What is YOUR definition of 'clean eating' ?

2»

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It means avoiding boxed, canned, or frozen meals and pre-packaged meals that are laden with preservatives. It means cooking from scratch using fresh meats and produce as the base whenever possible.

    I'm pretty much this....though I do tend to get canned beans...I don't have time to make beans from scratch all of the time.
  • jamielynas
    jamielynas Posts: 366 Member
    washing your pizza thoroughly before eating
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    Its quite a sensible idea that as usual, obsessive idiots have refined to the nth degree.

    Essentially, for me it is trying to eat most of my meals home-cooked and balanced, getting plenty of variety meat, fish, fruit and veg.
    I prefer to eat wholemeal bread and brown rice most of the time. I try to avoid 'overprocessed foods' (notice: due to pedants, I didn't say 'processed'). For me, that is about making sure I get plenty of micronutrients - things that seem to be often overlooked, by equally obsessive IIFYM types.

    I am picky about beer. Must only contain hops, malted barley (although other grains are acceptable) yeast and water. Other ingredients are NOT OK. :drinker:
  • Love_Is_My_Fuel
    Love_Is_My_Fuel Posts: 211 Member
    I consider how I eat most days to be "clean" although I use some additives that are processed...ie: parmesan cheese, salsa, shake n bake etc. I have no grains,,,no rice, white bread, pasta or potatoes.
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
    Its quite a sensible idea that as usual, obsessive idiots have refined to the nth degree.

    :drinker:
  • erikalanem
    erikalanem Posts: 48
    Food dipped in bleach :)

    I really wish this place had "likes", like Facebook...some people crack me up!
  • jaysuter1
    jaysuter1 Posts: 5 Member
    Staying away from the big spooky ingredients. As natural as you can but sometimes making it from scratch doesnt work.

    High Fructose Corn Syrup
    "X" Hydrogenated
    Monosodium Glutamate
    Artificial Sweeteners
    Artificial Dyes and Colorings (I accept plant and insect dyes)
    BHA and BHT
    Brominated "X"
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    washing your pizza thoroughly before eating

    Doesn't that make it soggy and the toppings fall off? Or is there some special pizza dry cleaning method?
  • Joehenny
    Joehenny Posts: 1,222 Member
    Non-processed foods and only natural foods, no grains and nothing with anything made in a lab or comes from a box.


    This is the actual definition.
    For who? I'm not vegetarian or vegan, but I doubt they consider grains "unclean". Whey protein is made in a lab and many "clean eaters" consume it.

    The problem lies in the fact that "clean eating" is something different to everybody and can't be pigeonholed into a neat little package.

    THIS
  • sjp_511
    sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
    I seem to have a looser definition than most. To me it's eating foods that are whole, real food. Or made from whole foods. I dont care where it's grown or if it's organic, or how it was treated before it was killed. No chemical additives or preservatives, no added sugar, or HFCS.
    It means avoiding boxed, canned, or frozen meals and pre-packaged meals that are laden with preservatives. It means cooking from scratch using fresh meats and produce as the base whenever possible.

    These seem to line up with my definition. I don't eat 100% clean, probably not even 80%, but I have been trying to get better.

    Also, I think frozen meat and veggies are fine - as long as they are more or less unaltered. I live by my freezer - I stock up on meats when they are on sale and freeze, I freeze fruits and veggies when they are in season to have year-round. I freeze soup and broth - I never make a small pot.

    Processed food I still buy include mostly sauces and dressings (haven't gotten in the habit of making them homemade yet) as well as dairy. I will also buy canned beans and canned tuna. I do not exclude grains - I eat plenty of whole wheat pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, granola and quinoa.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Non-processed foods and only natural foods, no grains and nothing with anything made in a lab or comes from a box.


    This is the actual definition.

    So, are only vegetables, fruits and eggs clean? What type of meat do you buy that is not processed?
  • sjsosu
    sjsosu Posts: 135 Member
    Non-processed foods and only natural foods, no grains and nothing with anything made in a lab or comes from a box.

    this^^^
  • mank32
    mank32 Posts: 1,323 Member
    it grew out of the ground, and then i ate it.

    or, it ate things that grew out of the ground, and then i ate it.

    that's mostly what i eat: vegetables, lean meats, fruits, nuts, and seeds.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    it grew out of the ground, and then i ate it.

    or, it ate things that grew out of the ground, and then i ate it.

    that's mostly what i eat: vegetables, lean meats, fruits, nuts, and seeds.

    Grains grow out of the ground. Sea vegetables and fish are not clean?
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    After losing 3 bills the only food i would consider not clean would be the foods I just don't like everything else if it fits my caloric intake and it helps me hit my Macro's then it fall into my clean category........ :drinker:
  • mank32
    mank32 Posts: 1,323 Member
    Grains grow out of the ground. Sea vegetables and fish are not clean?

    :noway:

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
    so glad you took the time to make a joke of me over this.
    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Grains grow out of the ground. Sea vegetables and fish are not clean?

    :noway:

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
    so glad you took the time to make a joke of me over this.
    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Not you, the definition. I've seen it before.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    It means avoiding boxed, canned, or frozen meals and pre-packaged meals that are laden with preservatives. It means cooking from scratch using fresh meats and produce as the base whenever possible.


    This definition seems to fit my idea the closest.

    Me too
  • bio01979
    bio01979 Posts: 313
    Its quite a sensible idea that as usual, obsessive idiots have refined to the nth degree.

    Essentially, for me it is trying to eat most of my meals home-cooked and balanced, getting plenty of variety meat, fish, fruit and veg.

    joking aside,

    I can agree that this to me is healthy sensible and balanced eating (though I do eat white rice and white bread/pasta as well as brown - just depends on what I buy that day :)

    and I eat that way 95% of the time, always have (minus the beer because I hate beer lol) but I do eat "junk" food sometimes too, not often and in moderation but I am not going to say I can never stop at A&W for a teen buger ever again. It might only be 2-3 times a year but it will happen ;)
  • AndyLL180
    AndyLL180 Posts: 57 Member
    washing your pizza thoroughly before eating

    Doesn't that make it soggy and the toppings fall off? Or is there some special pizza dry cleaning method?

    Beer.

    Clean your mouth out with a drink before each bite of pizza.

    If you are eating extremely clean do it both before and after a bite.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    What's is my definition of 'clean eating'?

    The five second rule. Obey it.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
  • watfordjc
    watfordjc Posts: 304 Member
    Most of my definitions are based on Tom Venuto's definitions. So...

    "Clean eating has no official definition, but it’s usually described as avoiding processed foods, chemicals, preservatives and artificial ingredients. Instead, clean eaters choose natural foods, the way they came out of the ground or as close to their natural form as possible. Vegetables, fruits, legumes, 100% whole grains, egg whites, fish, and chicken breast are clean eating staples." -- Tom Venuto, http://www.burnthefatblog.com/archives/2009/10/orthorexia-and-the-new-rules-of-clean-eating-part-1.php

    On top of that is the "percentage". Some (most?) clean eaters aim for 80-90% of their food consumption to be clean. A few aim to "eat clean" 100% of the time, which for me would lower my compliance rate so I'm not even going to attempt that again.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Food.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    drinking beer in the bathtub while munching nachos
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
    For me personally, it's unprocessed - so no dairy, no gluten, no booze.

    Amazingly, booze is probably one of the most unprocessed foods there are. Mash + Yeast = Booze.