Eating clean?

Hi all!

Im new to MFP and was wondering if someone could explain what 'clean eating' involves and do you have an open diary as i would love some support and advice.
Thank you xx
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Replies

  • Lovee_Dove7
    Lovee_Dove7 Posts: 742 Member
    It's a bit subjective. It can be eating foods that are unprocessed, unpasteurized/homogenized, or don't have added hormones/antibiotics, or that are organically grown. For some it can be leaving certain foods out, like dairy or processed/industrial oils (canola for example).
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    I have no idea what eating clean means.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,974 Member
    There is no "real" meaning.

    Eating meat to a vegetarian wouldn't be clean.
    Eating carbs to a keto person wouldn't be clean.
    Eating bread, even if it's made with all natural ingredients at home, to a paleo person isn't clean.

    So basically, it depends on who you hear it from.

    IMO, eating more "clean" would involve just eating more whole foods as a higher percentage of your overall diet.
    80% of your calories per day dedicated to eating more whole foods to help reach your macro/micro nutrient goal.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited December 2015
    Is organic skim milk clean? Curious.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited December 2015
    Is organic skim milk clean? Curious.

    It depends upon whose definition of "clean" you're using. A vegan wouldn't consider milk "clean", nor would a keto person or a paleo adherent.

    As Ninerbuff said, there's no real meaning to "clean eating". It's a subjective phrase based upon each person's biases/preferences.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I think of Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet book when I hear that term. For me, it conjures up images of minimally processed foods with very few ingredients added, and minimal sugars added. Mainly meats, eggs, veggies, fruits, some dairy, and minimally processed grains.

    I think it varies from person to person like any diet would. One person who moderates their diet may eat mainly chicken and broccoli and another might have takeout everyday.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited December 2015
    Here's a link for the mfp clean eating group. You'll get plenty of ideas there :)

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/133-clean-eating-group
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    Is organic skim milk clean? Curious.

    It would probably be easier to start a list of what 'isn't' clean.

  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Is organic skim milk clean? Curious.

    It would probably be easier to start a list of what 'isn't' clean.

    And that list would be totally subjective and most likely completely ignore the concepts of context and dosage within a well-rounded diet. Orthorexics would have a field day with it, though.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    Who knows?
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    Could you eat foods with corn syrup in them? Even if you make them yourself? This clean stuff is really confusing. Corn syrup seems clean.
  • MommyL2015
    MommyL2015 Posts: 1,411 Member
    Such an arbitrary phrase to describe food. All food that is delicious is clean to me. :)


    The FDA allows certain acceptable percentages of insects and rodent droppings in packaged foods. Non-GMO and certified organic foods fall into those guidelines.

    I watched "Monsters Inside Me" the other day where a family was all into non-processed foods, non-gmo, all organic "clean" eating, thinking they were doing a good thing. They fed their 2-year-old daughter unpasteurized milk. She almost died from ecoli bacteria.

    Take these funny word fads with a grain of salt as they have little to no value in terms of health and are mostly just marketing gimmicks.
  • Jelaan
    Jelaan Posts: 815 Member
    I always shower before eating, otherwise I don't know. Personally I try to cook from scratch with fresh ingredients and try to avoid anything over processed within reason.
  • Unknown
    edited December 2015
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  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    I eat everything but I like cooking from scratch with a ton of ingredients. Maybe clean eating is cooking from scratch or is it some sort of elitist term. At least that is how I feel when one of my friends state they only eat clean. Well la ti dah!
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    I eat everything but I like cooking from scratch with a ton of ingredients. Maybe clean eating is cooking from scratch or is it some sort of elitist term. At least that is how I feel when one of my friends state they only eat clean. Well la ti dah!

    ^^ This.

    Eating whole, nutrient-dense, foods helps me meet my calorie goals and get better nutrition than eating fast food on a regular basis would. But there's nothing wrong with eating something convenient as it suits my needs at the moment. Eating well doesn't have to be expensive, time consuming, or from some arbitrary list of acceptable foods. A balance of vegetables, meat, starches, with judicious use of fats and reasonable sweet treats keeps me quite happy.

    That said, I can't touch kale and broccoli has left me feeling tainted recently. And coconut oil in my Kona coffee would be an abomination unto the Lord.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    It means whatever you want it to mean. Do what's right for you and don't worry about the labels.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    I wash my hands before I eat. <nods>
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    Could you eat foods with corn syrup in them? Even if you make them yourself? This clean stuff is really confusing. Corn syrup seems clean.
    Why is it confusing? What are you confused about?
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    _Terrapin_ wrote: »
    Is organic skim milk clean? Curious.

    It would probably be easier to start a list of what 'isn't' clean.

    And that list would be totally subjective and most likely completely ignore the concepts of context and dosage within a well-rounded diet. Orthorexics would have a field day with it, though.
    True. Any length of time discussing food items with someone who considers color an issue or obsesses about odd relational issues with food. It is great way to waste time though.
  • suzan06
    suzan06 Posts: 218 Member
    To mean the phrase is open ended, but generally means no refined sugars, no processed food, no white flour (ie, processed food), etc.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    suzan06 wrote: »
    To mean the phrase is open ended, but generally means no refined sugars, no processed food, no white flour (ie, processed food), etc.

    No pie!!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    It means different things to different people and is basically a useless trendy term, IMO.
  • toe1226
    toe1226 Posts: 249 Member
    Totally subjective, but I do think the term was derived from the whole crossfit/paleo culture originally. It is has evolved to incorporate a lot of different types of food. But I think most people would agree that at least at the most basic level it means no processed, packaged, fast foods. But as someone said earlier, dairy to a vegan, not clean...

    For me, clean eating means lean meats, legumes, fruits and vegetables. But that's just like, my opinion, man...
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    suzan06 wrote: »
    To mean the phrase is open ended, but generally means no refined sugars, no processed food, no white flour (ie, processed food), etc.

    No pie!!

    I'm out
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    edited December 2015
    toe1226 wrote: »
    Totally subjective, but I do think the term was derived from the whole crossfit/paleo culture originally. It is has evolved to incorporate a lot of different types of food. But I think most people would agree that at least at the most basic level it means no processed, packaged, fast foods. But as someone said earlier, dairy to a vegan, not clean...

    For me, clean eating means lean meats, legumes, fruits and vegetables. But that's just like, my opinion, man...

    The term "clean eating" has been around a lot longer than that. I first remember hearing it from Tosco Reno's "Clean Eating" magazine although to be fair, the paleo diet and crossfit had been started by then but I don't think it gained popularity untl much later.


    A good read on the topic
    http://wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/
  • This content has been removed.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    newmeadow wrote: »
    Just avoid anything that tastes good or brings you any joy.

    Yeah, like fresh, red, ripe, strawberries. Like crisp, green, asparagus spears sautéed in fresh garlic and olive oil. Like a medium rare juicy steak ,grilled and succulent. Like a hot baked potato with butter and salt. Like a bowl of mixed, roasted salted nuts including pecans, filberts, cashews, pistachios, brazil nuts and almonds. Real joyless and crappy tasting endeavor it is, eating clean.

    Like pizza, cheeseburgers, tacos, and macaroni/cheese. I make those all at home and they taste good and bring loads of joy.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    newmeadow wrote: »
    Just avoid anything that tastes good or brings you any joy.

    Yeah, like fresh, red, ripe, strawberries. Like crisp, green, asparagus spears sautéed in fresh garlic and olive oil. Like a medium rare juicy steak ,grilled and succulent. Like a hot baked potato with butter and salt. Like a bowl of mixed, roasted salted nuts including pecans, filberts, cashews, pistachios, brazil nuts and almonds. Real joyless and crappy tasting endeavor it is, eating clean.

    Just about every one of those things would be considered "unclean" or "bad" by adherents to different eating styles (paleo, vegan, keto, etc.). Which further proves what a vague, ambiguous term "clean" is. Me, I'd eat every one of them.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    toe1226 wrote: »
    Totally subjective, but I do think the term was derived from the whole crossfit/paleo culture originally. It is has evolved to incorporate a lot of different types of food. But I think most people would agree that at least at the most basic level it means no processed, packaged, fast foods. But as someone said earlier, dairy to a vegan, not clean...

    For me, clean eating means lean meats, legumes, fruits and vegetables. But that's just like, my opinion, man...

    The term "clean eating" has been around a lot longer than that. I first remember hearing it from Tosco Reno's "Clean Eating" magazine although to be fair, the paleo diet and crossfit had been started by then but I don't think it gained popularity untl much later.


    A good read on the topic
    http://wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/

    That's a great article. I particularly like the bit where it talks about how you can't judge the parts of the diet without knowing the whole, and you can't even judge the whole diet without knowing the person's health and goals. That's something that so many people just don't get.