What is clean eating?

sljohnson1207

I'm sure it means something different to each person, but to me it is just a matter of choosing consciously and deliberately a product in a more natural state.

Even most of those items are processed in one way or another, but for instance, instead of choosing a heavy whipping cream with sorbic acid, dipotassium phosphate, produced from cows given hormones, caged and milked by machinery (there is nothing wrong with making this choice in my opinion) you may select/choose a heavy cream from a local dairy that doesn't add preservatives and doesn't give their cows hormones, and maybe the cow lives outside and gets sunshine and is milked by hand.

This can be true of every item we purchase. I tend to shop the perimeter of my grocery store, which I find has items in their more natural states, however, I'm not against convenience and processed foods when they fit my goals. I do prefer to buy fresh vegetables from farmers whenever possible, but it isn't always convenient or affordable for my budget. I also like Birdseye Steamfresh vegetables from the freezer section because they are fast, easy, and sometimes less expensive than the same item from the produce section.

I personally don't see much difference between a fresh head of cauliflower from the produce section versus the bag of frozen chunks of cauliflower. One, I have to wash, remove stem and cut in chunks myself, boil, then use the food processor. The other, I pour from the bag into my pot, boil, then put in food processor. Sometimes I make the choice to save myself a step or two, but I still consider it eating "clean".

Sounds like you have the same approach as I do basically. I would never call this "clean," so I'm kind of curious what it is that makes that designation appeal to you, especially since you acknowledge that it really doesn't mean anything, since people all have their own definitions.

My dislike for the term is that it seems to assert superiority over those who don't "eat clean" and, even more, that it's basically a trendy term that means nothing, but from a more pragmatic POV it asserts that there are categories of foods you don't eat. There are lots of foods I don't eat (I don't care for them, think they are worse for me than something else that serves the same purpose, have strong ideas about how I like to eat, etc.), but I would be hard pressed to generalize about them in a "clean eating" kind of way, as it seems you also would. For example, if I were to buy into a "no processed foods" rule, I'd either be a hypocrite or have to explain to myself why lots of processed foods that I think make my diet healthier (like some you mention or I did above) must be off limit, and I couldn't come up with a reason.

I do make choices between foods sometimes based on one being less processed or more local/seasonable or more natural or for ethical reasons and various other distinctions, as I think we all do, but I wouldn't characterize this as clean vs. not. It's just part of navigating the numerous choices we have as consumers, that really can't be simplified to "eat foods on this list and not that" in any kind of sensible way.

Good question. I appreciate the discussion. The term "clean" eating doesn't actually appeal to me, and I don't use it. I only answered the OPs question in terms of the way I handle my choices of food. In fact, I don't like the term at all. I agree it is kind of trendy right now to use the term, but so are the words ratchet and butthurt. I don't care for those words either. Semantics, really.

And I can see why it bothers some folks to hear the term used. I can also see how it can seem condescending, however, that probably has more to do with how it's said rather than the word itself. It also probably has a little to do with how a person views themselves because I can't really understand how someone can be offended or feel inferior when there really is nothing to feel inferior about...it all boils down to preferences,choices, and free will, and I'm sure we all have different reasons for those. Do you agree?

As far as not eating certain foods, I have a medical reason not to eat a lot of processed foods. I went into it in another post. It isn't really a choice for me as it is a necessity regarding some of them. But I'm not perfect at it, nor do I think my choices are better than someone else's. In fact, I'd really like to eat chocolate and drink coffee, but I cannot without severe pain. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1368603-real-or-fake

Other reasons that I make the choices I do is that I live in a county that has a prevalent farming community, and I like to support local farmers. I also like to support small businesses, when I can. I can't always do that, but I am consciously making the choice to do so.


Maybe "consciously choosing, but not neurotic about it eating" would be more in line with my way of thinking on the subject.

mygnsac

Hi pals I'm Kimberly & I'm working on becoming a healthier me!! I'm trying to make better food choices. What do you consider clean eating?

Congratulations on becoming a healthier you Kimberly! I'm trying to do the same. "Clean eating" or "healthy eating" are such subjective terms. Everyone will have different interpretations.

For me, I mostly eat whole or minimally processed nutritious foods (fruits, veggies, meats, eggs, milk (dairy and nut), cheese, yogurt, whole or sprouted grain breads, cereals, grains, nuts, seeds, etc.). I've learned to always read nutrition labels so I know what I'm consuming (sodium content was an eye opener when I started doing that). I've also learned to keep an open mind about different foods, and try something new every now and then. My healthy food choices have expanded greatly by doing that, and I don't get stuck in a rut of eating the same things all the time. I still occassionally eat the not-so-good-for-me food, but that's not the norm anymore and does not affect the overall trend of healthy eating.

levitateme

"Clean" eating has no clear cut definition. Generally it seems to be used by people who cut certain foods out of their diet to designate that they don't eat those foods. I believe in eating healthy, tend to eat seasonally and cook most of my food from whole foods (since I like to cook--I ate that way before losing weight too), and eat lots of vegetables, but I see no reason to adopt arbitrary rules about what I will or won't eat or eliminate foods and I don't think foods like ice cream or homemade pie are "unclean" or unacceptable in a healthy diet, so I reject the term as unhelpful and obnoxious.

If you think you have an issue with eating too many processed foods of certain types (remember that yogurt and frozen veggies, along with any number of other extremely healthy foods are "processed"), with lots of high calorie or non-nutrient-dense items, or too much fast food, etc., the problem is with making these things the center of your diet not with eating any of them ever. Definitely try focusing on vegetables and home cooked meals if that appeals to you -- I think that's an easy way to eat more healthfully and cut calories --- but I am forever mystified why people want to go to extremes from eating all of these items with no moderation at all to cutting things out and then announce that they are eating "clean." If you have to struggle to maintain some kind of special diet, vs. figuring out a way to eat healthfully within your preferences, then it's much less likely to be sustainable, and it's really not necessary.

Well said, thanks for this post. I feel similarly. I eat mostly "clean" because my boyfriend enjoys creating food from whole ingredients (and has since before we decided to lose weight) but I will never tell anyone that they would be healthier if they chose to eat this way. If you are meeting your goals for protein, carbs and fat in a good percentage split, it really doesn't matter if it's coming from processed foods or not.

Some people seem to confuse the "everything in moderation" attitude with "everyone can (and should) eat nothing but junk and stay within their calorie goals, yolo."

lemurcat12

The term "clean" eating doesn't actually appeal to me, and I don't use it. I only answered the OPs question in terms of the way I handle my choices of food. In fact, I don't like the term at all. I agree it is kind of trendy right now to use the term, but so are the words ratchet and butthurt. I don't care for those words either. Semantics, really.

We agree on all this. ;-) And I hope this doesn't come across as too critical, as it's the topic that I'm debating, not your way of eating at all.

I can't really understand how someone can be offended or feel inferior when there really is nothing to feel inferior about...it all boils down to preferences,choices, and free will, and I'm sure we all have different reasons for those. Do you agree?

Hmm. I'm not talking about being offended or feeling inferior. I'm talking about trying to turn basic stuff like trying to eat healthy, eating vegetables, cooking whole foods into some kind of labeled diet plan that needs special instructions and rules, on the one hand, which makes everything more complicated than it needs to be. And, on the other hand, declaring that in order to lose weight you must in essence follow some kind of magic formula where lots of food are declared off limits and people who eat them are taught to believe that they failed. My position on this is colored by all the silly posts on MFP such as "I am under my calories but ate a piece of bread, will I gain weight?" In this sense "clean" eating makes what should be simple -- eating an overall balanced, healthy diet -- into some kind of complicated system with lots of rules on which everyone disagrees and which you can easily screw up and which has built in villains, "processed food," despite the fact that the people who go on about it (not you) seem not even to understand what "processed food" is in any meaningful way, such that you seriously get people saying stuff like "I don't eat processed food, my diet is mostly yogurt and deli lunch meat" or some such. It's mind boggling. And don't get me started on the endless posts lately about how fruit is bad for you, because it has sugar.

But yeah, the idea -- promoted by some clean eaters on the forums -- that if one doesn't "eat clean" one must not care about one's health gets a little tedious too. As I see it, the main difference between "clean eaters" and non "clean eaters" on MFP on average is whether they like the label "clean eating." Maybe I'm being uncharitable in the reasons I've come up with for people liking the term, but I have not heard a good alternative explanation.

As far as not eating certain foods, I have a medical reason not to eat a lot of processed foods. I went into it in another post. It isn't really a choice for me as it is a necessity regarding some of them.

I think you are missing my point here, so maybe I was not clear. I see no need for people to explain why they don't eat particular foods. Everyone doesn't eat particular foods for a whole variety of reasons. Corn--lovely, locally-grown sweet corn--has seemed not to agree with me the past few years. I'm hoping that getting more healthy has changed this (now that it's coming into corn season) and that will not be the case this year, but if it is, bummer, I won't eat corn. I won't claim that I've eliminated that demon corn from my diet because it's bad or that not eating it makes my diet more "clean" (and I don't think you are doing this either, but that's more akin to what I'm complaining about).

My point was that if I claim to give up "processed foods" in general--not specific foods or ingredients I think are bad for me--there's got to be some reason why, and I don't think there is any consistent rule for processed foods in general, as your original post acknowledged and as I agreed with. It would be dumb for me to give up processed foods just because they are processed, as that would not only eliminate foods from my diet that I like, but ones that I specifically consider healthy, like yogurt or frozen fish. IME, so-called clean eaters don't usually have much of an answer for this. They simply seem to define "processed foods" as "foods that I think are unhealthy." Most likely it's more that they tend to (or used to) buy lots of non nutrient dense items in processed form and have traditionally not eaten them in moderation, but not everyone does that.

Other reasons that I make the choices I do is that I live in a county that has a prevalent farming community, and I like to support local farmers. I also like to support small businesses, when I can. I can't always do that, but I am consciously making the choice to do so.

Yes, I do this too. Why would you think I'm arguing against this? I just don't claim it's because I "eat clean." It's because I tend to prefer fruits and vegetables that are locally grown and seasonal, because I enjoy shopping this way, and--for meat and animal products--for ethical reasons. And because my grandparents were farmers so it makes me feel good to support local farmers.

But to take this to the extreme and stop buying broccoli in December because it's going to be in some sense processed or to eschew fish that can't be caught locally, etc., seems less healthy than the "purer" option. Not saying you do this, obviously, but following up on my issues with the term.

Sabine_Stroehm

well- when you use an completely arbitrary way of describing how you eat- then yes- you tend to get some silly comments. It's less about thread jacking and pointing out with some humor that it's completely arbitrary how you define how you eat.

And yet just two days ago when someone was asking about implementing IIFYM the "expert" reply was basically: "You decide what your macros are set to. There is no right answer for macros". Doesn't that render that somewhat arbitrary as well? Yet no one disagreed....
I'm not interested in debating IIFYM, because, well, it can be healthy, and hideously UNhealthy.
I guess I just wish that instead of the childish comments folks could offer some reasonable advice about eating a healthful diet, since that's what most folks are really asking about.

1.) this question gets asked frequently- so it's not hard to Google it before asking.
2.) there are tons of great advice out there regarding this- by all types of people
3.) Many "clean" eating people really REALLY have a negative unhealthy view of food that is perfectly acceptable to eat. Carbs, sugars and fats get targeted quiet a bit. Borderlines on neurotic sometimes.


There is a difference between learning to eat a balanced diet and just writing stuff off because it's all these imaginary bad reasons.

and google brings people here. Lots of questions are asked over and over. Mocking and dog piling is just childish.

so is weighing yourself before and after you poop.

still hasn't stopped me.

umm ok

ChunkLaFunk

Trying to follow along here. Lotsa passion!

Did anyone answer MzKym32 question? She asked about making healthier food choices to help her meet her personal goals, a seemingly innocuous question but made the mistake of putting the term "clean eating" in her query.

Things swerved off course in hurry though. It happens...just like poop.

Anyway, I looked at the food diary and it looks pretty good. The recommendation I would make is forget the tilapia. It's a farmed fish and you get more nutrition from wild caught fish, salmon, halibut, tuna whatever your tastes prefer.

Also, make sure you hit your calories goals. You have a strenuous workout program and your body needs the calories to replenish it's energy stores.

Much success with your goals!

One issue in these battling posts is mixing diet philosophies with the building blocks (food choices) for a specific diet. For example a Vegan is not going to accept a free range chicken as a "clean" choice.

And for the record I eat clean

J72FIT

I think its also a term people (SOME, NOT ALL, TAKE IT EASY FOLKS) use to make themselves feel superior in some way to the rest of us. You know, the ones who say stuff like, "I wouldn't give that processed garbage to my dog".
Well, something like that

J72FIT

Trying to follow along here. Lotsa passion!

Did anyone answer MzKym32 question? She asked about making healthier food choices to help her meet her personal goals, a seemingly innocuous question but made the mistake of putting the term "clean eating" in her query.

Actually, she made a statement about wanting to eat healthier and specifically asked, "what do you consider clean eating?"

_lyndseybrooke_

It's food that you don't eat off the floor.

JoRocka

Things swerved off course in hurry though. It happens...just like poop.

what you did there.

I saw it.

FitForL1fe

In for IIFYM YOLOOOOOOOOOOOOO

AmyG1982

For me its taking out the overly processed/refined foods. Pretty much the entire middle part of the grocery store lol! I cook all my meals with as natural ingredients as I can get (I try for organic but often just get stuff from the farmers market that is pesticide free and free range meats). For me, I eat mostly fruit, veggies, nuts, meat and the occasional bit of dairy and some wild rice/quinoa and a bit of sprouted grain wheat bread. I don't do pre-made foods like tv dinners, soups, pasta sauces and I even make my own taco seasoning lol.

I find it keeps me fuller longer and makes staying in a calorie deficit much easier. (not everyone will though) I also find other added benefits like it reduces the amount of headaches I get, gives me more energy, helps me sleep better, stops my hands from puffing up at the end of the day (you take in way less sodium when you cut-out pre-made stuff) etc. I just generally feel better when not eating overly processed stuff. I also try to avoid foods that are higher on the glycemic index which is why I don't do a lot of wheat.

I do have 1 cheat meal a week though so I can get a little of that stuff in to help prevent a binge.

AmyG1982

well- when you use an completely arbitrary way of describing how you eat- then yes- you tend to get some silly comments. It's less about thread jacking and pointing out with some humor that it's completely arbitrary how you define how you eat.

And yet just two days ago when someone was asking about implementing IIFYM the "expert" reply was basically: "You decide what your macros are set to. There is no right answer for macros". Doesn't that render that somewhat arbitrary as well? Yet no one disagreed....
I'm not interested in debating IIFYM, because, well, it can be healthy, and hideously UNhealthy.
I guess I just wish that instead of the childish comments folks could offer some reasonable advice about eating a healthful diet, since that's what most folks are really asking about.

Totally agree with you! I tend to avoid the boards because every well meaning thread ends up in complete idiocy.

Hornsby

No foods are dirty, therefore, they are all clean.

Hornsby

Trying to follow along here. Lotsa passion!

Did anyone answer MzKym32 question? She asked about making healthier food choices to help her meet her personal goals, a seemingly innocuous question but made the mistake of putting the term "clean eating" in her query.

Um, her question in the title, and in the OP specifically ask what clean eating is to "us".

J72FIT

No foods are dirty, therefore, they are all clean.

Makes sense to me...

meshashesha2012

clean eating to me is washing my fruits and veggies and yes it's absolutely essential to do that

Sarauk2sf

Clean eating is whatever you want it to be. Decide some things are bad, for whatever reason. Don't eat them. There you go, you're eating clean.

Pineapple is bad. I do not eat it. I eat clean....winning. :happy:

Sabine_Stroehm

I'm sure it means something different to each person, but to me it is just a matter of choosing consciously and deliberately a product in a more natural state.

Even most of those items are processed in one way or another, but for instance, instead of choosing a heavy whipping cream with sorbic acid, dipotassium phosphate, produced from cows given hormones, caged and milked by machinery (there is nothing wrong with making this choice in my opinion) you may select/choose a heavy cream from a local dairy that doesn't add preservatives and doesn't give their cows hormones, and maybe the cow lives outside and gets sunshine and is milked by hand.

This can be true of every item we purchase. I tend to shop the perimeter of my grocery store, which I find has items in their more natural states, however, I'm not against convenience and processed foods when they fit my goals. I do prefer to buy fresh vegetables from farmers whenever possible, but it isn't always convenient or affordable for my budget. I also like Birdseye Steamfresh vegetables from the freezer section because they are fast, easy, and sometimes less expensive than the same item from the produce section.

I personally don't see much difference between a fresh head of cauliflower from the produce section versus the bag of frozen chunks of cauliflower. One, I have to wash, remove stem and cut in chunks myself, boil, then use the food processor. The other, I pour from the bag into my pot, boil, then put in food processor. Sometimes I make the choice to save myself a step or two, but I still consider it eating "clean".

Sounds like you have the same approach as I do basically. I would never call this "clean," so I'm kind of curious what it is that makes that designation appeal to you, especially since you acknowledge that it really doesn't mean anything, since people all have their own definitions.

My dislike for the term is that it seems to assert superiority over those who don't "eat clean" and, even more, that it's basically a trendy term that means nothing, but from a more pragmatic POV it asserts that there are categories of foods you don't eat. There are lots of foods I don't eat (I don't care for them, think they are worse for me than something else that serves the same purpose, have strong ideas about how I like to eat, etc.), but I would be hard pressed to generalize about them in a "clean eating" kind of way, as it seems you also would. For example, if I were to buy into a "no processed foods" rule, I'd either be a hypocrite or have to explain to myself why lots of processed foods that I think make my diet healthier (like some you mention or I did above) must be off limit, and I couldn't come up with a reason.

I do make choices between foods sometimes based on one being less processed or more local/seasonable or more natural or for ethical reasons and various other distinctions, as I think we all do, but I wouldn't characterize this as clean vs. not. It's just part of navigating the numerous choices we have as consumers, that really can't be simplified to "eat foods on this list and not that" in any kind of sensible way.

How does a term assert superiority? I assume you're suggesting that the USERS of the term do. Does that include the OP? She seemed interested in improving her health. Not claiming some supposed superiority.

The term is dumb. Yes. Eating healthy is not. Perhaps we could talk about eating healthy? Is that an issue?
But, again, I think the IIFYM blanket is pretty silly too, given how broadly it's applied.

lemurcat12

"The term is dumb. Yes. Eating healthy is not. Perhaps we could talk about eating healthy?"

Yes, this has been my consistent point. OP did not ask what we thought eating healthy was, she asked about our understanding of eating "clean."

I don't think eating "clean" is just an irritating way to say eating healthy, though. To the extent it means anything at all, it's an assertion that it is better to eliminate than eat "unclean" food in moderation (depending on what it is moderation could end up meaning once every couple of months, and of course this doesn't apply to foods that you just don't care about much -- i never eat pop tarts, but it would be absurd to claim I've eliminated them). I think it can be healthy for an individual to choose to eliminate foods based on personal reasons, but to say that's the essence of a healthy diet, what we should focus on, seems backwards to me. We should focus on eating a balanced healthy diet with lots of nutrients, a variety of vegetables, adequate protein, etc. "Clean" eating, with the focus on individual foods being good or bad or the red herring of processing (lots of good for you foods are processed) seems to me to focus on the wrong things.

Or, you know, just be a trendy marketing label for diet books and plans.