Clean eating means eating whole, unprocessed foods with little to no additives. Clean foods can replace many of the highly processed and convenience foods that are now commonplace in our daily diet. When purchasing processed foods, remember to check the labels for short ingredient lists with few or no added chemicals. The American Heart Association states, “Most of the food we eat today has been processed in some way, from salad mix to frozen dinners. Some processed foods have ingredients added, some are fortified to add ingredients, some are prepared for convenience, and some are packaged to last longer or for food safety. Even foods labeled “natural” or “organic” can be processed.””

The American Heart Association encourages consumers to buy healthier processed foods, in addition to finding alternatives to highly processed foods. Their website states, “By one recent estimate, highly processed foods contribute 50% of the calories and 90% of added sugars in the American diet.” For the American Heart Association’s Processed Foods Infographic, click here. For more information, and to visit Healthline’s Healthy Food vs. Highly Processed Food: What to Know webpage, click here.