everyday life. Chapter 12 shows you how to handle eating clean when you’re dining out or having dinner at a friend’s house. Chapter 13 offers tips for how to get your family to put down the packaged cream puffs and pick up some cauli-flower. If you or someone in your family has special dietary considerations, from food allergies to veganism, check out Chapter 14, where we explain how to fit those issues into the eating clean plan.

Part V: Morning to Evening RecipesAfter you understand why eating whole, clean foods is the best choice for you and your family, you need some recipes! This part includes a collection of quick and easy recipes that you can use to fill your day (and your stom-ach) with delicious, wholesome food. We promise you won’t even miss the cheese doodles! We include breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and even dessert recipes to see you through the day with great nutrition and good taste.

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6 Eating Clean For Dummies

Part VI: The Part of TensLike all For Dummies books, this one includes the fun and exciting Part of Tens. Here, we show you how to tell if your new eating clean diet is working. We also suggest ten foods to always put in your shopping cart when you go to the grocery store.

Icons Used in This BookTo make this book easier to navigate, we include the following icons that can help you find key ideas and information about the eating clean lifestyle:

Whenever you see this icon, you know that the information that follows is so important it’s worth reading twice. Or even three times!

This icon appears whenever the information next to it can help you in your quest for better health or in your progress in the eating clean lifestyle.

This icon highlights information that could be dangerous to you if you ignore it. So pay attention whenever you see this icon!

Where to Go from HereWe’ve organized this book so that you can go wherever you want to find com-plete information. You can use the table of contents to find the broad catego-ries of subjects or use the index to look up specific information.

Do you want to know more about getting your family to embrace this new eating lifestyle? Check out Chapter 13. Do you need to know how to plan and stock your kitchen for your new diet plan? Turn to Chapter 9. Do you want to know how foods can help you manage conditions and diseases that may already be present in your family? Take a look at Chapter 8. Are you just itching to try your hand at some delicious clean recipes? Go to Chapters 15 through 18, which include lots of choices for everyday meals and snacks.

If you’re not sure where to start, read Part I. It gives you all the basic informa-tion you need to understand the eating clean lifestyle and tells you where to go to get the details.

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Part IEating Clean: It

Does a Body Good

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In this part . . .

Eating clean boils down to one simple fact: Avoid pro-cessed foods. But why should you avoid these foods? What’s wrong with preservatives and artificial flavorings? In this part, we look at why eating a clean diet is so impor-tant, and we show you how to apply the principles of eat-ing clean to your everyday life. We take a close look at nutrition and decode the nutrients you need not only to meet your body’s daily requirements but to feel wonder-ful. We list the basic principles of the eating clean diet and look at how to manage hunger cues.

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Chapter 1

Eating Clean for a Healthier Body, Mind, and Soul

In This Chapter▶ Defining clean eating

▶ Understanding the dangers in processed foods

▶ Considering the benefits of eating clean

Eating clean has been getting a lot of press lately — in books, websites, seminars, and various other media outlets. But what exactly is eating clean? Is it a diet? If so, what kinds of foods can you eat (and not eat) on the plan? And what is “clean” food, anyway?

You may be turning to this book because you’ve tried just about every other diet on the planet and you’re tired of counting calories, carbs, and fat grams. If that’s the case, you’ve come to the right place! One of the best things about the eating clean plan is that after you get the basics down pat, you don’t have to keep track of your fat or protein intake or add up any points. After all, the plan’s main focus is eating whole foods, which are naturally nutrient dense and low in calories.

Like most other diets, the eating clean plan offers several guidelines for fol-lowing it, but another one of the great things about this plan is that you get to decide how much of your diet will be clean (and how much won’t). You’re in control, so if you decide that 90 percent of your diet is going to be clean, you can still fit some processed foods into your diet. If you decide to start out with a 50-50 mix, half of your diet will consist of clean foods while the other half includes the foods you already eat and enjoy.

In this chapter, we define clean eating and look at the differences between whole foods and processed foods. We look at some of the dangers of processed and refined foods and list the benefits of eating clean. Finally, we look at food’s effect on your body, mind, and soul and explain how following the eating clean lifestyle can improve all three!

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10 Part I: Eating Clean: It Does a Body Good

What Clean Eating Really IsClean eating is the act of basing your diet on whole, unprocessed, preferably organic foods. In other words, when you eat clean, you try to eat as low on the food chain as possible. By focusing on whole foods, your diet automati-cally becomes higher in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals and lower in refined sugar, bad fats, and food additives.

In this section, we take a closer look at what clean really means and cover the difference between whole and processed foods. Then we give you six degrees of clean eating so that you can decide what’s right for you.

Eating clean doesn’t mean cleaning your food before eating itEating clean doesn’t mean washing all your food, although you certainly do need to rinse produce before adding it to a recipe or eating it raw. The basic principle of this plan is eating whole foods, which include unprocessed fruits and vegetables, lean meats, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains. The clean part simply means that the food is unprocessed. In other words, clean, whole foods don’t have ingredient labels because they consist of only one ingredient!

Think of eating clean as cleaning up your life. Just as you’d like to live life in a house free of clutter, you need to remove the clutter from your diet. What makes up the clutter in your diet? Junk foods, refined sugar, additives, preservatives, trans fats, white flour, artificial flavors, and toxins — just to name a few! (Check out Chapter 2 for more details on how to apply eating clean principles to your daily life.)

But following the eating clean plan is more than just choosing to eat whole foods. You get to eat more often, too! Because people will eat anything within reach when they’re so hungry it hurts, the eating clean plan involves eating smaller meals plus at least two snacks throughout the day. Spreading out your food intake helps keep your blood sugar stable, which evens out your mood, improves your concentration on tasks during the day, and can even help reduce the risk of some diseases!

Essentially, the eating clean plan calls you to do the following:

✓ Eat the foods made by nature, not man.

✓ Plan to eat five or six meals and snacks throughout the day.

✓ Avoid processed foods (in other words, anything in a box with a label).

✓ Use healthy cooking methods.

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