Are you convinced that clean eating is essential for real, sustainable weight loss? Good, because there’s a lot more to learn! Clean foods don’t just help you lose weight by keeping you full, crushing your cravings, and delivering key nutrients that keep your metabolism running like a well-oiled machine. They can also give you more energy, slash your stress, boost your mood, and help you sleep better. And believe it or not, all of these things can significantly impact the number you see on the scale.
Let’s take a minute to check in and see how you’re feeling while you read this. Are you wide awake or kind of tired? Relaxed or tense? Content or cranky? No matter your answers, chances are they have a lot to do with whatever you’ve eaten today. Enjoyed a bowl of oatmeal with chopped nuts and fresh fruit? You might be bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to tackle whatever comes your way. Went for the giant cinnamon bun instead? Exhausted and frazzled may be your mood du jour.
You know that old phrase “You are what you eat”? It’s usually used to make the point that you’ll have a healthy, lean body if you eat mostly healthy foods and a not-so-healthy, not-so-lean body if you eat mostly unhealthy ones. But the foods that make up the majority of your diet can also help determine your mood, stress level, and overall sense of well-being. In other words, your food affects your external, internal, and emotional health.
Physically, you are what you eat. But in a way, you also feel what you eat. And when you feel good, you’re more motivated to make smart choices that support your health and weight loss, like taking the time to cook a clean meal instead of ordering pizza, or heading outside for a walk instead of binge watching your favorite TV show all night. Sure, those might sound like small choices that don’t matter much in the grand scheme of things. But it’s the little decisions like these that, over time, form the healthy (or not-so-healthy) habits that end up determining your weight.
Of course, no one’s saying you have to be perfect. We all have those occasional days where there’s zero time to cook dinner and the mere thought of working out is too exhausting to contemplate. As long as those days are the exception instead of the rule, you don’t need to worry. Your goal is to focus on making choices that foster wellness—and healthy weight loss—most of the time. One of the most effective ways to do that? You guessed it. It’s by eating clean.
Notes from a Clean Eater
“I have more energy, less stress, and I’m happy that I’m doing something for myself. I’m definitely going to continue eating clean because now I know I can do this.” —Maryann L.
Once you have the right tools (like this book!), you’ll find that the principles behind losing weight and keeping it off are pretty simple. But putting them into practice does take more effort than you’d expend hanging out on the couch and ordering takeout. You don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen, but you do need to devote some time to thinking about what you’ll eat, shopping for your ingredients, and prepping clean meals and healthy snacks. You don’t have to train to become a marathon runner, but you do need to find ways to move more.
All of that stuff requires energy. And if you’re used to eating the standard American diet, you might not feel like you have all that much of it to spare. When it comes to the nutrients that keep your body fueled and your mind focused, processed foods are a veritable wasteland. To make matters worse, they’re brimming with the sugar and refined carbs that practically guarantee exhaustion and brain drain. Skeptical? Try subsisting on sugary granola bars for a day or two and see how you feel. Or take science’s word for it: Sugar actually inhibits neurons in your brain that promote feelings of wakefulness, according to British findings published in the journal Neuron.1 No wonder that afternoon candy bar always ends up leaving you feeling even fuzzier than you did before you peeled back the wrapper.
With clean foods, it’s just the opposite. Fiber-rich complex carbohydrates and lean proteins get digested more slowly than their processed, refined counterparts, so you stay revved for longer and don’t end up crashing. And whole foods are rich in important nutrients like magnesium, iron, and vitamin B12, all of which are essential for helping you feel energized. The bottom line? When you eat clean, you have more oomph to tackle your day—and to put in the work needed to meet your weight-loss goals.
Need a boost? Certain nutrients play particularly important roles in staving off sluggishness. Pay attention to these three biggies to increase your focus and fight fatigue.
IRON
Why it matters: Your red blood cells need this mineral to transport oxygen throughout your body, and when you don’t get enough, you can end up feeling foggy, weak, and even out of breath.
Aim to get: 18 mg daily for women under age 50, 8 g daily for men and women over age 50
Find it in: Oysters, lean beef, sardines, non-GMO soybeans and tofu, lentils, beans (kidney, lima, black, and pinto), clams, and spinach
MAGNESIUM
Why it matters: Your body relies on magnesium to convert food into energy, as well as for proper muscle function. Fall short, and even basic activities like carrying a bag of groceries can feel harder.
Aim to get: 320 mg daily for women, 420 mg daily for men
Find it in: Halibut; almonds, cashews, and other nuts; peanuts; black beans; spinach; avocado; milk; whole grains; and dark chocolate
VITAMIN B12
Why it matters: Vitamin B12 plays a role in building the red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout your body, and too little will leave you weak and foggy-headed. Since the vast majority of plant foods don’t naturally contain B12, vegetarians and vegans should take extra care to meet their needs. Look for fortified foods or consider taking a supplement.
Aim to get: 2.4 mcg daily for women and men
Find it in: Clams, fatty fish, canned light tuna, lean beef, dairy foods, eggs, nutritional yeast, fortified nondairy milks, and fortified cereals
There’s no doubt that an ice cream cone or a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies will put a smile on your face. But that kind of happiness, while worthwhile, is only temporary. If you were in a crummy mood before you treated yourself to a scoop of rocky road, chances are you’ll go back to feeling rocky yourself after the last lick. But sometimes, that can be tough to remember—since in the moment that you’re eating it, junk food can make you feel pretty awesome. That’s because loading up on sugar or refined carbs activates the reward system in your brain, prompting it to pump out megadoses of the pleasure hormone dopamine. Dopamine, FYI, is the same hormone that your brain releases in response to highly addictive drugs like cocaine.2 Yikes.
Of course, all good things have to end sooner or later. The problem with pounding back the junk food is that once you stop, the dopamine release shuts down. You’re left wondering why the party ended—and craving more junk to get the good times going again. It might’ve taken a brain scientist to understand exactly how the process works, but it doesn’t take one to figure out that that sort of habit could end up leaving you pretty moody—not to mention on a constant hunt for your next sugar fix.
Clean foods are free of the added sugars and refined carbs that send your dopamine levels into overdrive. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t make you happy, too! By delivering a steady source of energy and keeping you off the emotional roller coaster, clean foods work to keep your mood nice and even. Sure, the highs might not be as extreme as the highs that come from eating sugary, processed foods, but the lows won’t be as low, either. What’s more, research suggests that eating clean can actually lead to greater happiness overall. One Australian study of nearly 14,000 people found that those who ate nine or more daily servings (about 6 cups or more) of fruits and vegetables reported feeling more satisfied with their lives compared to those who consumed less.3 People also report feeling calmer, happier, and more energetic on days when they eat fruits and vegetables, according to findings published in the British Journal of Health Psychology.4 It all sounds pretty nice, right?
Notes from a Clean Eater
“Before I would get my period, I’d have bad PMS. I don’t have that now. No mood swings, nothing. I’m going to keep eating clean. It’s a no-brainer.”—Gigi D.
BEFORE
Want proof that eating clean can lead to amazing changes? Just look at Gigi. After Gigi had been eating clean for several weeks, a friend called her up at 6:30 in the morning to invite her on a 17-mile bike ride. Feeling energetic, Gigi decided to go. “Before that, the last time I [rode a bike], I was 10 years old! And it was not for 17 miles. So that was huge,” she beams.
Huge, indeed. Gigi had been taking steps to eat better for about 9 months before fully committing to eating clean. She started getting serious about eating as much organic food as possible. She only had wine or sugar once in a while. She even made sure to bring clean food to social events like holidays and birthday parties so she always had something delicious to eat.
“I really was very careful with what I ate,” she says. But for Gigi, going from pretty clean to squeaky clean was exactly what she needed. The sugar cravings that used to plague her at night disappeared. Her mind felt clearer. And her moods were consistently positive instead of up and down, as they had often been before.
What’s more, she’s sticking with her new habits. “If you want to be healthy, this is how you should be eating,” she says. “It’s really not a program, it’s not a diet. It’s a way of life.”
Dr. Wendy Observes: Surprising things can happen when you start eating clean! Your mood shifts and you just might turn back the hands of time to tap some youthful energy you didn’t realize you had. Small shifts paid off for Gigi in ways that she didn’t expect. Sure, she lost weight and inches, which was great. But to engage life with a more positive, vibrant outlook? That’s a reward worth seeking!
TOTAL POUNDS LOST
7.5lbs
TOTAL INCHES LOST
6.5
MOST NOTABLE IMPROVEMENTS
Eating clean gave Gigi a major energy boost. Her moods were more even-keeled, too, even before her period, when she would usually deal with mood swings.
You know that tense, frazzled feeling that makes you want to run straight for something comforting, like a frosted doughnut or a gooey, melty bowl of mac and cheese? Of course you do. Scarfing down junk is a pretty normal response to feeling anxious or stressed—and at some point or another, we’ve all done it. But it won’t help you relax for long, and it definitely won’t help you lose weight!
Eating clean can actually help keep stress—and the snack-crazy urges that often come with it—at bay. When you eat foods that aren’t packed with refined sugars and carbs, you avoid the extreme blood sugar spikes and dips that can leave you feeling moody, irritable, and ready to reach for the cookie jar. In fact, research shows that eating a diet based on whole, unprocessed foods is associated with lower risks for both anxiety and depression, while sticking to a Western-style diet of processed or fried foods, refined grains, and excess sugar is linked to higher risks for both conditions.5
That’s important, because once you get tangled up in the vicious cycle of sugar and stress, it can be tough to find your way out. Say you’re at the corner deli, planning to get a turkey-and-veggie sandwich on whole wheat with a side salad for lunch. As you’re waiting in line, you get an e-mail from your boss asking if you can send over that report by the end of the day instead of by the end of the week. You immediately feel frenzied and start eyeing the pastrami sandwich and side of creamy coleslaw that the guy in front of you just ordered. Because stress makes it harder to exert self-control—even when you want to make healthy choices—you cave and copy his order. You’ll get that more nutritious combo you had actually planned on tomorrow.
As you’re inhaling your meal, your boss sends another e-mail asking you for a status update, ASAP. Now you’re in full-on anxiety overload. Your body’s levels of the stress hormone cortisol start surging, which sends your body right toward storing fat. If that’s not bad enough, all of that unspent cortisol leaves you feeling ravenous and desperate for anything made with sugar and white flour. So you grab a giant chocolate chip cookie before running back to the office, thinking it will calm your nerves and help you plow through the crazy amount of work you now have to take care of.
At the end of what turns out to be an insanely long day, you finally hand in the finished report. Exhausted, you pick up a container of greasy stir-fry for dinner. Thanks to who-knows-how-much sugar in the stir-fry sauce and a mountain of white rice, your energy crashes half an hour after dinner and you fall asleep without even putting on your pj’s. In the morning, you wake up totally frazzled, so you grab a sugary blueberry muffin at the coffee shop. So starts another day.
For many of us, these sorts of scenarios happen all the time. And of course, no one’s saying that eating quinoa and salmon can stop stressful situations from happening. But picking clean foods over processed ones can help your moods stay more even. That way, when life throws you the inevitable curveball, you can remain (somewhat) calmer—instead of flying off the handle and reaching for the candy bowl.
Why not start harnessing the feel-good powers of fruits and vegetables right now? Think about how you can ramp up the produce in each of your meals and snacks for the rest of the day—and reap the benefits of happier, more even moods. (Or do it tomorrow, if you’re reading this before bed.) How about a banana instead of cookies with lunch? The carbohydrates will boost your brain’s production of the feel-good hormone serotonin while the fiber promotes a steady, even mood. What about some nuts at snack time, or sprinkled on top of a salad? Almonds, cashews, and peanuts are top sources of magnesium, which promotes feelings of calm. Can you do a juicy orange or some crunchy broccoli florets with your dinner? Both are rich in folate, a vitamin that’s linked to lower rates of depression.
If losing weight feels like one more thing to worry about, try shifting your perspective a little bit: While stress is inevitable, you have in your possession one simple tool that’s proven to help you feel less frazzled—and that’s eating clean. Eating real, balanced meals on a regular schedule keeps your blood sugar steady so you stay focused and energized. Plus, planning clean meals and snacks in advance saves you time—not to mention the anxiety of scrambling to figure out what’s for dinner every night. So close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. (Really—try it now!) Don’t you feel better already?
Notes from a Clean Eater
“I think sugar was causing me to be short-tempered or easily frustrated. Little things would irritate me completely. Eating clean really changed that.” —Alan F.
Nearly half of all Americans say that they regularly struggle to get enough quality sleep.6 If you’re one of them, listen up: You might not realize it, but the way you eat has a major impact on how much—and how well—you snooze. And the better rested you are, the easier it is to reach or maintain a healthy weight. Want proof? When Harvard researchers followed some 60,000 women for nearly 2 decades, those who regularly slept for fewer than 5 hours per night were 32 percent more likely to gain 30 or more pounds compared to those who regularly slept for 7 or more hours.9 Yup, when it comes to getting lean, sleep is that important.
Even so, the relationship between sleep and weight is complicated, and experts still have a lot to learn about how the two are connected. What does seem to be clear, though, is that a steady stream of highly processed, inferior food can make it harder to get the quality sleep you need. Research published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that people who eat diets high in sugar and refined carbs tend to take longer to fall asleep and wake up more frequently during the night.10 Meanwhile, unhealthy fats could negatively affect the body’s normal sleep–wake cycle, making it harder to doze off at night and wake up refreshed in the morning.
In part, that’s because staying up later can seriously impact your ability to make choices that can help you get leaner. When you’re zonked, you simply have less energy for things like shopping for fresh food, preparing clean meals, or even exercising. To make matters worse, running short on shut-eye actually makes it harder to resist junky snacks. In fact, one SLEEP study found that sleep deprivation actually cranks up the pleasurable effects of salty, sugary, and fatty foods by amplifying the body’s endocannabinoid system—yes, the same one that responds to marijuana.11 And to top it all off, when you don’t get enough sleep, your body actually prompts you to eat more calories and burn fewer of them. If that’s not an ugly recipe for spending countless unproductive hours zoned out on Netflix and sugary snacks, nothing is.
There’s more to it, though. Eating clean doesn’t just pull you out of the cycle of eating junk food, sleeping poorly, and then eating more junk food because you’re sleep-deprived. Clean foods actually deliver the nutrients your body needs to sleep better. Research shows that people with adequate levels of vitamin D—found in foods like eggs, mushrooms, fortified milk, and fatty fish—are 33 percent less likely to experience insomnia than those with insufficient levels of this nutrient.15 And speaking of fatty fish, some findings suggest that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish like tuna and salmon can actually contribute to a better night’s rest.16 (So far, the research has been conducted on kids, but it’s likely that adults would reap similar benefits.)17 Your body relies on potassium (found in foods like sweet potatoes and bananas) and magnesium (found in foods like avocados, nuts, and seeds) to help your muscles relax so you can drift off to dreamland sooner. And it needs the calcium in foods like plain yogurt and leafy greens in order to produce the hormone melatonin, which tells your body when it’s time to feel sleepy. (A few foods, including tart cherries and walnuts, actually contain melatonin.) With all of that in mind, it might not come as much of a surprise to learn that people who eat diets high in fiber-rich foods, like many of those just mentioned, report getting deeper, more restful sleep than their processed-food-eating counterparts.18
Feel a case of the crazies coming on? Resist the urge to nix those nerves with an empty-calorie snack, and try one of these clean, calming picks instead.
A CANDY BAR FOR 1 OUNCE OF DARK CHOCOLATE
Findings suggest that the flavonoids in dark chocolate could keep levels of the stress hormone cortisol from spiking during tense times,7 while cocoa may help lower your blood pressure.8 For the most phytonutrients and the least amount of added sugar, stick with dark chocolate that’s at least 80 percent cacao.
POTATO CHIPS FOR ¼ CUP OF ROASTED, SALTED CASHEWS
Both are rich, salty snacks. But cashews pack the mineral selenium and the amino acid tryptophan, both of which can elevate your mood. (As for potato chips, we don’t need to remind you that they’re practically devoid of nutrition, right?)
COOKIES FOR A MEDIUM BANANA
An all-carbohydrate snack ramps up your brain’s production of the feel-good hormone serotonin within minutes of consumption, so you start to feel calmer—stat. And sure, cookies are loaded with carbs, but they don’t offer much else. Eat a medium banana, instead, and you’ll get the same chill-out benefits, plus fiber (to slow digestion and keep you happy longer) and loads of potassium.
Ready to stop counting sheep? Pick an evening snack that actually helps you drift off to dreamland sooner, like one of these. Enjoy it 2 to 3 hours before going to sleep, since eating too close to bedtime can disrupt your sleep.
• 4 whole grain crackers topped with 1⁄4 cup of cottage cheese. Cottage cheese is rich in protein, which your body needs to make the sleep-promoting amino acid tryptophan. And crackers have carbohydrates, which boost tryptophan’s availability to your brain.
• 8 ounces of tart cherry juice. Tart cherries are a top source of melatonin, the hormone responsible for regulating your sleep–wake cycle. Plus, research shows that tart Montmorency cherries can help people with insomnia sleep longer—and better.12
• 10 walnut halves. Like tart cherries, walnuts contain melatonin—and eating them has been shown to increase levels of the hormone in your blood, according to a study in Nutrition.13
• Half a slice of whole grain toast with 1 tablespoon of almond butter. Both deliver magnesium, which can offer protection against sleep-disrupting leg cramps and insomnia.
• 8 ounces of low-fat milk. Many of us struggle with getting enough calcium and vitamin D, but both can reduce the odds of having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Milk is one of the few foods that serves up both.
• A cup of chamomile tea. This naturally sweet herbal sipper has long been used to promote feelings of calm and relaxation. Plus, it’s calorie-free, so no worries. It can help you doze off even if you’ve already reached your snack limit for the day.
BEFORE
Sixty-four-year-old Alan had known for a while that he needed to lose weight. But getting motivated to do so wasn’t easy. “My kids had been on me about it for a couple of years,” he says. “Before this chance came along, I had decided that I was never going to change. I convinced myself that I was just going to be this way until I had a heart attack or something.”
His decision to make a change couldn’t have come at a better time. Three weeks into eating clean, Alan was diagnosed with prostate cancer. His doctors said his prognosis was good, but they also told him that losing weight could only help his health—and help him tolerate his treatments better. “I was glad that I had already started cleaning up what I was eating before I started the treatments,” he remarks.
There were other benefits, too. Food had always been a way for Alan to deal with his feelings. As he started eating clean, he realized that the best way to avoid emotional eating was to simply be honest with himself. One time, driving home after treatment, he wanted to use a coupon to get a free coffee from a doughnut shop. In the past, he would’ve rewarded himself by buying a couple of doughnuts, as well. “But I didn’t do that,” he says. “I just figured, you’re on this plan. And you’re actually staying on this plan.”
At the same time, Alan found that eating clean actually helped his moods stay steadier. At work, sugary snacks would give him a short-lived energy boost, only to leave him tired and irritated. “Being on the plan really changed that. I haven’t felt the stress that I was feeling before,” he gladly reports.
As he continues treatment, Alan’s doctors say there’s a great chance that he’ll beat his cancer. In the meantime, he’s working on losing another 26 pounds to reach his goal weight and is making continued progress.
Dr. Wendy Observes: By some estimates, we face nearly 200 food choices a day. Add life stresses into the mix, and it’s absolutely no surprise that we fall into food traps guided by our emotions rather than our stomachs. That was what Alan did, until he started eating clean. That’s when he realized that he was in charge of his choices—and that small decisions, like passing on the doughnut while still enjoying the coffee, add up to measurable progress. By taking those steps, Alan put himself well on his way, and now he’s taking charge of his health instead of letting it happen to him. And his progress and prognosis are good!
TOTAL POUNDS LOST
15lbs
TOTAL INCHES LOST
7.75
MOST NOTABLE IMPROVEMENTS
Alan’s cholesterol decreased by 57 points, moving from the high to the healthy range. His energy levels went up, and his stress levels went down.
Getting enough sleep doesn’t just promote the kind of clearheaded thinking that helps you pick salmon over a bacon double cheeseburger or a handful of nuts instead of a handful of candy. Adequate sleep actually appears to play a role in keeping your metabolism humming along at a healthy rate, so you burn more calories. When University of Pennsylvania researchers tracked the metabolic rates of unlucky subjects who were limited to just 4 hours of sleep for 5 nights, they found that the subjects burned about 42 fewer calories per day than they did when they weren’t sleep-deprived.14 At that rate, a week of poor sleep could cause you to burn nearly 300 fewer calories—the equivalent of a breakfast of a creamy bowl of oatmeal with nuts and fruit. That’s right! You can actually earn more calories just by making it a point to get more snooze time. Next time you’re tempted to stay up and watch another hour of TV, remember your get-lean goal—and hit the hay.
You know those days when you wake up in the morning and something just feels off? Maybe your skin is starting to break out, or your hair seems dull and lifeless. Or you feel weirdly bloated, and the jeans that always look good suddenly don’t. Deep down, you know this kind of stuff is small and short-lived and that you shouldn’t let it bother you. But often, it still does. So you head out the door feeling sort of down about yourself—and those negative feelings start to affect the decisions you make throughout the day. You’re already feeling a little yucky, so why bother exercising or making healthy food choices?
When you make clean foods the mainstays of your diet, you’re getting more of the important nutrients that can help you look your best—think clearer, more radiant skin; bouncier, shinier hair; and even a flatter, bloat-free belly. The sugar, refined carbs, and sodium abundant in processed foods can actually ramp up sebum production and promote breakouts, not to mention that it can cause water retention that can leave you feeling puffy. Overdoing it on the sweet stuff could be particularly bad because too much sugar can actually make your skin duller and more wrinkled. That’s thanks to a process called glycation, where the sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins to form harmful new products called advanced glycation end products (or—appropriately—AGEs, for short). AGEs do damage to collagen and elastin, the protein fibers that keep skin firm and elastic. And the more sugar you eat, the more AGEs develop.
Eating clean can help fight all of this stuff. Fruits and vegetables pack powerful phytonutrients that actually keep sugar from attaching to proteins, helping your skin stay smooth and supple instead of turning tired or lifeless. Whole foods boost your beauty in other big ways, too. Fresh produce, whole grains, and nuts are all brimming with beta-carotene, iron, zinc, vitamin C, and B vitamins that can strengthen your hair follicles. Yogurt, raw sauerkraut, artichokes, and onions deliver probiotics and prebiotics that help promote good digestion and keep uncomfortable bloating at bay. And animal findings suggest that the good bacteria play a role in protecting skin against the sun’s harmful UV rays19—and even stimulate the growth of healthier, shinier hair.20
In other words, clean foods are beautifying foods that can help jump-start a sort of feel-good feedback loop. When you’re already happy with what you see when you look in the mirror, you’re more likely to feel motivated to do more of the good-for-you things that can help you lose weight.
Drinking 20 ounces of sugary soda a day can age cells by this much—or the same amount as being a regular smoker, according to findings from the American Journal of Public Health.21
That yucky, puffy feeling that comes from overindulging? It can sometimes play weird mind games that can drive you to eat more junk. For a flatter belly that leaves you feeling good instead of bloated, swap bloat-causing snacks for these clean picks.
DIET SODA FOR UNSWEETENED ICED TEA WITH FRESH PEPPERMINT
The carbonation from the bubbles can get trapped in your belly and cause bloating. Iced tea is free of fizz (not to mention unhealthy artificial sweeteners), while peppermint leaves add fresh flavor and enhance your digestion.
POTATO CHIPS OR PRETZELS FOR ¼ CUP OF UNSALTED ALMONDS OR WALNUTS
The sodium and refined carbs in salty snacks can cause water retention and puffiness. Unsalted nuts are free of both offending ingredients, but they still pack the same satisfying crunch.
CANDY OR COOKIES FOR A BANANA OR 2 CUPS OF WATERMELON
The sky-high amounts of sugar in sweet snacks can be tough on your digestive system and can lead to gassiness. Bananas and watermelon still deliver a sweet flavor, but for way less sugar. They’re also good sources of potassium, which can help fight water retention caused by eating too much sodium.
Yes, you can eat your way to lovelier skin! For a radiant, more healthful complexion, make an effort to work more of these into your meals and snacks.
For a radiant glow: Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and butternut squash
Orange fruits and vegetables get their bright hue from the antioxidant beta-carotene. And when you eat them, findings show that they can quite literally give dull, sallow complexions a brighter, sun-kissed appearance—minus the UV-ray exposure.22
For younger-looking skin: Avocados, walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds
The monounsaturated fats in avocado and omega-3 fatty acids in walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds play an important role in helping your skin stay hydrated. As a result, skin looks smoother and more supple, and it shows fewer fine lines. Monounsaturated fats, too, are essential for the creation of healthy skin cells.
For extra sun protection: Coffee, green tea, grapes, tomatoes, and ginger
At first glance, these foods and drinks might not have much in common. But all of them deliver dermis-friendly phytonutrients that can both help protect against future and fight existing damage and inflammation caused by the sun’s UV rays. (They won’t replace your sunscreen, though, so keep applying it daily!)
For healthy, nourished skin overall: Kiwifruit, strawberries, blueberries, and oranges
All of these are rich in vitamin C, an essential nutrient that speeds wound healing, prevents easy bruising, and staves off dryness. It also aids in the production of the protein collagen, which helps skin stay firm and elastic.
Putting It All Together
1 Remember that food affects how you feel, so eat to feel good. Clean meals and snacks boost your mood and energy levels, helping you stay revved to make more smart choices.
2 Sleep well and stay calm to burn on. Find ways to unwind and cope with stress, and prioritize getting 7 to 8 hours of shut-eye each night. Stress and sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on your metabolism and make you crave sugary, processed foods.
3 Harness clean food’s beauty-boosting effects. From clearer skin to a flatter belly, the right foods can help you love the way you look now—which can motivate you to stay the clean-eating course.
