The Clean and the Dirty

The “dirty dozen” and “clean 15” are two lists I refer to very often. While we all know that buying organic is always best, it’s often much more difficult and not to mention (ok, I’m going to mention) costly. It helps to save time, money, and health to keep these lists in mind while shopping. Knowing which items are often pumped with pesticides and those that typically are not gives us a guide of where to spend a little extra mula and when it’s not so necessary. Here ya go, folks. The clean and the dirty…not that there are not a dozen or 15 because I’ve found some variety and wanted to include them all, regardless of the catchy rhymes.

groceries

The Clean: (safe to buy non-organic)

  • asparagus
  • melon
  • sweet corn
  • pineapple
  • mango
  • sweet peas
  • kiwi
  • cabbage
  • eggplant
  • avocado
  • bananas
  • citrus
  • squash
  • sweet potatoes
  • onions
  • mushrooms
  • papaya

The Dirty: (buy organic when possible)

  • apples
  • berries
  • celery
  • peaches
  • strawberries
  • cherry tomatoes
  • nectarines
  • peppers
  • cucumbers
  • greens: spinach, kale, lettuce, and collard greens
  • cherries
  • potatoes
  • grapes
  • zucchini
  • carrots

One Healthy Breakdown: be aware and shop smart. Stay green and clean!

Q & A w Z: Foods to Eat

Q:  What foods should we be eating everyday and what foods should we try to avoid?

Fruits and Vegetables in Grocery Store

A:  What foods should we eat everyday?  Foods we like!  Eat food you like, just make sure it’s healthy.  We’ll never stick to a plan if we don’t like it, and we’re all different; what’s optimal for me may not be optimal for you.  You don’t need to over think, just eat what you like and be sure you’re providing your body with a sufficient amount of nutrients, protein, and carbs so you’re fueled and ready to go.  Try to eat as much unprocessed, nutritious, whole food as possible.  For me, I love Greek plain, non-fat yogurt, egg whites, fish, steak, and chicken, so I eat them often.  I’m always experimenting with Greek yogurt, I add bananas, Stevia for sweetness, and raw cocoa powder for a chocolaty taste.  It’s so good.  I find things I love and have them daily.  I look forward to eating what I love.  Figure out which staples you really like and use them often, if you don’t like chicken, don’t eat it!  Ideally, you should be having somewhere around a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs and incorporate the healthy fats.

What foods should we avoid?  In general, try to avoid foods high in saturated fat, fried foods, highly processed foods, and foods very high in salt and/or sugar.  Also, we’re all different, our bodies react differently to different foods.  If your body doesn’t seem to react well to a particular food, avoid it.  For me personally, lots of vegetables can make me feel bloated, so I don’t eat tons of veggies during the day, I often have them at night with dinner instead.  You may be different, so find what you like and what works for you.

One Healthy Breakdown: Eat the foods you love, love the foods you eat!

To submit a question for Z, simply email kiley@onehealthyhamptons.com, or post on our facebook page. Z is here to field your questions and provide her expertise; she knows a ton about fitness and nutrition. Z teaches Les Mills classes at Hampton Gym Corp, TRX at B East, and complimentary classes at Lululemon. For Z’s full bio, click here.