How do you eat clean?

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tekeyla25
tekeyla25 Posts: 84
in Food and Nutrition
I watched the movie hungry for a change and it is scary how processed everything is. Makes me want to try to stray away. It talked about msg which I didnt know goes under many names and said msg makes you fat it makes you want to eat more. So how would you know all these names ?? Also aspartame and what products have that in it besides fake sugars?
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  • sonjalucia
    sonjalucia Posts: 120 Member
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    Read the Nutritional labels. There is also a thread here on MFP with a list of "Clean Eats".

    A good author who has some great books and cookbooks is Tosca Reno. Look it up :)
  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
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    Stick with products that have a very short ingredient list and/or only eat whole foods.
    That's the basis of it.


    I would recommend eating mainly home made food. A time saving way to do this is if you cook in big batches and freeze your cooked food in smaller portions to reheat when needed.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    I would recommend eating mainly home made food. A time saving way to do this is if you cook in big batches and freeze your cooked food in smaller portions to reheat when needed.

    Ditto. I home cook most things I eat and have no problem eating mainly "clean" without even trying. Also, it isn't only healthier, but cheaper!
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    It's really hard at first. It's taken me a couple years. But, I hardly eat out any more. Technically, I still eat processed foods, such as Milk, yogurt and cottage cheese. But, mostly just lean meats, veggies, and fruits. Keep it simple. Like I said its hard at first. I think basically, it's a un-numbing of the pallet. Bland food is really tastey, you're just not used to tasting it. It takes a while to adjust to eating plain, bland food. But, if you can make the transition, you'll love it. And, before everyone jumps on me, I'm aware of spices and all that. It's still bland compared to the artificial taste of processed foods.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    I eat based on what tastes good and what fits in my calorie/macro goals.

    I couldn't care less if my food is processed/preserved/salted/hormoned/pesticided/whatever other evil you want to mention.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    Primarily eat foods with one or two ingredients, then you don't have to worry about what everything is. Wholefoods absolutely do not have to be plain or bland if you add herbs, spice blends, garlic, chilli, no salt yeast extract, tomato paste, red wine, meat and vegetable stock, Lo Salt and so on.

    Cooking method is relevant, cook things long and slow and take time to reduce liquids down, choose flavourful cuts of meat not tasteless skinless battery chicken breast and white fish - lamb on the bone, chicken livers, oily fish, whole corn fed chicken. My meals are not blander than processed stuff unless I choose them to be, I like stronger flavours than many people I know.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I watched the movie hungry for a change and it is scary how processed everything is. Makes me want to try to stray away. It talked about msg which I didnt know goes under many names and said msg makes you fat it makes you want to eat more. So how would you know all these names ?? Also aspartame and what products have that in it besides fake sugars?

    Don't eat things like broccoli, parmesan, roquefort or things like that, since they are high in glutamate content. Or maybe MSG fear mongering is just that and it does not make you fat
  • panzerduff
    panzerduff Posts: 21 Member
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    I eat based on what tastes good and what fits in my calorie/macro goals.

    I couldn't care less if my food is processed/preserved/salted/hormoned/pesticided/whatever other evil you want to mention.

    This. All day long.
  • lottycat
    lottycat Posts: 333 Member
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    While I am all for health and fitness - my meals at home are usually cooked from scratch and relatively clean and macro balanced I am still of the opinion that life is too short to skip out on the social/happiness factor you get from eating out with friends, sharing cake etc. at family celebrations and having the occasional tipple. In my opinion health is intrinsically tied up with happiness, and for me that doesn't come from depriving/restricting myself too much. It's all about balance.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    I eat based on what tastes good and what fits in my calorie/macro goals.

    I couldn't care less if my food is processed/preserved/salted/hormoned/pesticided/whatever other evil you want to mention.

    So why read and post on a thread about clean eating?
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    deleted
  • Princess41463
    Princess41463 Posts: 39 Member
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    If it comes in a box or a can - it's processed - not clean.
  • Bobby__Clerici
    Bobby__Clerici Posts: 741 Member
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    My ideal is real simple.
    If man makes it, don't eat it.
    Eat lean meats, nuts, real dairy, fresh, raw fruits and veggies and whole grains.
    That's my standard of perfection, so when I step outside that circle, I do so by choice.
    And I define eating "clean" as achieving 75% of my defined ideal, so that's it.
    Everybody will give you a different answer, so enjoy the comments, make your own choices and reach for your own potential.
    All Is Possible!
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
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    I put windex on everything... it removes all the calories, and grossness.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    If it comes in a box or a can - it's processed - not clean.

    Frozen veggies and fruits, terrible for you. Olive oil, processed ewwwwww. Pack of butter, processed yuck
  • Squatbenchrepeat
    Squatbenchrepeat Posts: 21
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    If it comes in a box or a can - it's processed - not clean.

    Most people think clean eating is how you cook the food, but do you really know what the food you "clean cook" at home came from? Unless you have your own farm/garden - or even if its from a holy farmers market you still really dont even know what happened to that food before it got to your Mike Tyson grill.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
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    Decision-making:

    Chocolate Chip Clif Bar energy bar ingredients: Organic Brown Rice Syrup, ClifPro® (Soy Rice Crisps [Soy Protein Isolate, Rice Flour, Barley Malt Extract], Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour), Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Toasted Oats (Organic Oats, Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Ascorbic Acid, Natural Vitamin E [Antioxidant]), Chocolate Chips (Dried Cane Syrup, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla Extract), Organic Cane Syrup, ClifCrunch® (Organic Oat Fiber, Apple Fiber, Inulin [Chicory Extract], Organic Milled Flaxseed, Psyllium), Organic Date Paste, Organic Soy Butter (Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soybean Oil, Salt), Organic Sunflower Oil, Molasses Powder, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Cinnamon.

    LARABAR Cherry Pie energy bar ingredients: Dates, Almonds, Unsweetened Cherries.
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
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    I wash all my food first
  • paperhawk
    paperhawk Posts: 26 Member
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    My ideal is real simple.
    If man makes it, don't eat it.
    Eat lean meats, nuts, real dairy, fresh, raw fruits and veggies and whole grains.
    That's my standard of perfection, so when I step outside that circle, I do so by choice.
    And I define eating "clean" as achieving 75% of my defined ideal, so that's it.
    Everybody will give you a different answer, so enjoy the comments, make your own choices and reach for your own potential.
    All Is Possible!

    Agreed. Go Paleo. I am becoming a fan of Primal Blueprint- Mark Sisson, also Dr. Lustig, and the Doc that wrote 'Wheat Belly" Shop at Whole Foods if you got the extra bucks. We don't have a Whole Foods Near, but you can get uncured bacon at Walmart, lots of good stuff at Sams Club and even Krogers has a section now.

    I was losing weight OK on the processed stuff, but I really feel better on the Paleo Diet... Down 51 pounds since April 2012 maybe 20 or so to go.

    Jon
  • reasnableblonde
    reasnableblonde Posts: 212 Member
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    I got one of Tosca Reno's cookbooks and have been enjoying trying things out. Some things are quite flavorful, and others are a little more bland. I usually alter recipes to fit our tastes anyhow (omitting cilantro, using sage instead of oregano for some things, etc.) and these will take a little more thought on that end. The basic principle I've learned is try to eat from scratch as much as possible. I've learned to make my own tomato sauce (using canned tomatoes, so it's not perfect) instead of using Ragu. We actually prefer my version.

    We don't eat 100% clean in our house. We're social and we go out with friends, so that's just not going to happen. I find it's reasonable to aim for 80%. No one's perfect.

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