How do you keep your food intake "Clean"?

jonnythan

I am staying away from things like potatoes, corn, bread, pasta, juice, sodas, sugars, rice, condiments, and any other processed foods. I try to eat grilled, baked, or broiled meats, fresh veggies, and fresh fruits. I only drink water. And I limit the oils I use to prepare meals. To me that's eating clean.

so you eat basically nothing?

Maybe that's nto what you eat, but, assuming that's at an appropriate level of calories, how does that qualify as "nothing?"

if said person is not eating "sugars" then that means they are not eating carbs, which would eliminate whole swath of foods from their diet...oh but then they said they eat fruit, so I guess they are eating sugar...now I am just confused..

I doubt that you really are confused. I imagine that you knew very well when they said "sugars" they were refering to added sugars like table sugar, honey and syrups.

sugar is sugar...

So sucrose, fructose and glucose are exactly the same? No difference at all? Isn't it odd that someone went to the trouble to make up difference names for them?

Fructose is fructose no matter what it's in. Etc.

JoRocka

So sucrose, fructose and glucose are exactly the same? No difference at all? Isn't it odd that someone went to the trouble to make up difference names for them?

and yet they all still qualify as "sugar"

kind of like body weight training with progression is still progression even though it's not weight training. Progression loading is progression loading no matter which way you do it.

martinkristyk

I was about to post this same topic, so thank you. :-)

I, too, have been working to eat more "clean." From what I've been reading and learning, to eat truly clean means to avoid anything that's processed or has ingredients you can't pronounce. A better way of looking at it- could our ancestors 150+ years ago eat this food? If the answer is YES (which generally means fruits, vegetables, grains, and meat), then it's clean. If the answer is NO (ie: processed chips, crackers, meals in a box, etc.) then it's not clean. In general, many experts recommend an 80/20 split. We're going to end up eating SOME things that come from a factory- just make wise choices and aim to have at least 80% of your food come from natural sources.

I challenged myself to eating 100% clean this week, and I'm finding that I keep hitting some gray areas. Fruits, vegetables, and meats are easy. But, technically, yogort, salad dressing, etc. might not be considered "clean." I did allow myself hummus today with raw vegetables, and, yes, the hummus came from a factory. So, I'm not sure if that means I've broken the 100% clean rule. :-)

I look forward to reading other responses on this topic, and I hope this has been helpful.

WinoGelato

If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

I have a chemistry degree and can pronounce all of the various naturally occurring chemical components in an apple. Same thing with all the added chemicals listed in the container of Easy Mac that I make for my kids at least once a week. I can also give you the chemical formula for most of those and write out and balance the biochemical reactions that occur in your body after you eat said apple or said Easy Mac.

You know what I cannot, for the life of me ever pronounce? Quinoa.

bcattoes

I am staying away from things like potatoes, corn, bread, pasta, juice, sodas, sugars, rice, condiments, and any other processed foods. I try to eat grilled, baked, or broiled meats, fresh veggies, and fresh fruits. I only drink water. And I limit the oils I use to prepare meals. To me that's eating clean.

so you eat basically nothing?

Maybe that's nto what you eat, but, assuming that's at an appropriate level of calories, how does that qualify as "nothing?"

if said person is not eating "sugars" then that means they are not eating carbs, which would eliminate whole swath of foods from their diet...oh but then they said they eat fruit, so I guess they are eating sugar...now I am just confused..

I doubt that you really are confused. I imagine that you knew very well when they said "sugars" they were refering to added sugars like table sugar, honey and syrups.

sugar is sugar...

So sucrose, fructose and glucose are exactly the same? No difference at all? Isn't it odd that someone went to the trouble to make up difference names for them?

Fructose is fructose no matter what it's in. Etc.

That is a little different though, no? And do you honestly believe this is what the poster was referring to when they said "sugar"? Or you choose to bring it down to that level for arguments sake?

Every dictionary I have tried lists crystalized sugar made from cane or beet as the first (usually indicating the most common) definition. That, and the context of the post, makes it pretty obvious what was meant.

Greytfish

If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

I have a chemistry degree and can pronounce all of the various naturally occurring chemical components in an apple. Same thing with all the added chemicals listed in the container of Easy Mac that I make for my kids at least once a week. I can also give you the chemical formula for most of those and write out and balance the biochemical reactions that occur in your body after you eat said apple or said Easy Mac.

You know what I cannot, for the life of me ever pronounce? Quinoa.

How about acai?

bcattoes

So sucrose, fructose and glucose are exactly the same? No difference at all? Isn't it odd that someone went to the trouble to make up difference names for them?

and yet they all still qualify as "sugar"

Fruit, bread, vegetables, and other food that contains sugar does not qualify as sugar.

JoRocka

Fruit, bread, vegetables, and other food that contains sugar does not qualify as sugar

heh- here in lies the problem.

because yes- yes they do.

If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

I have a chemistry degree and can pronounce all of the various naturally occurring chemical components in an apple. Same thing with all the added chemicals listed in the container of Easy Mac that I make for my kids at least once a week. I can also give you the chemical formula for most of those and write out and balance the biochemical reactions that occur in your body after you eat said apple or said Easy Mac.

You know what I cannot, for the life of me ever pronounce? Quinoa.

I think I love you.

that literally made me almost spit water out my mouth... at work. on my computer screen.

WinoGelato

If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

I have a chemistry degree and can pronounce all of the various naturally occurring chemical components in an apple. Same thing with all the added chemicals listed in the container of Easy Mac that I make for my kids at least once a week. I can also give you the chemical formula for most of those and write out and balance the biochemical reactions that occur in your body after you eat said apple or said Easy Mac.

You know what I cannot, for the life of me ever pronounce? Quinoa.

How about acai?

Not sure I can pronounce it but I sure love those dark chocolate covered acai treats from Brookstone. Good thing I don't have that arbitrary limitation on whether or not I can eat certain foods.

bcattoes

Fruit, bread, vegetables, and other food that contains sugar does not qualify as sugar

heh- here in lies the problem.

because yes- yes they do.

No, they are foods that contain sugar.

JoRocka

Fruit, bread, vegetables, and other food that contains sugar does not qualify as sugar

heh- here in lies the problem.

because yes- yes they do.

No, they are foods that contain sugar.

and your body... processes it... as sugar.

bcattoes

Fruit, bread, vegetables, and other food that contains sugar does not qualify as sugar

heh- here in lies the problem.

because yes- yes they do.

No, they are foods that contain sugar.

and your body... processes it... as sugar.

It processes the sugar in it as sugar, but not all foods that contain sugar are processed the same. But what has that to do with the subject at hand?

RonnieLodge

I pick it up REALLY quickly when I drop it on the floor and blow any dirt off it.

fast_eddie_72

That is a little different though, no? And do you honestly believe this is what the poster was referring to when they said "sugar"? Or you choose to bring it down to that level for arguments sake?

Kind of a thing here.

All food is the same.

bcattoes

That is a little different though, no? And do you honestly believe this is what the poster was referring to when they said "sugar"? Or you choose to bring it down to that level for arguments sake?

Kind of a thing here.

All food is the same.

Yeah, I have noticed that nonsense. And I continue to rail against it.

fast_eddie_72

That is a little different though, no? And do you honestly believe this is what the poster was referring to when they said "sugar"? Or you choose to bring it down to that level for arguments sake?

Kind of a thing here.

All food is the same.

Yeah, I have noticed that nonsense. And I continue to rail against it.

Me too

fast_eddie_72

If you cant pronounce the names of the ingredients or the list takes up half the label, you shouldn't be putting it in your body.

I have a chemistry degree and can pronounce all of the various naturally occurring chemical components in an apple.

That's a new one. Good thing we have finally someone with a chemistry degree. This site has been sorely lacking for the chemical make up of an apple. Hasn't been posted in at least fifteen minutes. For my next trick I'll post about the guy who lost weight eating only Twinkies. Hey, what counts as water, anyway? Am I going into starvation mode? I did 4 minutes of yoga and burned 1,100 calories - my HRM said so. Does muscle weigh more than fat?

Going to go advise an F1 team now. Wasting all that effort on carbon fiber. They should join here and discover that lead weighs exactly the same amount. Think of the money they'll save.

ndj1979

Fruit, bread, vegetables, and other food that contains sugar does not qualify as sugar

heh- here in lies the problem.

because yes- yes they do.

No, they are foods that contain sugar.

and your body... processes it... as sugar.

well I am back, and I see that Jo-Rockas has pretty much cleared this up for me...

The original person said they avoid "sugar" which would mean they would have to avoid all of those foods...hence, my point being that they must only eat meat and oils. That person is free to come back and clarify what they meant...

Then again, you are doing a rather amusing job of trying to divine their intentions...

TR0berts

That is a little different though, no? And do you honestly believe this is what the poster was referring to when they said "sugar"? Or you choose to bring it down to that level for arguments sake?

Kind of a thing here.

All food is the same.

Yeah, I have noticed that nonsense. And I continue to rail against it.

Me too

Only people making specious arguments (at best) try to twist what has been said into that sort of argument.

bcattoes

well I am back, and I see that Jo-Rockas has pretty much cleared this up for me...

The original person said they avoid "sugar" which would mean they would have to avoid all of those foods...hence, my point being that they must only eat meat and oils. That person is free to come back and clarify what they meant...

Then again, you are doing a rather amusing job of trying to divine their intentions...

Because this sentence " they would have to avoid all of those foods" is 100% false.