Clean Foods List

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CindaWhite
CindaWhite Posts: 104 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey everyone. I apologize in advance if this is a repeat thread. I am looking for a source for a list of "clean" foods. I have read several comments about the number of or lack of ingredients making foods clean but I am one who does better with a list to go by is there such a thing available anywhere? Thanks for the help!
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Replies

  • Tessyloowhoo
    Tessyloowhoo Posts: 504
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    Oh honey this thread will not end well...
    Peace be with you!
  • lavendy17
    lavendy17 Posts: 309 Member
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    I don't have a list but definitely anything that's produce: fruits, veggies, fresh meats, beans, eggs.
    They call this 'shopping the peripherals". In the supermarket, all the middle aisles is where you have the processed- unclean per se- foods. The areas on the perimeter is usually where you find the most unprocessed foods.

    I hope that helps.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    Depends what YOU mean by clean foods. Here's a guide *I* use:
    http://www.100daysofrealfood.com
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Basic rule of thumb - if it has an ingredients list, it isn't "clean".
  • narsgirl79
    narsgirl79 Posts: 41 Member
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    Basic rule of thumb - if it has an ingredients list, it isn't "clean".

    Exactly!!!
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
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    Another suggestion to help identify clean foods -

    Whatever food that has been cooked for you and put in packaging, is not referred to as a clean food.

    I dont mean the processing it takes to put milk in a gallon, or the washing of fruit before it comes to market, but for example like mash potatos. If you buy a package of mash potatos in the middle aisle and it has the ingredients and you only add milk and butter, this is processed and not "clean".. But if you go buy potatos, milk and butter, and cook the potatos and make it yourself, this is clean.

    Fresh foods like fresh fruits and veg, like the person said above are clean. it does not have preservatives and additives in it.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    I'm not sure milk qualifies. First, it is substantially processed (raw milk tastes much different than supermarket milk), and second, all dairy cows live pretty unnatural lives, so the raw material itself isn't exactly "natural" to begin with.
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
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    I'm not sure milk qualifies. First, it is substantially processed (raw milk tastes much different than supermarket milk), and second, all dairy cows live pretty unnatural lives, so the raw material itself isn't exactly "natural" to begin with.

    I believe that clean food can be processed in the way that it has to come in some form for you to be able to eat it. It just means the food in question doesn't get prepared in a factory where they make it for you like my mash potato example above. Of course all the food we eat is prepared in some way like milk. However, when a persona means clean eating it just means someone didn't prepare a meal and process it and put it in a package in the middle aise where it can live in a can or a box for a while and you take it out of the package and cook it. this would be like tv dinner entres, cans of stew, cans of soup, boxes of cereal, packages of cookies, cans of food, canned vegetables, canned fruit, frozen chinese dinners, etc. this is because all that has preservatives and sugars and salt and things like msg and other things to keep it storable. One exception might be food you get at a place like Trader Joe where you buy a package of grains that might just be dried grains and dried veg that has no other preservatives, they're just dried beans and dried veg.

    As opposed to unprocessed food like you see in the fresh veg/fruit section, fresh vegetables, mushrooms, etc.

    I think when people think of milk and stuff as not being clean, they might be talking about the food having to be raw food or something.

    OK this is my view from my understanding about foods considered clean.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    Wash it if it's dirty.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Oh honey this thread will not end well...

    QFT
  • Mguilmot
    Mguilmot Posts: 232 Member
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    Depends on your diet I guess.

    What I mean:

    If you're vegan, a chicken breast is not clean.
    If you're a low carb person, couscous isn't clean.
    If you're low fat, bacon is not clean.
    ...

    I'm high carb, low fat, vegan (70+% carbs). My clean foods will be completely different than a paleo person.
    But I think most of us will say: clean = the least processed foods, containing no ingredients that you cannot even pronounce :-)
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    Basic rule of thumb - if it has an ingredients list, it isn't "clean".

    well, milk has ingredients list. I suppose that isn't clean?
    My home made curries has an ingredients list. I suppose that isn't clean?
    chicken salad has an ingredients list. I suppose that isn't clean?

    @OP: While I understand what you're talking about, I've been there. You should try and learn though that there is no such thing as "clean eating". There are food which has nutrition that suits you and it comes with calories that will suit your daily need. Eat anything you wish just focus on overall calories and nutrition and you will be much more happier :)
  • Hannah_Hopes
    Hannah_Hopes Posts: 273 Member
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    Oh honey this thread will not end well...
    Peace be with you!
    :laugh: Indeed,
  • RllyGudTweetr
    RllyGudTweetr Posts: 2,019 Member
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    Wash it if it's dirty.
    Or send it to its room until it learns to behave.
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
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    Basic rule of thumb - if it has an ingredients list, it isn't "clean".

    well, milk has ingredients list. I suppose that isn't clean?
    My home made curries has an ingredients list. I suppose that isn't clean?
    chicken salad has an ingredients list. I suppose that isn't clean?


    No, not true. This argument can get ridiculous to the extent that you cant eat anything. The person above said it right - its food with the least processing (at the factory where it came from), without ingredients you cannot pronounce. and depending on what diet your on, the list will be different.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    Basic rule of thumb - if it has an ingredients list, it isn't "clean".

    well, milk has ingredients list. I suppose that isn't clean?
    My home made curries has an ingredients list. I suppose that isn't clean?
    chicken salad has an ingredients list. I suppose that isn't clean?


    No, not true. This argument can get ridiculous to the extent that you cant eat anything. The person above said it right - its food with the least processing (at the factory where it came from), without ingredients you cannot pronounce. and depending on what diet your on, the list will be different.

    What about protein powder? I guess thats not clean too eh?
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    What about protein powder? I guess thats not clean too eh?

    Right. Protein powder is not "clean".
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    What about protein powder? I guess thats not clean too eh?

    Right. Protein powder is not "clean".

    What about my homemade Biryani? It has many ingredients many folks in the west can't pronounce. Does that make it clean for me and not other folks?
  • gracetillman
    gracetillman Posts: 190 Member
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    You will figure out what it means for you -- I think everyone has a different definition and how much of their diet they want to be clean. Some people are satisfied with less than 100% clean eating (like me) but I do the best they can as often as I can but I do not get bogged down by it.

    For me my definition of clean includes non-GMO foods and organic products -- trying to use foods in their natural most unadulterated state as possible. Obviously if you use flour it has been processed as I am not grinding my own wheat, but I buy organic whole wheat flour to use as often as possible. (Sometimes it won't work as well and I am still learning) I don't have a press to make my own oil so I have to buy it -- but I don't think that ruins something as being clean. I don't have the time to make everything from scratch so I buy some prepared items but I look at the ingredient list in an effort to eliminate as many preservatives and additives as possible. I have started to do some research the vendors of the products I am going to buy and see what their reputation and practices might be -- I was shocked at some things I learned as I was just getting started. For instance use of the word "natural" doesn't really mean anything so be aware. Also look at your sources if you are reading articles on the internet or reading books. Health, nutrition, diet, weight loss --- all of these are big money industries.

    It can get time consuming but after a while you get the hang of it. You learn a little more everyday.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    What about my homemade Biryani? It has many ingredients many folks in the west can't pronounce. Does that make it clean for me and not other folks?

    I don't know what's in there - you'll have to decide for yourself. If you made is using canola oil, for example, there are people who would consider it "unclean". If you used garlic paste instead of starting from straight garlic, there are people who would consider it "unclean".

    Ultimately, you'll have to pick a definition that works for you (or just ignore the concept altogether) and decide for yourself.

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