Clean Eating Ingredient Guidelines

1. Healthy fats

Cook with and consume healthy fats on a daily basis. Opt for fats such as:

• Olive oil
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Organic unsalted butter (preferably grass-fed)
• Organic ghee
• High-oleic safflower oil
• Sunflower oil
• Grape seed oil
• Avocado

2. Flours and grains

Look for 100% whole grain varieties of the following, and look for options without additives or preservatives.

• Breads
• Tortillas
• Pastas
• Rice
• Flours
• Ancient Grains such as quinoa
• Soba noodles
• Cornmeal
• Bread crumbs (or panko)

Gluten-free flours such as coconut, brown rice (no white rice flours) are also acceptable.

3. Dairy

Use full-fat organic (and grass-fed where possible) options of the following:

• Plain yogurt
• Greek yogurt
• Buttermilk
• Sour cream
• Cottage cheese
• Cream cheese
• Cheese (goat, Parmesan, ricotta, etc.)
• Milk

4. Nondairy/Protein Alternatives

Unsweetened plain almond, soy, rice and coconut milks (made without additives such as carrageenan)

• Organic tofu
• Organic tempeh

5. Seafood

Sustainable fish and shellfish (check seafoodwatch.org for a list of best choices).

6. Produce

Purchase organic vegetables and fruits on ‘The Dirty Dozen’ list (ewg.org) but otherwise conventional produce is acceptable.
Additive-free frozen fruits and vegetables are permitted.

7. Meats

Opt for hormone- and antibiotic-free organic lean meats whenever possible (and grass-fed if your budget allows).

• Poultry
• Lean red meats
• All-natural/organic bacon or sausages
• Uncured, all-natural nitrite- and nitrate-free deli meats such as lean ham

8. Salts and Herbs

• Sea salt or kosher salt (not table salt)
• Herbs should be free of additives and artificial ingredients

9. Nuts and Seeds

• Raw unsalted nuts and seeds
• Natural or organic unsalted nut and seed butters

10. Sweeteners

Try to limit added sugar intake as much as possible, but when you want a sweet treat or are making dessert, the following sweeteners are CE-approved:

• Date sugar
• Raw honey
• Pure maple syrup
• Sucanat
• Stevia
• Organic evaporated cane juice
• Cacao nibs
• Dark chocolate – at least 70%
• Unsweetened shredded coconut
• Pure vanilla extract
• Unsweetened cocoa powder

11. Juices

• Lemon and lime juice must be fresh and 100% juice
• 100% fruit juices (not from concentrate)
• Cold-pressed (preferably homemade) juices made of 100% fruits and vegetables

12. Thickeners

• Arrowroot
• Tapioca starch
• Potato starch

13. Canned and Jarred Ingredients

If buying canned beans or tomatoes, only purchase ones that are available in BPA-free cans. Jarred or boxed tomatoes are also great options. Coconut milk from BPA-free cans is also acceptable.

14. Condiments

Make your own salad dressings and condiments whenever possible; however, the following store-bought condiments can be used in recipes. Always read the label to ensure the product contains no added sugars, additives or preservatives.

• Hot sauce
• Vinegars (red wine vinegar, balsamic, apple cider, etc.)
• Dijon mustard
• Reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari

15. Miscellaneous Ingredients

• Unsalted tomato paste
• Agar agar or unflavored gelatin
• Low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• Natural liquid smoke
• Unsweetened dried berries or unsweetened 100% fruit sauce

Learn about what eating clean is, why you should eat clean and find easy-to-follow meal plans.