what does "eating clean" consist of?

Washing your hands before you eat.

Folks use "I eat clean" to mean so many varied things - no processed foods, or no foods that have "artificial ingredients" (often defined as having a 'chemical' listed on the label by scientific name, or no fried foods, or no sauces, or. . . you get the idea. "Eating clean" winds up having about as much validity for an actual discussion as labeling a food "wholesome".

Lean meats (chicken and fish, mostly), lots of vegetables, fruits, whole wheat breads. Nothing processed... light on things like mayo and butter... you know.

You mean hippys

The process of cleansing your food. I typically like to eat potato chips dipped in toothpaste and burger doused with mouthwash to ensure that 99.9% of contaminants are removed. A lot of food is dirty and handled by a lot of people so it's important to eat clean.

Pretty soon the "no grain, no dairy, free range, only organic everything, only grass-fed beef people" will be here....

And the vegans, the pescitarians, the raw foodists. . . .

bump

Eliminating or greatly reducing unhealthy foods, processed foods, and empty calorie foods.

For fats, you eliminate saturated fat and transfats and consume more monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, EFA's, Omega 3 and 6 fats.

For carbs you eliminate sugar and white starch (white bread, white pasta, white rice) with the exception of the sugar food in dairy and fruits (not fruit juice), yet those are used in moderation. Fibrous, whole grain, and starchy low GI complex carbs should be emphasized. Controlled insulin levels is very important in losing fat and eliminating cravings. Sugar in fruit is seen not that harmful as whole fruit has fiber and tons of antioxidants.

For protein you emphasize lean sources with little fat with the exception of fish like Salmon. You also consume complete protein foods as opposed to getting the majority of your protein from fruits and grains which have incomplete proteins. You can supplement with whey protein too.

Then reduce sodium levels as high levels of sodium are associated with hypertension.

Eat like this and you'll reduce bodyfat, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and any acid reflux symptoms. Of course, if you need to lose weight, you'll need to reduce calories.

So much bro in this thread.

It really means different things to different people. Probably the best way to go if you're curious is search second-hand bookstores for "The Eat Clean Diet" by Tosca Reno. I have a copy, and it's more about principles than execution. That being said, it's hard as a vegetarian to eat the way she suggests.

Food, mostly.

for me personally: eating clean=minimally processed, ideally organic as much as possible. I even have cut out most dips, spreads, and dressings.

I'm starting to make my own pastas and sauces from scratch too. So much more tasty.

Growing and harvesting your own fruit and vegetables, slaughtering your own meat, and drinking only water. Other than that, the rest of the food you buy on the market has gone through some processing of some sort.
That's why I don't eat "clean".

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Eating clean to me means eating real food, protein, fruits, veggies and healthy fats. Avoid over processed garbage food.

what about whey protein powder of pure protein bars or quest protein bars?

I would guess that is not considered clean. But if you looked you could probably find a protein powder that was closer to the "clean" standard. I know they have organic, but that doesn't = clean.