what exactly is to "eat clean"?

MudRunLvr

Here's what I've learned in the dozens and dozens of threads about clean eating.

It's an entirely made up and arbitrary term that varies from person to person as they see fit.

And secondly, it doesn't do a thing for weight loss. Counting calories does.

aaronlawrenc

bumblebums

It doesn't mean any one thing, as you can tell from the contributions to this thread so far.

Fun fact:

http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=eating+clean&year_start=1800&year_end=2013&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=

BobbieInCA

A good trick is to shop the outside perimeter of your supermarket. Produce, dairy, meat, fish, and bread are located there. Processed and junk food are in all the rows. Not perfect advice, but helpful.

Acg67

To me eating clean (which I don't) is avoiding processed foods and foods with artificial sweeteners, colors, etc. A person who eats clean would never eat fat free ice cream or light mayo. They would eat real haagen daz and homemade mayo.

I thought processed foods was anything made by a company?

Basically, what I TRY to do, is: don't eat anything I can't pronounce. Look at labels and if you see a list of chemicals, it's better to move on to a different product. Even better, eat things that don't have a list of ingredients: fruits, veggies, meats, seeds, nuts, oils, etc.

Edited for failed coding

A brief introduction to phonics would vastly expand your menu.

Ouch, and completely unnecessary. Also, regular American phonetics won't help with chemical nomenclature. Tell me this looks healthy.

Does this list of ingredients sound healthy?

Alpha-Linolenic-Acid, Asparagine, D-Categin, Isoqurctrin, Hyperoside, Ferulic-Acid, Farnesene, Neoxathin, Phosphatidyl-Choline, Reynoutrin, Sinapic-Acid, Caffeic-Acid, Chlorogenic-Acid, P-Hydroxy-Benzoic-Acid, P-Coumaric-Acid, Avicularin, Lutein, Quercitin, Rutin, Ursolic-Acid, Protocatechuic-Acid, Silver, Tryptophan, Threonine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lycine, Methionine, Cystine, Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, Valine, Argenine, Histidine, Alanine, Aspartic Acid, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Proline, and Serine. Trace amounts of Boron and Cobalt.

jlapey

To me eating clean (which I don't) is avoiding processed foods and foods with artificial sweeteners, colors, etc. A person who eats clean would never eat fat free ice cream or light mayo. They would eat real haagen daz and homemade mayo.

I thought processed foods was anything made by a company?

Basically, what I TRY to do, is: don't eat anything I can't pronounce. Look at labels and if you see a list of chemicals, it's better to move on to a different product. Even better, eat things that don't have a list of ingredients: fruits, veggies, meats, seeds, nuts, oils, etc.

Edited for failed coding

A brief introduction to phonics would vastly expand your menu.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :flowerforyou: :drinker:

EmilyOfTheSun

but according to some people, I'm not "eating clean" enough.

Don't listen to them. Do what's working for you. Your life will be much more enjoyable if you don't stress yourself out over having to cut out certain foods. I know PLENTY of people who still eat like a boss, and definitely still turn heads. Stay within your calorie goal and keep enjoying life!

The main benefit that I've seen with "clean eating" is that those foods tend to keep me feeling fuller for longer, but not enough to make me be a "clean eater" 100% of the time lol.

:drinker:

bumblebums

To me eating clean (which I don't) is avoiding processed foods and foods with artificial sweeteners, colors, etc. A person who eats clean would never eat fat free ice cream or light mayo. They would eat real haagen daz and homemade mayo.

I thought processed foods was anything made by a company?

Basically, what I TRY to do, is: don't eat anything I can't pronounce. Look at labels and if you see a list of chemicals, it's better to move on to a different product. Even better, eat things that don't have a list of ingredients: fruits, veggies, meats, seeds, nuts, oils, etc.

Edited for failed coding

A brief introduction to phonics would vastly expand your menu.

Ouch, and completely unnecessary. Also, regular American phonetics won't help with chemical nomenclature. Tell me this looks healthy.

Phonics: a method of teaching reading that teaches grapheme-to-sound correspondence rules in an increasingly complex sequence from most frequent to least.

Phonetics: the study of vocal tract anatomy and speech acoustics, as well as speech perception.

Phonics will actually help you read chemical terms. If you've been taught reading using phonics, which a lot of Americans are not taught these days (it suffered an unfortunate decline in popularity around the 1970's).

Danny_Boy13

Ever since I joined MFP, I hear those two words a lot. I don't understand the concept of "eat clean". I mean, ever since I've changed my diet I still eat potatoes, pasta, rice(portions) and still lose weigh but according to some people, I'm not "eating clean" enough.

This term is going to give you a lot of different answers from different people but the usual common denominator is that clean eating is mostly from fresh, non processed foods and eating w/in ones macros IMO. Fresh produce and meats, are some examples of clean foods.

jonnythan

Reality of the situation is that "eating clean" won't help your weight loss, won't affect whether you lose fat or muscle, and won't affect your health.

Hit your macros and eat plenty of veggies. It doesn't matter what scary-sounding ingredients are in your Pop-Tart, and it doesn't matter if your chicken breast was handed to you over a counter at McDonald's.

goodtimezzzz

one ingredient

sullus

To me eating clean (which I don't) is avoiding processed foods and foods with artificial sweeteners, colors, etc. A person who eats clean would never eat fat free ice cream or light mayo. They would eat real haagen daz and homemade mayo.

I thought processed foods was anything made by a company?

Basically, what I TRY to do, is: don't eat anything I can't pronounce. Look at labels and if you see a list of chemicals, it's better to move on to a different product. Even better, eat things that don't have a list of ingredients: fruits, veggies, meats, seeds, nuts, oils, etc.

Edited for failed coding

A brief introduction to phonics would vastly expand your menu.

Ouch, and completely unnecessary. Also, regular American phonetics won't help with chemical nomenclature. Tell me this looks healthy.

Phonics: a method of teaching reading that teaches grapheme-to-sound correspondence rules in an increasingly complex sequence from most frequent to least.

Phonetics: the study of vocal tract anatomy and speech acoustics, as well as speech perception.

Phonics will actually help you read chemical terms. If you've been taught reading using phonics, which a lot of Americans are not taught these days (it suffered an unfortunate decline in popularity around the 1970's).

There's absolutely nothing hard to pronounce on that label. Clean food, yay!!

sullus

one ingredient

Naaah. Fritos are clean. They have 3 ingredients.

Celebi03

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Brunner26_2

simply it is

if it didn't come from a mom, a tree or the ground don't eat it

What if it came from a bush?

hellraisedfire

I make sure I have my daily glass of drain-o.

weinbagel

Only real, natural foods. No processed foods... basically, when you shop, you only shop the perimeter of the grocery store (produce, meats, fish).

luceegj

It's not a phrase we use in the U.K.

Yes it is!

Hell yes!

sullus

Only real, natural foods. No processed foods... basically, when you shop, you only shop the perimeter of the grocery store (produce, meats, fish).

Good rule of thumb, but there's a lot of crazy processed stuff in the perimeter, and some nice whole options in the aisles.

All your processed meats are in the perimeter.

Triscuits, Salsa, Corn Chips .. in the aisles.

MyChocolateDiet

simply it is

if it didn't come from a mom, a tree or the ground don't eat it

Well I'm a mom, and I make some awesome toll house cookies. So....you can eat them.

Confuzzled4ever

Ever since I joined MFP, I hear those two words a lot. I don't understand the concept of "eat clean". I mean, ever since I've changed my diet I still eat potatoes, pasta, rice(portions) and still lose weigh but according to some people, I'm not "eating clean" enough.

It means scrub your taters.. LMAO.. haha.. kidding.. (well you shoudl scrub them anyway.. lol)

It means eat whole raw real foods as opposed to processed chemical laden junk.

Instead of boxed beef strognaoff, you'd make it yourself.

I also use organic foods for other reasons.. but it's definatly healthier.

Basically it's "eat like your grandparents did" or maybe great grandparents depending how old you are.. LOL

katy_trail

where is the article by alan aragon when i need it.....

tedrickp

I am the type of person to get a bit obsessive about research when I really get into something. From what I have learned about "clean eating" is that everyone has a different idea of what it is , so much so that it has lost all its meaning to me.

Nothing gets me to tune out quicker than someone talking about "clean eating"

Nothing more than a popular catch phrase IMO.

bumblebums

To me eating clean (which I don't) is avoiding processed foods and foods with artificial sweeteners, colors, etc. A person who eats clean would never eat fat free ice cream or light mayo. They would eat real haagen daz and homemade mayo.

I thought processed foods was anything made by a company?

Basically, what I TRY to do, is: don't eat anything I can't pronounce. Look at labels and if you see a list of chemicals, it's better to move on to a different product. Even better, eat things that don't have a list of ingredients: fruits, veggies, meats, seeds, nuts, oils, etc.

Edited for failed coding

A brief introduction to phonics would vastly expand your menu.

Ouch, and completely unnecessary. Also, regular American phonetics won't help with chemical nomenclature. Tell me this looks healthy.

Phonics: a method of teaching reading that teaches grapheme-to-sound correspondence rules in an increasingly complex sequence from most frequent to least.

Phonetics: the study of vocal tract anatomy and speech acoustics, as well as speech perception.

Phonics will actually help you read chemical terms. If you've been taught reading using phonics, which a lot of Americans are not taught these days (it suffered an unfortunate decline in popularity around the 1970's).

There's absolutely nothing hard to pronounce on that label. Clean food, yay!!

I was thinking the same thing, none of those ingredients are unpronounceable to me!

Seriously, though, it is impossible to have a rational definition for an exclusionary diet. People just kind of make it up as they go along. One ingredient (lard?), no unpronounceable ingredients (huitlacoche, anyone?), nothing made in a factory (how about a butcher factory or that spinach bagging thing Sara posted?), etc., etc. This is why you will often see people experimenting with Paleo say that they are eating Paleo except they make one little exception for [insert their favorite food X here]. It's just not a principled way to structure a diet.

Please do not get me wrong, I think people should eat vegetables and fruit and nuts and other whole foods. But the term "clean" passes a judgment on food that is counterproductive. You're almost as ethically flawed as a smoker if you eat certain foods that aren't on someone's "clean food list."

Joocey

This term is going to give you a lot of different answers from different people but the usual common denominator is that clean eating is mostly from fresh, non processed foods and eating w/in ones macros IMO. Fresh produce and meats, are some examples of clean foods.

This is probably the closest you'll get to a response since there's no agreed-upon definition for "clean eating". If pressed for an explanation, I'd go with avoiding foods that have added ingredients when possible, if an alternative is available, and avoiding products with high/added sugar, transfats, sodium, etc.

So if I'm buying bread, I'll opt for one that just has wheat flour + yeast + brown sugar vs. one that has wheat flour + yeast + brown sugar AND a laundry list of added ingredients. Not that it's likely to make any difference in your fat loss or muscle gaining goals, but it MIGHT have some non-negligible positive effect on your longterm health and since it doesn't really cost you anything except some time, why not?

Other than that, the term "clean" vs. "dirty" doesn't mean that much. A BK Whopper isn't "dirty" because it's processed, but it IS less good for you because of its high sodium content and because you're getting a lot of fat, sugar, and carbs, for not much protein. In other words, it's "bad" because that's 600+ calories that could have been apportioned better with other food choices. But if you like Whoppers, you could fill in the gaps in nutrition with other food choices and still end up okay; you would just need to find food choices that are very high in protein, with low-no sugar/carbs, and low-med carbs... while still keeping at your calorie goals.* On the whole though, it's just an easier rule of thumb to avoid so-called "dirty foods".


*Note: This is not an endorsement of the BK Whopper.

capnrus789

Eating clean simply means eating food that is as close to it's natural state as possible. No processing or heavy preservatives.

Also see Paleo Diet

i.e.
freshly snapped green beans = clean
canned/frozen green beans = not so clean

organic boneless chicken breasts = clean
Oscar Myer deli chicken slices = not clean

Usually if it's in a plastic bag or a box (aside from grains like oats and rice) it is most likely not clean. If you stick to the perimeter of the grocery store that's where your clean foods can usually be found. If it can sit on a shelf for months and months you probably do not want to put it in your body.

You already contradicted yourself, how did the chicken breasts get boneless, perhaps through processing!?

Mind....blown. Everything I eat is processed! Imma gonna die!

Confuzzled4ever

Here's what I've learned in the dozens and dozens of threads about clean eating.

It's an entirely made up and arbitrary term that varies from person to person as they see fit.

And secondly, it doesn't do a thing for weight loss. Counting calories does.

Clean eating is more of health benefit then a weight loss plan. You will eat healthier therotically by eating clean. But it's more of a health choice then a weight loss plan. It's healthier to eat fresh raw unprocessed non-chemically injected or enhanced foods. You can lose weight eating anything you want, following any diet. Depends on what your goals are. Jusst like switching to organic.. i buy mostly organic because I'm against GMO.. not becuase I think i'll lose more weight that way.. Although I do believe organic foods are inherently healthier then non-organic foods. I don't care if anyone else agrees with me or not.

If someone is telling you "you're not eating clean enough" tell them to go worry about thier own health goals.

cookiealbright

I thought it was eating nothing processed. Like eating real cheese, but not processed cheese food or eating meat but not lunch meat. Potatoes are clean, instant potatoes are not.

Confuzzled4ever

TEDRICKP!! I love your ticker!! LMAO!!!

MyChocolateDiet

Actually OP to be honest I think two things.

1) you might want to draw a hard line in the sand on your FL or IRL wherever people feel open to criticizing your food habits in such a vague way. I just looked at your diary and it did not look horrible. Set some boundaries with those people. Or at least make them back up their criticism with their definition of "eat clean". Otherwise it's just a word to throw around glibly, and really it's a dagger.

2) if there are actual results you are not achieving with your current diet and exercise plan, ask a question based on the facts of your current state of affairs and avoid this buzz word because as you can see, it's a red herring and will not lead to the answers you might really benefit from.

:flowerforyou: