Clean Eating Grocery List

Everyone is talking about clean eating. This is your all-in-one guide to what you need to buy in order to see all the great results from this simple clean eating grocery list.

Clean eating is about more than just eating healthy foods. It’s a lifestyle. It’s about feeling great because of what you eat, coupled with regular exercise. The best foods for you are those that aren’t processed and most of the diets that work follow this. If you can switch to organic food, you’re even better off.

A good rule of thumb to remember is to choose foods that are found around the outer areas of your grocery store for your easy diet plans.

Why?

Simple, because items that are kept in the center aisles are usually the ones packed with the most preservatives. Here’s a list of foods to help you kick-start or maintain your clean eating lifestyle.

Clean Eating Grocery List

Apples

Fresh apples are great choices when clean eating.

Why?

They contain a significant amount of dietary fiber and vitamin C. Apples are also incredibly versatile. You can eat them raw or cook them. You can also juice them.

Grapefruits

In addition to containing fiber and vitamin C, grapefruits(grapefruit diet) are also high in antioxidants and can help lower cholesterol. They also have a low glycemic index, which means they help your body burn fat.

Bananas

Ripe bananas are excellent sources of vitamin B6, vitamin C and potassium. Bananas are great to have at all times.

Why?

They can be easily added to recipes like smoothies. They can also be consumed raw as a portable and energy-boosting snack.

Avocados

Avocados are rich in nutrients and are a great source of good fats. In fact, people who eat avocados regularly have better nutrient levels and are at lower risk for metabolic syndrome. They are also loaded with B vitamins and vitamin K.

Carrots

Carrots, of course, contain a lot of beta-carotene, which provides a good amount of your daily vitamin A. You can eat them raw, but cooking or pulping carrots will actually allow it to release more of that beta-carotene during digestion.

Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, etc.)

Berries of all kinds are loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. That makes them essential for clean eating. They can be added to smoothies or as toppings on bodybuilding foods choices like whole-wheat cereal and oatmeal to give a little flavor.

Dark green leafy vegetables

Many dark green, leafy vegetables contain nutrients with anti-cancer properties along with the numerous other benefits. Boiling these types of veggies often reduces the amount of nutrients they contain. Try steaming them instead to help preserve all those healthy aspects.

Broccoli

Broccoli also contains some anti-cancer properties. It’s also a good source of vitamin C and fiber. Like leafy vegetables, broccoli can lose some of its zing when it’s boiled. Steaming or boiling broccoli is a great cooking alternative. Doing so will preserve all the nutrients.

Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene (especially the ones with bright orange flesh), fiber and complex carbs.You can also check out how many carbs in sweet potatoes, versus regular. Eating sweet potatoes will help ward off potential vitamin A deficiencies as well.

Bell peppers

All the different-colored varieties of bell peppers are high in antioxidants. But, red bell peppers contain more carotene and vitamin C than green peppers. While all bell peppers are great additions to a clean eating pantry, red peppers contain the most nutrients.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes have been shown to help prevent prostate cancer and to increase the skin’s ability to protect itself against the sun’s harmful UV rays. There are several varieties of tomatoes that are all healthy, but some have more vitamin C than others. As well, some contain more vitamin A. Do your research. Find the tomatoes you think will best fit your clean eating diet and stick with them.

Garlic

Although it contains no significant nutritional value, garlic has been shown to offer a lot of health benefits. It can lower cholesterol, lower the risk of stomach cancer and, in some cases, even help you battle the common cold.

Onions

Onions don’t contain significant amounts of nutrients, either, but they do offer some vitamin C. They also provide ways to add flavor to dishes without adding a lot of calories.

Beans

Beans are high in soluble fiber, so they can help to lower your cholesterol. They are also high in proteins, complex carbs and iron. Needless to say, they are a great addition to your clean eating pantry.

Edamame

Edamame is a type of bean that can usually be eaten raw. They are great as a snack because they’re typically sweeter than regular beans. These beans are packed with protein and are high in fiber and nutrients as well.

Lean Ground Turkey

Turkey typically contains the most protein out of all meats. Sadly, it’s one of the blandest meats. The white meat of turkey (as compared to the dark meat) contains less saturated fat, but the nutritional value of the two is fairly equal. Bonus: Turkey is low fat.

Grass-Fed Beef

Grass-fed cattle are leaner than cattle on a regular diet and so produce less fatty meat that is low in calories.

Venison

Venison may seem like an odd choice for your clean eating pantry, but it shouldn’t be. Its taste and properties are similar to those of lean beef. In fact, it is quickly becoming a popular healthy choice because it’s low in fat.

Duck

De-boned duck breast is a great protein choice. Why? Once the fat is removed, it’s lean and can be grilled like a steak. Duck can also be worked into several types of dishes to provide a little variety.

Wild Salmon Or Tilapia

Wild salmon and tilapia are classified as oily fish and are healthy options because they’re high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. Wild caught fish is better than farmed fish because some farmed species contain dioxins, although typically not enough to be considered dangerous. Tilapia is also low in fat, sodium, calories and mercury.

Eggs

Egg whites are the healthiest part of the egg as they contain mostly water and protein and no cholesterol. The egg yolk, on the other hand, is higher in cholesterol and is usually avoided by people with cholesterol concerns. Egg whites are just as versatile as the whole egg and can be made into delicious breakfast dishes or added as ingredients to other dishes.Eggs for building muscle can also help your gym gains.

Plain Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt falls under the category of strained yogurt, meaning that all of the whey has been removed so that the yogurt is thicker. Many varieties are low-fat or non-fat. Plain Greek yogurt can be a yummy snack by itself. You could also add a few berries or drops of honey to sweeten it. You could even use Greek yogurt as a cooking substitute.

Oatmeal

Regular consumption of oatmeal can lower blood cholesterol because of its fiber. It also contains complex carbs. These help to stabilize the glucose in blood and can help lower risk of heart disease.

Quinoa

You’ve heard of it, but do you really know what it is? Quinoa has become increasingly popular in clean eating diets.

Why?

It’s low in gluten and high in protein. It also contains a whole host of essential nutrients including potassium, magnesium, iron and B vitamins to name a few.

Brown Rice

Brown rice is actually just white rice before the bran layers are removed. It’s a healthier choice over white rice because the layers that are kept on brown rice contain B vitamins, iron and magnesium. Brown rice also retains the dietary fiber found in rice. Sadly, it still contains about the same amount of cholesterol and calories as white rice does.

Whole Wheat Bread

Whole wheat bread is made from whole-wheat grains. Therefore, it retains the nutritional value of the whole grain that’s lost when the grain is stripped of its layers to make regular white bread. Once you give it a chance, you’ll never go back to your old bread.

Marinara Sauce

Marinara sauce is considered clean eating mainly because of the ingredients used to make it. These include tomatoes, garlic, herbs and onions. It’s a great way to add flavor to whole-wheat pasta and chicken dishes while staying on a clean eating diet.

Chicken Broth

Chicken broth is essentially water that’s been flavored when chicken bones, scraps of meat and vegetables have been simmered in it. Because it’s drained of all excess ingredients, chicken broth is a healthy, clean eating base. It can be used to enhance soups or other proteins. It can even be consumed on its own.

Almonds

Almonds are packed with nutrients including B vitamins and vitamin E. They also have essential minerals like calcium, iron and manganese. Almonds are great as a snack on their own. They can also be sliced and diced to add them to dishes like salad or pasta. They are high in fiber and can even help to lower cholesterol.

Walnuts

Walnuts are rich in nutrients. They contain B vitamins, protein and fiber, as well as manganese. Like almonds, walnuts can be eaten on their own. They can also be chopped or sliced to add as a healthy and flavorful garnish to other dishes.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds contain significant amounts of zinc, iron, calcium and B vitamins. They are typically used as an ingredient for other foods such as breakfast cereals, smoothies, tortillas and granola bars.

Flax Seeds

Flax seeds are high in fiber and protein. They can be eaten raw as sprouts and have a slightly spicy flavor. They can also be roasted or powdered and added as ingredients in rice dishes.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

This is generally used as base for cooking and can be substituted for butter in most recipes. It also contains vitamins E and K . In Italian cooking, it’s often combined with balsamic vinegar for salad dressings, dips and sauces.

Basil

Basil contains several essential oils that can be beneficial to your health. It’s even sometimes used in treatments to relieve stress. Bonus: Basil contains powerful antioxidants and anti-microbials that can help to prevent cancer.

Oregano

Oregano is a very popular herb due to its intense flavor. It’s also very versatile. You can use fresh or dried oregano to similar success. It contains essential oils that were traditionally used to soothe digestive problems. But, its best quality is that distinct flavor. A little goes a long way to creating a really flavorful dish.

Cinnamon

This is a great spice to have in a clean eating pantry because it contains fiber, a low amount of sugar and it provides energy. It’s also amazingly versatile. It comes in stick form, which can be used to sweeten tea or water. Cinnamon also comes in a ground powder that can be sprinkled on desserts like baked apples to create a healthy but sweet dish.

Honey

Honey is a great natural sweetener. You can use it to sweeten clean eating dishes because it’s mainly composed of natural sugars with only trace amounts of other ingredients. Buying and using local honey may also help combat seasonal allergies.

Conclusion

Some manufacturers sometimes change the ingredients in their food, so it’s a good idea to always read the ingredients lists on labels. You may make some interesting discoveries about what you’ve been eating. Plus, you’ll soon be savvier at identifying what is and what isn’t considered clean or healthy eating.

The best part about a clean eating diet is that the majority of clean ingredients such as the ones found on this list can be combined to create a wide variety of foods and dishes. Remember: Clean eating doesn’t have to be boring. All you really have to give up is fatty, processed food. Your reward will be feeling and looking better. You can’t ask for much more than that!

By Sara Campanelli