Why "clean eating" is a myth

KyleB65

Nice article. Thanks for sharing.

I am no scientist! So, for me, clean eating is consuming those foods that help me stay active and feel fit. Foods that I "feel" do not help me with these goals. I have left behind. eg McD's & Coke
Foods that do move me towards these goals I eat regularly, sweet potatoes, spinach, beans, quinoa, etc.

The only exception I would offer to this article is that we often do not know or understand the sub-components of the "food" we eat. Things like the non therapeutic anti biotics added to meat & dairy. The chemical stabilizers, colorants and preservatives added to processed foods. And, the long term effect of GMO crop production, on the environment and the human body.

So, yes, there is little or no harm in having an ice cream sundae an a hot summer day as long as you keep withing a reasonable calorie consumption for the day/week. But, as part of my daily diet, what has gone into the Kraft cheese on the store shelf? Is it still "food"?

Confuzzled4ever

We have been conditioned by years of marketing to think that way (fad diets being the way to lose weight)... We are not taught about healthy eating.

My son currently has health class.. and instead of learning about health related issues, he did an entire 2 weeks (2!!!) on anit-bullying.. I mean.. seriously??? This is typical from what I hear from other parents. My son has me teaching him about food and nutrients, but a lot of kids don't have anyone teaching them anything. The best they get is "here is the food pyramid" which doesn't really help anyone eat healthy.

happysummerrunner

I liked the "this group" thinks "this food" is unclean comparison. That's one thing that drove me crazy when I was trying to do the clean eating diet - people disagreed about which foods were "clean." It seems someone can claim every food group is unclean (except vegetables... never heard that one).

But.... I still try to avoid synthetic trans fat. I don't care if it's inconclusive research. It's not that hard to avoid compared to avoiding a whole food group.

rockmama72

This sums it up very well:

"...common sense should prevail. It’s true that some foods are far more nutrient dense than others. Cake icing doesn’t have the same nutrient content as an apple. As long as the majority of your calories come from whole nutrient dense foods, there’s no evidence you can’t meet your micronutrient needs while still consuming some “empty calories.”

Great article.

EvgeniZyntx

I liked the "this group" thinks "this food" is unclean comparison. That's one thing that drove me crazy when I was trying to do the clean eating diet - people disagreed about which foods were "clean." It seems someone can claim every food group is unclean (except vegetables... never heard that one).

But.... I still try to avoid synthetic trans fat. I don't care if it's inconclusive research. It's not that hard to avoid compared to avoiding a whole food group.

Just stick around. There are unclean veggies and fruits. In fact, most of them truly are unclean, if you think about it.

There are more deaths directly caused by unclean sprouts and roots than any long term risk. E. coli can be a POS.

jayrudq

Why do you care so much? I get the push back when people post all the positive reasons for their eating-style-dujour, and I get the push back when people feel it is their way or the highway. But what is up with the random posts "against X." And asking for proof? Sorry 9er, but what you think of clean eating isn't really that important. Except to you. Eat clean. Eat dirty. Whatevs.

ahamm002

I really wish we would stop with this crap. Just eat the goddamn food, stay within your calories, hit your macros, and be ****ing happy. Jesus Christ with this *kitten*.

No doubt that IIFYM's works great short term. But what do you think about recent long term data that suggests too much junk food causes earlier onset of disease even when you control for weight and lifestyle?

neanderthin

I really wish we would stop with this crap. Just eat the goddamn food, stay within your calories, hit your macros, and be ****ing happy. Jesus Christ with this *kitten*.

No doubt that IIFYM's works great short term. But what do you think about recent long term data that suggests too much junk food causes earlier onset of disease even when you control for weight and lifestyle?

Why would you think IIFYM would be high in junk food, it can contain none, for example.

Greytfish

Why do you care so much? I get the push back when people post all the positive reasons for their eating-style-dujour, and I get the push back when people feel it is their way or the highway. But what is up with the random posts "against X." And asking for proof? Sorry 9er, but what you think of clean eating isn't really that important. Except to you. Eat clean. Eat dirty. Whatevs.

The term bothers people because they feel judged, moreso if they've experienced a lifetime of being judged for their poor choices leading to being overweight or obese. There's no rational reason one would get in such a lather because people want to eat mostly minimally processed foods or minimize or eliminate foods that don't contribute to better health.

ninerbuff

just cause you believe a style of eating a myth doesn't mean it is. it's just your opinion. stop boring everyone with your article -.-

Actually there are some good facts in there if you read them. It's boring only if you disagree or don't understand. Pick one.

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

Greytfish

I really wish we would stop with this crap. Just eat the goddamn food, stay within your calories, hit your macros, and be ****ing happy. Jesus Christ with this *kitten*.

No doubt that IIFYM's works great short term. But what do you think about recent long term data that suggests too much junk food causes earlier onset of disease even when you control for weight and lifestyle?

Why would you think IIFYM would be high in junk food, it can contain none, for example.

But then it would be clean eating!!! :laugh: Oh, the horror!

craftywitch_63

The article confirms what I 've always suspected. Everything in moderation, including "junk" food. :bigsmile:

ninerbuff

The part about "health nuts" getting enough vitamin D from "nutrient dense foods" and "adequate sun exposure" is completely inaccurate. Unless you're at 40% body exposure (think one piece swim suit) for 20 min daily during the high hours of the sun with no sunscreen, you aren't getting enough. And I don't know one person that walks around in a swimsuit in the Midwest in the middle of winter. Always supplement for adequate vitamin D levels and don't forget to get your 25(OH)D test annually. A level of over 50 ng/ml is ideal.

While I don't disagree with that some places lack UV exposure due to cloud cover or weather, I think that the 20 minutes you mentioned may be off a little. Still it's important to get enough vitamin D daily regardless of how you obtain it.

It has been suggested by some vitamin D researchers, for example, that approximately 5–30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen usually lead to sufficient vitamin D synthesis

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

Glad I live in CA

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

BigSnicka

This is what I decided to do last year to start my lifestyle change. It might not work for you, but it works for me. I'm no longer on ANY medications because of it.

Deuteronomy 14:3-21
New International Version (NIV)

3 Do not eat any detestable thing. 4 These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, 5 the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep.[a] 6 You may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and that chews the cud. 7 However, of those that chew the cud or that have a divided hoof you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the hyrax. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a divided hoof; they are ceremonially unclean for you. 8 The pig is also unclean; although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses.
9 Of all the creatures living in the water, you may eat any that has fins and scales. 10 But anything that does not have fins and scales you may not eat; for you it is unclean.

11 You may eat any clean bird. 12 But these you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture, 13 the red kite, the black kite, any kind of falcon, 14 any kind of raven, 15 the horned owl, the screech owl, the gull, any kind of hawk, 16 the little owl, the great owl, the white owl, 17 the desert owl, the osprey, the cormorant, 18 the stork, any kind of heron, the hoopoe and the bat.

19 All flying insects are unclean to you; do not eat them. 20 But any winged creature that is clean you may eat.
21 Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to the foreigner residing in any of your towns, and they may eat it, or you may sell it to any other foreigner. But you are a people holy to the Lord your God.
Do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.

parkscs

I really wish we would stop with this crap. Just eat the goddamn food, stay within your calories, hit your macros, and be ****ing happy. Jesus Christ with this *kitten*.

No doubt that IIFYM's works great short term. But what do you think about recent long term data that suggests too much junk food causes earlier onset of disease even when you control for weight and lifestyle?

Why would you think IIFYM would be high in junk food, it can contain none, for example.

To be fair, people probably assume that because so many people love to brag on these forums about how they eat junk food while doing IIFYM. As much as people talk about their ability to eat pop tarts and ice cream, it's not surprising some people assume they eat a lot of junk food.

ahamm002

I really wish we would stop with this crap. Just eat the goddamn food, stay within your calories, hit your macros, and be ****ing happy. Jesus Christ with this *kitten*.

No doubt that IIFYM's works great short term. But what do you think about recent long term data that suggests too much junk food causes earlier onset of disease even when you control for weight and lifestyle?

Why would you think IIFYM would be high in junk food, it can contain none, for example.

IIFYM's refers to eating anything as long as it fits your macros. That usually includes junk food. But I supposed some people who do IIFYM's might just not like junk food?

For what it's worth, I don't disagree with the author in regard to it being completely fine to eat some junk food within the context of a well balanced nutrient dense diet. But that isn't what the author seems to be implying with the title.

ninerbuff

Why do you care so much?

I don't care about how people eat. The article covers some good material on "clean" eating and surely for people who aren't knowledgeable on it, this is good information. And good information is something I do care about.

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

ahamm002

While I don't disagree with that some places lack UV exposure due to cloud cover or weather, I think that the 20 minutes you mentioned may be off a little. Still it's important to get enough vitamin D daily regardless of how you obtain it.

It has been suggested by some vitamin D researchers, for example, that approximately 5–30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen usually lead to sufficient vitamin D synthesis

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/

Glad I live in CA

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

Keep in mind there is a difference b/w getting enough Vit D to prevent overt medical disease, versus getting an optimal amount for fitness. And it also depends on your complexion. Pasty people like myself probably get plenty from short times outside, even in the winter. But african americans probably need a lot more sun exposure during the winter if they're not getting enough vit D from their diet.