#ProcessedFreeFor33

33 days Processed Free Foods..

We are really excited to announce our #ProcessedFreeFor33 campaign which will be launching on Monday the 28th of April. We have paired up with the team at My Blissful health and will have their Director and Head trainer Tahli Greenwood Guest Blogging on NF. 

Clean eating and what exactly defines it’s principles are a subject of great debate especially amongst different health professionals. For us we define it as a nourishing diet encompassing health practices of non-refined foods, wholefoods, not eliminating any food groups (unless for specific medical reasons) learning more about where it comes from and how healthy it is for you.

The foundations of a clean diet are

1.      Adequate water

2.      Plant based meals from wholesome fruits and vegetables.

3.      Whole grain complex carbohydrates.

4.      Eliminating preservatives, additives and other hidden nasties; added sodium and saturated fat.

5.      No sugar (in terms of added sugar)

Now our diet is generally quiet good however we’re not Betty Crocker 24/7 so often have pasta, tinned foods (think baked beans, kidney beans, corn, tuna, tomatoes); breakfast cereals and bread. The aim of this campaign is to eliminate these processed foods for a month (33 just happens to rhyme quiet well). We’re intrigued to see how it effects our skin, energy levels, food preparation time and general well-being.

So what are processed foods? They often come in a box or a jar, are can be high in added sugars, low in fiber and whole grains, processed with sodium, high in fat including trans fat and lots of saturated fat.

While snack foods, candy, cookies, take away and crackers are certainly considered processed foods, “healthy” foods can fall into this category too.

·         Pasta, Noodles, White Rice

·         Flour, sugar as an added ingredient

·         Tinned Tuna, Salmon

·         Dry biscuits or rice cakes

·         Bread/wraps

·         Toppings, sauces and spreads: vegemite, peanut butter, processed honey, soy sauce, tomato sauce, sweet chilli,

·         Processed meats

·         Juice, supplements, cordial, sports/energy drinks

·         Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese, cream, sour cream

·         Breakfast cereals

·         Tinned Legumes

·         Salad Dressing

·         Muesli bars

·         Packaged tea and coffee

Over the next 33 days we will be eliminating these foods. However as we are firm believers in not excluding food groups we will be keeping in Cow’s Milk and having a natural yogurt (no flavoured).

The easiest way to for you to try this is cut out anything that comes in packaging.

This are our top tips for making the transition.

·         Make your own bread and pasta its actually fun and surprising easy.

·         Re-hydrating legumes.

·         Purchasing ingredients from markets only. No supermarkets

·         Make meals plant based.

·         Swap traditional carbohydrates for plant based starches. Where pasta use to be go for a sweet potato or other starchy vegetables.

·         Creating your own muesli blend.

·         Cracking and Roasting own nuts.

·         Plan meals: If you always have fresh vegetables in the fridge and herbs you can cook anything.

Breakfast ideas

Raw muesli, Smoothies, Oats, Poached eggs, Omelette

Lunch

Frittata, brown rice sushi, Vegetable soup, Super Salads

Dinner

Steamed fish with garlic and chilli, garlic and ginger vegetables, meat and veg, stuffed capsicums

Snacks

Veggie sticks with homemade dips, nut balls, fruit, smoothie, boiled eggs, nuts

We'd love you to join in using the Hashtag  #ProcessedFreeFor33 include your meals, workouts, anything!! Stay tuned for healthy recipes, snack ideas, workouts and prizes!

Good luck!!