Spring may nearly be over, but this is no excuse not to do some more cleaning in terms of what we eat! After all your body certainly deserves to be healthy and happy, so why not spend a little time focusing on what you put in it?

Eating Clean Helps– To be healthy you need to be eating healthy, and the best way to start is focusing on eating “FRESH”, wholesome and nutritious foods. “Clean eating” is consuming whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins instead of processed foods and refined sugars. The idea of “clean eating” has been around since the 1960’s and I believe more needs to be done to promote it today.

This lifestyle change is a good start to getting healthier food choices without the need for strict dieting rules. “Clean foods” contain a lot of essential minerals, vitamins and fibre, which then provides a lot of nutrients to help keep your body full and energized. By eating “clean”, you avoid high amounts of processed, sugary and refined foods, which are higher in calories and are not as nutritious.

Eating wholesome foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains and lean proteins can help decrease the risk of diabetes, heart disease, many types of cancer and aid in weight control. Eating whole foods can also help boost your immune and liver function and improve energy levels, helping you maintain optimal health.

Spring Into Eating Clean- Eating is really what you make it. The more wholesome foods you choose to eat, the greater the benefits. Here are 5 wholesome foods to add to your diet straight off the bat.

Beetroot– These dark purple powerhouses are rich in folate, providing 37% of recommended daily value per 1 cup. Beetroot are usually eaten raw in salads or can be roasted or boiled to make the flavour sweet. If you do roast or boil, only do so for about 15 minutes to prevent loss of nutrients.

Cherries- In spring Cherries are now in peak season. Cherries are a good source of fibre, providing 13% of the recommended daily value in 1 cup. They also help reduce inflammation and if you struggle with sleep, taking this before bed really does help you go to sleep…try it!

Artichokes- Theses little flowers are rich in vitamin C, providing about 20% of the recommended daily value per 1 medium artichoke. It is also a good source of iron with 16% the daily recommended value. Artichokes also contain the flavonoid sliymarin, which may help boost liver function. You should look for ones with tight leaves and clean, freshly cut stems.

Fennel- This sweet, liquorice-like flavoured bulb is most often associated with the popular Mediterranean diet. All parts of the vegetable can be eaten … bulb, stalk, leaves and seeds.

Rhubarb- This veggie (yes it’s a veggie) is often presumed as a fruit because of its flavour that makes it best for dessert. Only the stalks can be eaten and they contain modest amounts of potassium and vitamins.