What counts as clean eating?
Jayfeather15
Posts: 107 Member
What are some of the dos and don'ts of clean eating?
Is it similar to veganism?
Is it similar to veganism?
2
Replies
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There is no actual definition of "clean" eating. It is whatever it means to you.10
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I don't know....washing your food before eating it?23
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There are dozens of definitions of clean eating: no processed foods, no added sugar, paleo, keto, vegan...you name it. Your best bet is to drop the idea of defining clean eating and focus on primarily eating nutrient-dense foods.19
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Everyone has a different definition, but the most common seems to be eating only minimally processed and "whole" foods.
I don't think it generally has anything to do with veganism. Some vegans say they "eat clean", and others live off of Oreos.10 -
I kept a list once upon a time. There are 41 different definitions of "clean eating" on it: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10337480/what-is-clean-eating/p1
By some of these definitions Fritos are a clean food. By some of them eggs, milk, and pistachios are not.12 -
diannethegeek wrote: »I kept a list once upon a time. There are 41 different definitions of "clean eating" on it: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10337480/what-is-clean-eating/p1
By some of these definitions Fritos are a clean food. By some of them eggs, milk, and pistachios are not.
I washed the poop off the egg my friend gave me for my breakfast. That’s clean isn’t it? Lol10 -
diannethegeek wrote: »I kept a list once upon a time. There are 41 different definitions of "clean eating" on it: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10337480/what-is-clean-eating/p1
By some of these definitions Fritos are a clean food. By some of them eggs, milk, and pistachios are not.
I washed the poop off the egg my friend gave me for my breakfast. That’s clean isn’t it? Lol
I washed my chocolate after I dropped it on the floor... That's clean too, right?
OP, just eat. Most of the time eat nutritious food that contributes towards you being physically healthy - you are old enough to know what that means Im sure, you don't need "rules". If you want to eat something else you love, that may not be so nutritious, don't demonise it - enjoy the experience, and savour the taste!6 -
I think of it as eating mostly healthy and unprocessed foods.4
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livingleanlivingclean wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »I kept a list once upon a time. There are 41 different definitions of "clean eating" on it: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10337480/what-is-clean-eating/p1
By some of these definitions Fritos are a clean food. By some of them eggs, milk, and pistachios are not.
I washed the poop off the egg my friend gave me for my breakfast. That’s clean isn’t it? Lol
I washed my chocolate after I dropped it on the floor... That's clean too, right?
OP, just eat. Most of the time eat nutritious food that contributes towards you being physically healthy - you are old enough to know what that means Im sure, you don't need "rules". If you want to eat something else you love, that may not be so nutritious, don't demonise it - enjoy the experience, and savour the taste!
All of this, including the chocolate washing.2 -
There are dozens of definitions of clean eating: no processed foods, no added sugar, paleo, keto, vegan...you name it. Your best bet is to drop the idea of defining clean eating and focus on primarily eating nutrient-dense foods.
Thanks for giving me a sensible answer. I don't why some people on here are so freaking snarky and sarcastic. Here you are using some app to help you lose weight and then got the nerve to be acting stupid to others when they're seeking help...32 -
Jayfeather15 wrote: »There are dozens of definitions of clean eating: no processed foods, no added sugar, paleo, keto, vegan...you name it. Your best bet is to drop the idea of defining clean eating and focus on primarily eating nutrient-dense foods.
Thanks for giving me a sensible answer. I don't why some people on here are so freaking snarky and sarcastic. Here you are using some app to help you lose weight and then got the nerve to be acting stupid to others when they're seeking help...
Wow.9 -
diannethegeek wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »There are dozens of definitions of clean eating: no processed foods, no added sugar, paleo, keto, vegan...you name it. Your best bet is to drop the idea of defining clean eating and focus on primarily eating nutrient-dense foods.
Thanks for giving me a sensible answer. I don't why some people on here are so freaking snarky and sarcastic. Here you are using some app to help you lose weight and then got the nerve to be acting stupid to others when they're seeking help...
Wow.
I am sorry, but that's just how I feel. I don't mean anything bad but maybe a better word would be....exasperation, that I sense? Like that's how some people seem to come off here. Which is why I left and I am just now returning to this app. Maybe I'm just reading the room wrong, like is this the normal atmosphere here? I just want an answer to my question and there are others like me who just want to make sure they're doing everything right and may genuinely not know.10 -
Jayfeather15 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »There are dozens of definitions of clean eating: no processed foods, no added sugar, paleo, keto, vegan...you name it. Your best bet is to drop the idea of defining clean eating and focus on primarily eating nutrient-dense foods.
Thanks for giving me a sensible answer. I don't why some people on here are so freaking snarky and sarcastic. Here you are using some app to help you lose weight and then got the nerve to be acting stupid to others when they're seeking help...
Wow.
I am sorry, but that's just how I feel. I don't mean anything bad but maybe a better word would be....exasperation, that I sense? Like that's how some people seem to come off here. Which is why I left and I am just now returning to this app. Maybe I'm just reading the room wrong, like is this the normal atmosphere here? I just want an answer to my question and there are others like me who just want to make sure they're doing everything right and may genuinely not know.
A lot of us gave you sensible answers and a few people repeated an old joke that reappears in every clean eating thread to try and make you laugh. That you saw one good answer and everyone else here, including myself, as acting "stupid" irks me.7 -
diannethegeek wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »There are dozens of definitions of clean eating: no processed foods, no added sugar, paleo, keto, vegan...you name it. Your best bet is to drop the idea of defining clean eating and focus on primarily eating nutrient-dense foods.
Thanks for giving me a sensible answer. I don't why some people on here are so freaking snarky and sarcastic. Here you are using some app to help you lose weight and then got the nerve to be acting stupid to others when they're seeking help...
Wow.
I am sorry, but that's just how I feel. I don't mean anything bad but maybe a better word would be....exasperation, that I sense? Like that's how some people seem to come off here. Which is why I left and I am just now returning to this app. Maybe I'm just reading the room wrong, like is this the normal atmosphere here? I just want an answer to my question and there are others like me who just want to make sure they're doing everything right and may genuinely not know.
A lot of us gave you sensible answers and a few people repeated an old joke that reappears in every clean eating thread to try and make you laugh. That you saw one good answer and everyone else here, including myself, as acting "stupid" irks me.
Well I apologize for that, poor choice of words. I didn't realize they were joking. I thought they were just being snarky. Sorry.1 -
Jayfeather15 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »There are dozens of definitions of clean eating: no processed foods, no added sugar, paleo, keto, vegan...you name it. Your best bet is to drop the idea of defining clean eating and focus on primarily eating nutrient-dense foods.
Thanks for giving me a sensible answer. I don't why some people on here are so freaking snarky and sarcastic. Here you are using some app to help you lose weight and then got the nerve to be acting stupid to others when they're seeking help...
Wow.
I am sorry, but that's just how I feel. I don't mean anything bad but maybe a better word would be....exasperation, that I sense? Like that's how some people seem to come off here. Which is why I left and I am just now returning to this app. Maybe I'm just reading the room wrong, like is this the normal atmosphere here? I just want an answer to my question and there are others like me who just want to make sure they're doing everything right and may genuinely not know.
A lot of us gave you sensible answers and a few people repeated an old joke that reappears in every clean eating thread to try and make you laugh. That you saw one good answer and everyone else here, including myself, as acting "stupid" irks me.
Well I apologize for that, poor choice of words. I didn't realize they were joking. I thought they were just being snarky. Sorry.
The number of silly answers (yes, they're funny) hopefully indicates to you how silly the concept is.11 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »There are dozens of definitions of clean eating: no processed foods, no added sugar, paleo, keto, vegan...you name it. Your best bet is to drop the idea of defining clean eating and focus on primarily eating nutrient-dense foods.
Thanks for giving me a sensible answer. I don't why some people on here are so freaking snarky and sarcastic. Here you are using some app to help you lose weight and then got the nerve to be acting stupid to others when they're seeking help...
Wow.
I am sorry, but that's just how I feel. I don't mean anything bad but maybe a better word would be....exasperation, that I sense? Like that's how some people seem to come off here. Which is why I left and I am just now returning to this app. Maybe I'm just reading the room wrong, like is this the normal atmosphere here? I just want an answer to my question and there are others like me who just want to make sure they're doing everything right and may genuinely not know.
A lot of us gave you sensible answers and a few people repeated an old joke that reappears in every clean eating thread to try and make you laugh. That you saw one good answer and everyone else here, including myself, as acting "stupid" irks me.
Well I apologize for that, poor choice of words. I didn't realize they were joking. I thought they were just being snarky. Sorry.
The number of silly answers (yes, they're funny) hopefully indicates to you how silly the concept is.
Well that is what the community is for. Sometimes people just don't know and want an answer.2 -
For me, I always considered Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet as a guide to clean eating. Her plan is whole foods and fairly leAn meats, but she does include a few processed foods like Ezekiel bread.
To me, clean foods are minimally processed. Close to a whole food diet.1 -
Ask a vegan what "clean eating" is.
Ask an ovo-lacto-vegetarian what "clean eating" is.
Ask a pescatarian what "clean eating" is.
Ask a paleo dieter what "clean eating" is.
Ask a keto dieter what "clean eating" is.
Ask a low-fat dieter what "clean eating" is.
Ask a carnivorous dieter what "clean eating" is.
Ask an IIFYM/flexible dieter what "clean eating" is.
There won't be a lot of overlap between them.4 -
Jayfeather15 wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »Jayfeather15 wrote: »There are dozens of definitions of clean eating: no processed foods, no added sugar, paleo, keto, vegan...you name it. Your best bet is to drop the idea of defining clean eating and focus on primarily eating nutrient-dense foods.
Thanks for giving me a sensible answer. I don't why some people on here are so freaking snarky and sarcastic. Here you are using some app to help you lose weight and then got the nerve to be acting stupid to others when they're seeking help...
Wow.
I am sorry, but that's just how I feel. I don't mean anything bad but maybe a better word would be....exasperation, that I sense? Like that's how some people seem to come off here. Which is why I left and I am just now returning to this app. Maybe I'm just reading the room wrong, like is this the normal atmosphere here? I just want an answer to my question and there are others like me who just want to make sure they're doing everything right and may genuinely not know.
A lot of us gave you sensible answers and a few people repeated an old joke that reappears in every clean eating thread to try and make you laugh. That you saw one good answer and everyone else here, including myself, as acting "stupid" irks me.
Well I apologize for that, poor choice of words. I didn't realize they were joking. I thought they were just being snarky. Sorry.
The number of silly answers (yes, they're funny) hopefully indicates to you how silly the concept is.
Well that is what the community is for. Sometimes people just don't know and want an answer.
The question you asked doesn’t have a definitive answer. Clean eating is an arbitrary, subjective term that really doesn’t provide guidance once you hear people’s individual recommendations. It’s like asking how to be a better person.
You get some sarcastic answers because this is a question that comes up All. The. Time. It also almost always revolves into arguments and nitpicking; because the insinuation is that someone who doesn’t define themselves as a clean eater must not care about nutrition and must be eating nothing but Oreos and Doritos.
Most of the answers you got were good natured, tongue in cheek attempts to show you just how silly the question is - not to insult you. On the other hand your response was defensive and accusatory.
Bottom line there is no “right answer” or singular plan to follow. If you’re trying to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit. You can do that eating any foods you like. I strive for a balance of foods that provide nutrition, satiety, and enjoyment. I eat things like lean protein, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats - but I often eat them combined with or as part of convenience foods that fit with my busy lifestyle.
Buckle up this ride is just starting though. Threads about clean eating rarely end well.13 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »you are old enough to know what that means Im sure, you don't need "rules". If you want to eat something else you love, that may not be so nutritious, don't demonise it - enjoy the experience, and savour the taste!
I don't think age means understanding nutrition. I know plenty of senior citizens and people closing in on senior citizen status that honestly do not understand how to eat. Some of them, shockingly, even have diabetes and somehow they still haven't learned how to change their lifestyle. I am not talking about the people who know better but still cheat and shoot up with insulin. I am talking about people who were shocked to find out they could reduce medication if they ate more appropriately. Many others never fought weight gain until way late in life and they were never forced to learn.
To the OP: I think you can learn from studying other diets but try not to make it an all or nothing situation. Use common sense and take the parts you think will work for you and ignore the rest. I do caution you that quite often diets fail when you don't enjoy yourself and what you are eating at least part of the time. Food boredom has wrecked me enough times to know so please don't let it wreck you too and delay a healthier you.
It is better to decide to lose weight first by counting calories and then add in healthier options as you feel you need it. The thing they don't tell you is that many of us can only deal with things in moderation and that includes uber-nutritious lifestyles.10 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »you are old enough to know what that means Im sure, you don't need "rules". If you want to eat something else you love, that may not be so nutritious, don't demonise it - enjoy the experience, and savour the taste!
I don't think age means understanding nutrition. I know plenty of senior citizens and people closing in on senior citizen status that honestly do not understand how to eat. Some of them, shockingly, even have diabetes and somehow they still haven't learned how to change their lifestyle. I am not talking about the people who know better but still cheat and shoot up with insulin. I am talking about people who were shocked to find out they could reduce medication if they ate more appropriately. Many others never fought weight gain until way late in life and they were never forced to learn.
To the OP: I think you can learn from studying other diets but try not to make it an all or nothing situation. Use common sense and take the parts you think will work for you and ignore the rest. I do caution you that quite often diets fail when you don't enjoy yourself and what you are eating at least part of the time. Food boredom has wrecked me enough times to know so please don't let it wreck you too and delay a healthier you.
It is better to decide to lose weight first by counting calories and then add in healthier options as you feel you need it. The thing they don't tell you is that many of us can only deal with things in moderation and that includes uber-nutritious lifestyles.
My point is that most people know that eating nutritious food is good for them, and what they should be doing most of the time. Actually doing it is not the same thing, and many people struggle with that.
Weight issues are a lot to blame for health concerns. Losing weight by any means (even doing the Twinkie diet) helps a lot of people.5 -
@livingleanlivingclean
I have never been smart enough to know what "most" people know and don't know. I do know they put labels on hair dryers to keep people from using them in the bath for a reason and a burger with lettuce, tomato, and pickles with a side of fries does not count as 4 servings of vegetables (yes I know a tomato is a fruit). I have heard the latter.
Is it okay if we tell the OP not to investigate the twinkie diet?
5 -
@livingleanlivingclean
I have never been smart enough to know what "most" people know and don't know. I do know they put labels on hair dryers to keep people from using them in the bath for a reason and a burger with lettuce, tomato, and pickles with a side of fries does not count as 4 servings of vegetables (yes I know a tomato is a fruit). I have heard the latter.
Is it okay if we tell the OP not to investigate the twinkie diet?
I'm shattered. Shattered, I tell you!8 -
I'd like to take a moment and apologize to everyone on this thread. I know you all were just trying to help and I misread your reactions.17
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Personally, I consider clean eating as eating food you know the nutritional value of and can account for it in your diet. Example:
Clean:
Cheeseburger, home-made with everything weighed and measured with an accurate macro count.
Greek Yogurt parfait, home-made with accurately measured fruit or granola additions.
Non-Clean:
Cheeseburger, Fast-food. Sure you can get nutrition information from the restaurant, but you have no idea how much extra fat your burger cooked in, or how many grams of mayo the cook put on it, the weight of the cheese topping your patty. It's a crap shoot.
Yogurt Parfait, Fast-food. 20g of granola? 15? 50? You just don't know. Added sugar in the fruit? Weight of the fruit? 300 calories or 600 calories? Sure the nutrition facts say one thing, but we all know how that works.
TLDR: If you know what's in it and how it's made and exactly what nutrients you are putting in your body, I would consider that clean.18 -
Personally, I consider clean eating as eating food you know the nutritional value of and can account for it in your diet. Example:
Clean:
Cheeseburger, home-made with everything weighed and measured with an accurate macro count.
Greek Yogurt parfait, home-made with accurately measured fruit or granola additions.
Non-Clean:
Cheeseburger, Fast-food. Sure you can get nutrition information from the restaurant, but you have no idea how much extra fat your burger cooked in, or how many grams of mayo the cook put on it, the weight of the cheese topping your patty. It's a crap shoot.
Yogurt Parfait, Fast-food. 20g of granola? 15? 50? You just don't know. Added sugar in the fruit? Weight of the fruit? 300 calories or 600 calories? Sure the nutrition facts say one thing, but we all know how that works.
TLDR: If you know what's in it and how it's made and exactly what nutrients you are putting in your body, I would consider that clean.
So same ingredients for a sandwich -- one is made by me with a scale and the other is made by my mom and I'm not sure exactly how much tomato she put on it, mine is clean and hers isn't?
10 -
Showering before lunch?4
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janejellyroll wrote: »Personally, I consider clean eating as eating food you know the nutritional value of and can account for it in your diet. Example:
Clean:
Cheeseburger, home-made with everything weighed and measured with an accurate macro count.
Greek Yogurt parfait, home-made with accurately measured fruit or granola additions.
Non-Clean:
Cheeseburger, Fast-food. Sure you can get nutrition information from the restaurant, but you have no idea how much extra fat your burger cooked in, or how many grams of mayo the cook put on it, the weight of the cheese topping your patty. It's a crap shoot.
Yogurt Parfait, Fast-food. 20g of granola? 15? 50? You just don't know. Added sugar in the fruit? Weight of the fruit? 300 calories or 600 calories? Sure the nutrition facts say one thing, but we all know how that works.
TLDR: If you know what's in it and how it's made and exactly what nutrients you are putting in your body, I would consider that clean.
So same ingredients for a sandwich -- one is made by me with a scale and the other is made by my mom and I'm not sure exactly how much tomato she put on it, mine is clean and hers isn't?
Well, my statement wasn't intended to be a one size fits all. My point was in knowing what is in the food you are eating. Unsure of the quantity of tomato? You could find out much easier from your mother than you could the line cook putting mayo and cheese on a burger. Too many people find themselves in situations where an extra 200 calories in a day would put them out of a deficit, so eating clean (in my personal opinion) would mean having control of these variables.10 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Personally, I consider clean eating as eating food you know the nutritional value of and can account for it in your diet. Example:
Clean:
Cheeseburger, home-made with everything weighed and measured with an accurate macro count.
Greek Yogurt parfait, home-made with accurately measured fruit or granola additions.
Non-Clean:
Cheeseburger, Fast-food. Sure you can get nutrition information from the restaurant, but you have no idea how much extra fat your burger cooked in, or how many grams of mayo the cook put on it, the weight of the cheese topping your patty. It's a crap shoot.
Yogurt Parfait, Fast-food. 20g of granola? 15? 50? You just don't know. Added sugar in the fruit? Weight of the fruit? 300 calories or 600 calories? Sure the nutrition facts say one thing, but we all know how that works.
TLDR: If you know what's in it and how it's made and exactly what nutrients you are putting in your body, I would consider that clean.
So same ingredients for a sandwich -- one is made by me with a scale and the other is made by my mom and I'm not sure exactly how much tomato she put on it, mine is clean and hers isn't?
Well, my statement wasn't intended to be a one size fits all. My point was in knowing what is in the food you are eating. Unsure of the quantity of tomato? You could find out much easier from your mother than you could the line cook putting mayo and cheese on a burger. Too many people find themselves in situations where an extra 200 calories in a day would put them out of a deficit, so eating clean (in my personal opinion) would mean having control of these variables.
So for you "eating clean" and "logging accurately" are the same thing? There is no distinction?5 -
janejellyroll wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »Personally, I consider clean eating as eating food you know the nutritional value of and can account for it in your diet. Example:
Clean:
Cheeseburger, home-made with everything weighed and measured with an accurate macro count.
Greek Yogurt parfait, home-made with accurately measured fruit or granola additions.
Non-Clean:
Cheeseburger, Fast-food. Sure you can get nutrition information from the restaurant, but you have no idea how much extra fat your burger cooked in, or how many grams of mayo the cook put on it, the weight of the cheese topping your patty. It's a crap shoot.
Yogurt Parfait, Fast-food. 20g of granola? 15? 50? You just don't know. Added sugar in the fruit? Weight of the fruit? 300 calories or 600 calories? Sure the nutrition facts say one thing, but we all know how that works.
TLDR: If you know what's in it and how it's made and exactly what nutrients you are putting in your body, I would consider that clean.
So same ingredients for a sandwich -- one is made by me with a scale and the other is made by my mom and I'm not sure exactly how much tomato she put on it, mine is clean and hers isn't?
Well, my statement wasn't intended to be a one size fits all. My point was in knowing what is in the food you are eating. Unsure of the quantity of tomato? You could find out much easier from your mother than you could the line cook putting mayo and cheese on a burger. Too many people find themselves in situations where an extra 200 calories in a day would put them out of a deficit, so eating clean (in my personal opinion) would mean having control of these variables.
So for you "eating clean" and "logging accurately" are the same thing? There is no distinction?
For me, that is absolutely correct. At the end of the day, I am 100% sure of what I am putting in my body. Clean eating has been a trendy diet term to mean many different things, and a term that is open to interpretation by nearly everyone. What is clean eating to me, clearly, isn't the same thing as clean eating to you. Am I right? Are you right? It's difficult to say, as there really is no standard to compare to. There is a very similar argument in the body building world between who is "natural" and who isn't. It's all buzzwords and crazes that need to end.
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