The Benefits of Clean Eating For Mums
As a busy mum, sometimes it can be very tempting to rely on quick to prepare, processed foods for meals and snacks. You may be rushing around, trying to take care of so many things in a day, grabbing a handful of potato chips or quickly zapping a frozen meal may be the only thing you think you can manage. Sometimes thinking of preparing a fresh, clean, healthy meal can seem completely overwhelming. But, let us suggest a different approach to your daily diet. Instead of seeing healthy eating and cooking clean meals for your family as a burden, look at it as in investment in not just your health, but also your energy and mental well-being. After all, who really feels their best and has energy to take care of children after a day of munching on junk food and just grabbing whatever is easiest? Eating healthy, unprocessed, clean foods provides a myriad of benefits that with just a little prepping and planning, you can start tapping into right now.
The term “clean” eating refers to choosing to eat unprocessed, whole, nutrient dense foods. Some people refer to it as a “real food” diet, which is based around consuming lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as opposed to a “fake” food diet, based on processed foods loaded with salt, sugar, preservatives and chemicals. Most processed foods, such as sugary cereals, white bread and cookies, are generally found in the middle aisles of the grocery store. These foods provide very few nutrients and definitely don’t give us sustained energy throughout the day (And energy is certainly something we need as busy mums)! Some of these foods may even be harmful to our health. For example, white bread, although it does contain carbohydrates for energy, does not provide any fibre and any vitamins it may contain are added artificially. The lack of fibre in the bread, allows it to be digested and absorbed quickly, sending a surge of sugar into your body. Any sugar that cannot be immediately used will be stored, usually as fat. Since the sugar from the bread is used so quickly, it leaves you hungry for more. On the other hand, opting for a high-fibre whole grain such as quinoa or brown rice, makes you feel full longer because the fibre takes time to digest and the sugar enters the blood stream at a slower pace. This allows you to actually use the energy from the carbohydrates in the grain and less will be stored as fat. You are also full for a longer period of time, so you end up eating less overall.
Another benefit of clean eating is that when you provide your body with the nutrients it actually needs, you end up eating less overall. When you base your diet on food which doesn’t provide any real nutrition, your body sends a signal to eat more (generally for sugar!) because the need for vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients has still not been met. Eating clean will allow you to achieve a natural, healthy, ideal weight and optimal energy for those busy days - without starvation or dieting.
Julie Masci, BHlthSc, APD, AN
Julie Masci is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist. She is a Mum to two boys - a blueberry loving toddler and a bouncing newborn. Julie has appeared on Brisbane’s televisions as an expert dietitian on Channel 9 News, Channel 7 News, Today Tonight and Brisbane Extra, as a diet and nutrition expert. She has extensive experience as a public speaker on a variety of nutrition topics, such as obesity, diabetes, and digestive health. In her career, she has been a monthly contributor to Prevention Magazine as their Grocery Guru and Australian Weight Watchers magazine. Julie is one of In Shape Mummy’s dietitians and the founder and director of New Life Nutrition.
