It’s the most annoying term ever used in health, but it’s also a great way to sort out your health: we mean clean eating!

Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Alba and seemingly everyone else is at it, but eating clean doesn’t just mean washing your radicchio before you make a salad. So what does it mean? Simple. Unlike most diets, rather than revolving around the notion of eating more or less of something (e.g. protein and calories respectively), it’s about eating whole, real, minimally processed foods in their closest-to-natural state says nutritionist Dr Christy Fergusson. Sounds easy enough, right? Here are the seven foodie rules to abide by to keep yourself clean and your body healthy.

1. Cut out processed food

The easiest way to get started? Swap processed produce with natural, minimally processed ingredients. Not only are they more nutritious for your body, but also their flavours are more satisfying, promise.

2. Caffeine with caution

Coffee and tea are natural foods packed with plenty of antioxidants – but energy drinks are full of sugar and other unnecessary nasties. Add a hint of honey or another natural sweetener like pure stevia to sweeten your brew and to avoid the jitters, stick to 300 milligrams of caffeine or less per day (the equivalent of two cups of coffee) and have it before 1pm to ensure it doesn’t screw up your sleep.

3. Up your fruit and veg intake

Not sure how to snack? Fresh fruit and vegetables will fill you up in a healthy way, and their fibre content keeps you fuller for longer – time to chow down on those carrot sticks (the perfect biscuit replacer!)

4. Skip sugar and salt

We’ve overloaded our taste buds with too much salt and refined sugars – they sneak into everything from bread to baked beans. Natural sugars, like those found in fruit, are far healthier than the white stuff and cutting down on your dinnertime sprinkle of salt will reduce bloating and your risk of heart disease and stroke. Triple whammy!

5. Back away from booze

Full of empty calories and your arch enemy sugar, alcohol can mess with all the hard work you put in food-wise immediately. Keep it to a minimum – and keep it organic too where possible.

6. Go for whole grains

Refined grains have a naughty way of sneaking their way into your weekly shop (hi, breakfast cereal!). Know that even some ‘multigrain’ pastas and breads can still be refined – so always read the labels. One sure way to tell is that the real deal will aid digestion to leave your stomach flatter. Goodbye bloat.

7. Last but not least… always read the label

The nutritional information label is your best weapon in the fight against processed food. Low-calorie might look great, but it can also mean a whole world of hidden nasties. The golden rule: only eat ingredients you can pronounce and make the shift to a healthier lifestyle.

So start eating clean!