Clean Eaters. Your experience.
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I aspire to 'eat clean' - to me that means that I buy food that is *relatively* unprocessed, as in it's pretty much the same now when I'm buying it as it was the day it was pulled from the ground or cut off the cow, and I either eat it the way it came or prepare it into something different myself. For instance I make my own salad dressings rather than buy Kraft, and I'd choose homemade popcorn over Doritos.
I don't judge anyone else for not eating the same way I do, and I don't believe this is the 'only' way to eat. Like the OP this is actually the first I've ever heard about this being a 'touchy subject' (? everyone should be able to eat however they want...?) I eat like this because when I do, I feel better. I sleep better, think more clearly, have more energy, have clearer skin and get sick less. (And hopefully once I cut down my calories and start exercising, I will lose weight like anyone else eating any other way).
I make exceptions like anyone else I guess. I drink soymilk, I eat the occasional cheeseburger, I buy breakfast cereal. To me it's more of a big-picture thing, I don't worry too much about adhering to every miniscule detail, life's too short.0 -
To the poster of this thread:
Is this a school/college assignment? You asked a lot of questions on a pretty touchy subject around here.
There is no right or wrong way to eat, and everyone's definition of "clean" is different. Find your own happy place with the foods you enjoy.
also IBTgifs
No not a college student. I am new to the site. I don't see why it is touchy. I wanted to hear how other people define it so that I understand the concept better. I know what I thought it meant, but some of the vicious arguments I read on here make me wonder. I first started to eat more whole foods (is that okay to say?) when I didn't have much money and wanted to get more vitamins. Then I cut sodium down because my husbands family has heart problems. Then I got melasma and got scared my liver was bad or something so I started looking to detox eating. I tried a detox diet and couldn't stick to it all at once, but I liked how I was feeling. I guess it would fall in the "clean eating" category. I wonder how a big diet change to "clean eating" worked for others who tried it. People I know ask me for advice. I want to help, but I want more info than just what worked for me. It's still subjective, but I want to know what worked for others too and what their experience were.
It worries me that my grandma and grandpa would go on all you could eat pasta diets and wonder why they didn't lose weight (yeah, I know. They didn't count calories... I totally believe that a calories is a calorie btw), but it is scary that back in the 80's gains were king, and in the 90's it was the battle against fat, then carbs, and now people are going paleo with no grain. I want to learn more, but whenever anyone starts an interesting thread, it becomes an argument about chemicals in apples or the "a calorie is a calorie" thing.. (which I totally believe to be true!!).
If I could unpost this whole thread I would.
if you believe in calories in vs calories out ..then why don't you just eat in a calorie deficit? Clean Eating is not some magical fat burning diet/process/life style? All it does is help you create a calorie deficit….0 -
Spices are 'flavourings'. So, I'd suggest the definition you gave wasn't very precise.1) I didn't say I eat flavorless food. I eat fantastic food that tastes great. Clean eating ( to me anyway) can include all manner of salt, fats, sugars, and spices. It DOES not include flavor enhancers that work to trick the brain (not true flavors) created in a lab that are potentially harmful.
Salt is a flavour enhancer. If the salt was 'created in a lab' but had the same chemical formula as naturally occurring salt, would it be a bad thing?
As for the rest, fair enough - if you
Ah, I see, '"Clean", unprocessed food'' can be processed if it fits your particular criteria for the processing you like."Clean", unprocessed food does not have to be raw, though.
Some processes improve a food's digestibility and nutrition.
THIS would be why I'm sceptical about the whole concept
.
Breakfast cereals a good (but I presume 'unclean') example where a lot of vitamins and minerals are often added.0 -
As ever, from the outside it seems "clean eating" means labelling your preconceptions to justify your "belief" without doing any good research into whether your opinions is justified by fact.
So, err, do you understand the word 'chemical'. (Sorry, sarcasm is bad it seems - to be clear, your use of it here suggests you do NOT understand the wordIt's simply eating whole foods that are not chemical and additive laden..)
Also, how would you define 'additive'?
Yes.. i do understand the word chemical. Sorry, I'm very ok with you eating food that has chemicals added to it and other additives. I don't want to. I don't understand why you have a problem with it?
I want to eat an apple. Not an apple that has pesticides injected into it's seed. I want to eat a tomato, not a tomato that has salt and sugar (like a lot of canned tomatoes do) and other things added to it.
You don't care? Good for you. You can eat it. I won't belittle or attack your choices.
Oh.. and since you asked.. An additive is a substance that has had something added to it, so there's your lesson for the day..and don't be crass and say that I can't eat a potato that has butter on it, because I've added the butter. I'm speaking to chemicals or other substances that are not naturally found in the product and are not added by my choice. In other words, if I want MSG or salt or sugar. I'll add it myself. I do not believe that man made chemicals that are added to something are the same as the same one found in nature. It's my right to believe what I want and yours to believe what you want. There is no harm in not eating something that has been "enriched", and no one told you not to eat it.
The whole argument that "cutting an apple is processing it" is grasping at straws. Going to extremes is never a productive way to argue something. I don't see anyone here preaching that everyone must eat clean. I only see people here trying to put down those who want to eat clean.
Why? We are not doing anything harmful to ourselves and it is a healthy, nutritionally sound diet. I don't think anyone argues that. And it is sustainable, for those of us who really enjoy it and want to follow it. The biggest difference between how you eat and how I do is you will eat the pop tart/twinkie/GMO apple and I won't. So why all the hate?0 -
So why do you keep using the word?
EVERYTHING is a 'chemical'. So saying 'chemicals or other substances' doesn't really make sense.
Chemical or other chemicals would make more sense; except rather unnecessary, of course!
Erm; last I heard, butter is NOT naturally found in potatoes :laugh:.
Butter IS made 'artificially' by men, or more likely machines.
The 'cutting an apple' argument begs for a description of where you draw the line for processing. That's a start. What about pressing the apple? What about cooking it? What about stewing it to make apple sauce? What if the apple is a not so sweet variety and you add more sugar to make it up to the sweetness of another apple?
As I may have asked already; if salt is made in the lab has the exact same make up as 'natural' salt, si one worse than the other?
I don't have a problem with people promoting a specific way of eating on a faith rather than scientific basis, which this seems to be, to me. Perhaps if the proponents of it could clearly answer questions, it would help me to understand the reasoning behind it.0 -
So why do you keep using the word?
EVERYTHING is a 'chemical'. So saying 'chemicals or other substances' doesn't really make sense.
Chemical or other chemicals would make more sense; except rather unnecessary, of course!
Erm; last I heard, butter is NOT naturally found in potatoes :laugh:.
Butter IS made 'artificially' by men, or more likely machines.
The 'cutting an apple' argument begs for a description of where you draw the line for processing. That's a start. What about pressing the apple? What about cooking it? What about stewing it to make apple sauce? What if the apple is a not so sweet variety and you add more sugar to make it up to the sweetness of another apple?
As I may have asked already; if salt is made in the lab has the exact same make up as 'natural' salt, si one worse than the other?
I don't have a problem with people promoting a specific way of eating on a faith rather than scientific basis, which this seems to be, to me. Perhaps if the proponents of it could clearly answer questions, it would help me to understand the reasoning behind it.
You're splitting hairs and grabbing at straws...You may do your own research and draw your own conclusions.
I don't "eat this way" on faith. I eat this way because it makes the most sense and makes my body preform the best. I'd wager that if I just stated. I eat healthy.. and did not label it, you wouldn't have a problem with it.. Which is pretty much what I usually say anyway.
I don't' really know what other word to use in place of chemicals. Of course everything on earth is made up of chemicals. What do you suggest?? Added chemicals?? Ok. in the future, I will do my best to remember to use only the word additives or place the word added prior to chemicals to be more clear. If I were to utter the phrase GMO then i'd get a whole bunch of people telling me how great GMO is or at least that nothing has really been proven or that it has according to study XYZ or has not according to study MNO.. so you call it whatever you want.
Arguing about cooking and apple being processing it and therefore not "clean" seems a desperate tactic. To entertain you making applesauce comment. Yep.. stewing apples and adding sugar or cinnamon if need be is still "clean". As it does not have other chemical/preservatives/additives in it that are unnecessary and potentially harmful to me. I'd like to know how eating a food (for example rice) that has been stripped of it's nutrients and then had the nutrients added back in by man is somehow just as healthy as eating food that have not went through this process? White flour for example was originally put through this process because whole wheat flour would rot during transport. We no longer have this issue, so the process is really no longer necessary. Food that does not rot, but would in it's natural state, is unsettling to me.
Butter can be made by shaking (or using a blender, to make it quicker) heavy cream until it separates. so.. how is that unnatural?
Your arguments are just as ridiculous sounding to me as mine are to you. And the funniest part of the entire thing is you do absolutely know exactly what is being referred to when I make a statement. Honestly, I think you are putting to much faith in eating man altered foods and those with a bunch of added chemicals and additives to them. But that' just me. I don't really care if you believe that or not.
Live and let live eh?0 -
Pretty ironic/funny that the OP said this in her second post in this thread:I want to learn more, but whenever anyone starts an interesting thread, it becomes an argument about chemicals in apples or the "a calorie is a calorie" thing..
it's like she could predict the future.
oh. wait.0 -
You will note I did not mention 'eating' on faith, I specified promoting it on faith.
(*Also I should note I mean I DO have a problem with people promoting things on faith, my bad.)
I have no trouble with a case of people cutting out a load of food, finding it helps them and not bothering to find out which ones they've cut out have helped.
As mentioned, I have done exactly the same with clothes washing liquids. I only use a very small selection of liquids - no powders at all, because I know SOME cause me an adverse reaction, so I just cut the majority out.
I don't go selling this to everyone else as a healthy way of life.
If you think I'm "splitting hairs" then you're missing my point.
You have some arbitrary definitions which I do not believe you can properly spell out yourself - if you can describe your own definition of 'chemical' and 'additive' with out contradiction, please do so.
So far your mention of butter seems to directly contradict by both definitions.
And no; if you used 'healthy', I would also question what you mean by that.
A lot of people on here manage to eat a pot of Ben and Jerry's a day as part of a healthy life style - certainly with impressive bodies. But the same diet for other people wouldn't be "healthy" at all.
Sugar and cinamon are both 'uncessary' 'man made' chemicals AND additives for apple sauce by some people's definitions.
However, I was not offering this as an argument, which may be why you were confused. I was trying to understand
I was amused of your specific mentioning of rice. Brown rice actually has some components that are 'bad' for you, which are stripped out in white rice; such as Phytate which I believe restrictions the absorption of many useful minerals.
I'd like to know WHY food that has the same nutrients as another food is more or less healthy.
Could you explain, please? (And I'm looking for logic rather than just "because it's natural, innit", please! )
So, to sum, please also provide an actually useful definition of these too, as you see them:
'Chemical'
'Additive'
One that is not contradictory with the way you use it yourself, please.
And perhaps, cmriverside, that is because it is what the 'argument' boils down to?0 -
Pretty ironic/funny that the OP said this in her second post in this thread:I want to learn more, but whenever anyone starts an interesting thread, it becomes an argument about chemicals in apples or the "a calorie is a calorie" thing..
it's like she could predict the future.
oh. wait.
^^This.
Wow. Can't everyone just let other people eat whatever they want to eat?? It's not a competition.0 -
To the poster of this thread:
Is this a school/college assignment? You asked a lot of questions on a pretty touchy subject around here.
There is no right or wrong way to eat, and everyone's definition of "clean" is different. Find your own happy place with the foods you enjoy.
also IBTgifs
No not a college student. I am new to the site. I don't see why it is touchy. I wanted to hear how other people define it so that I understand the concept better. I know what I thought it meant, but some of the vicious arguments I read on here make me wonder. I first started to eat more whole foods (is that okay to say?) when I didn't have much money and wanted to get more vitamins. Then I cut sodium down because my husbands family has heart problems. Then I got melasma and got scared my liver was bad or something so I started looking to detox eating. I tried a detox diet and couldn't stick to it all at once, but I liked how I was feeling. I guess it would fall in the "clean eating" category. I wonder how a big diet change to "clean eating" worked for others who tried it. People I know ask me for advice. I want to help, but I want more info than just what worked for me. It's still subjective, but I want to know what worked for others too and what their experience were.
It worries me that my grandma and grandpa would go on all you could eat pasta diets and wonder why they didn't lose weight (yeah, I know. They didn't count calories... I totally believe that a calories is a calorie btw), but it is scary that back in the 80's gains were king, and in the 90's it was the battle against fat, then carbs, and now people are going paleo with no grain. I want to learn more, but whenever anyone starts an interesting thread, it becomes an argument about chemicals in apples or the "a calorie is a calorie" thing.. (which I totally believe to be true!!).
If I could unpost this whole thread I would.
if you believe in calories in vs calories out ..then why don't you just eat in a calorie deficit? Clean Eating is not some magical fat burning diet/process/life style? All it does is help you create a calorie deficit….
Maybe some people do it because it, well, "helps you create a calorie deficit..." Actually, that's a dandy reason right there.0 -
No not a college student. I am new to the site. I don't see why it is touchy.
When you figure this out, please let us all know! If you criticize a fast food restaurant or food product for having questionable ingredients, some MFP people act like you are attacking their grandmother’s home cooking.
In an era where obesity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, etc., are running rampant, why not just celebrate anyone’s effort to eat better, regardless of how they personally define “clean eating”?0 -
Also, if someone improves their healthy by just eating McDonalds, THEY get criticised too.
Me, personally. I have never suggested anyone not do it nor have I suggested it's "bad"; while I've seen plenty of 'clean eaters' deride other choices.^^This.
Wow. Can't everyone just let other people eat whatever they want to eat?? It's not a competition.
But for some reason, why I ask these people some pretty basic questions about the reasoning behind their choices, they presume the questions are a specific attack on their choices.
To me that speaks about the background behind their choices.0 -
So I've been working toward a cleaner diet for several months now, and I am totally astounded by all the comments on this thread. How is this controversial? Clean eating isn't necessarily about losing weight. Obviously a calorie in cancels a calorie out, no matter how it's done. That being said, eating 1,200 calories of twinkles per day will result in weight loss, but I think we can all agree that it's not healthy.
I can only speak for myself, but my desire to eat cleaner started when I hit my goal weight. I kind of stopped and said, "What now?" Well, I look better, I feel better, but now I want to focus on fueling my body the best way I can. Clean eating is all about getting the most bang for your calories. Eating whole foods ensures that you're getting ALL the nutritional value out of your diet. You're not eating foods that have been processed and stripped of their nutritional value. I don't know about chemicals and that sort of thing; I know there's some debate as to how bad they are for you. But here's my thought: they can't be GOOD for you. So why eat them? My focus is on eating things that are going to do something for me.
But it's easier said than done, right. I'm a college student, so I'm really used to opening up a package, tossing it in the microwave, and chowing down. That was the first thing to go. Pre-made meals are out. Goodbye freezer section. So I started cooking more. I found that making big batches of food is just as good. Keep it in the fridge, and have it all week. I realized that there are so many foods that I can make better and healthier than their store-bought counterparts (granola bars being #1 on that list). But it's all a learning process. Personally, I've had a lot of fun learning to cook healthier. Check out these blogs for a place to start. The first one is a healthy vegan dessert blog (I suggest EVERYTHING on that blog, even if it looks weird).
www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com
www.katheatsrealfood.com
www.skinnytaste.com
www.rippedrecipes.com
Of course there are challenges. My personal vice is white flour. I just can't give it up! And there are some things I'm just not going to make myself. Yogurt, sandwich bread, almond milk, etc. But just focus on making good choices. Read the ingredients list. Buy peanut butter that says, "peanuts, salt" instead of twelve million ingredients.
And hey, if it doesn't actually work and we're all just fooling ourselves, at least we're putting a little thought into what goes into our body. Personally, I don't think that can ever be a bad thing.0 -
No not a college student. I am new to the site. I don't see why it is touchy.
perhaps if she had read the identical thread that was pointed out that was side by side with this one- she might have realized before posting. shrug- I got a warning over doing so- not sure why. no personal attack- just pointing out the obvious. Shrug. whatever.
it's a common enough topic- a little research could have saved her the hassle.
Either way- Gee is nailing it.
Also I pointed out in the other thread- I've loosely come to connect clean eating and paleo to Christianity. It's a loose analogy- but it settles in my brain well.
I don't care what you do, believe or eat- but stop trying to argue a scientific process about something that is completely arbitrary and a completely personal choice belief.0 -
The whole argument that "cutting an apple is processing it" is grasping at straws. Going to extremes is never a productive way to argue something. I don't see anyone here preaching that everyone must eat clean. I only see people here trying to put down those who want to eat clean.
Why? We are not doing anything harmful to ourselves and it is a healthy, nutritionally sound diet. I don't think anyone argues that. And it is sustainable, for those of us who really enjoy it and want to follow it. The biggest difference between how you eat and how I do is you will eat the pop tart/twinkie/GMO apple and I won't. So why all the hate?
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(ABOVE)This! Excellent explanation. Some people are nit-picking just to try and "prove" a point that is really senseless. The general idea is well detailed in this thread, and those who choose pick at it are just people who like to argue and debate for the sake of it.0 -
Care to point out where someone has used that as an argument?The whole argument that "cutting an apple is processing it" is grasping at straws.
I've asked questions in relation to it - because if someone can't explain their own thoughts, starting at one end makes sense.
If you don't want 'nit picking', then there's a very, very easy solution -
Offer up an appropriate definition which DOES stand.
I see preaching benefits which they can't prove and don't seem to be based on facts.
I'd suggest if you interpret asking questions as 'hate', then perhaps you're not as convinced of your belief (faith?) as yo might believe.0 -
To me, Cleaning eating means to eat 1-ingredient (natural) foods as much as possible and practical. This means cutting out most processed foods, including sugar and flour.
I started by making my own foods instead of buying packaged foods at the grocery store, which was a big change for me. Then I started phasing out foods like flour, which is refined and super-ground wheat. Now I try to eat meats, veggies, and grains processed as little as possible to make them edible.
I feel healthier for making these changes, but they came about little by little. I still eat chocolate, and I don't 100% refuse to eat processed foods- I just eat them VERY rarely.
Cheers to good food choices and healthy eating! :drinker:0 -
Bunp0
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Hi people who consider themselves clean eaters, or are working toward eating more clean. What does eating clean mean for you? Why did you decide to eat this way? Did you do it all at once, or did it evolve and how? What challenges or setbacks have you faced in your chosen way of eating. What solutions did you find? Are you trying to make any changes? What results to you think you diet has led to? Physically or lifestyle wise.
This is meant to be completely subjective, so please don't burn people who are just telling their own story.
- over 30 years eating this way as a result of being raised that way
- as with most eating styles, mine has been evolving and will continue to do so
- traveling can present a few challenges in food choices
- any challenges we encounter are met with creativity
- results? - I/we are happy and healthy with our eating style which very much reflects our lifestyle.0 -
Hi people who consider themselves clean eaters, or are working toward eating more clean. What does eating clean mean for you? Why did you decide to eat this way? Did you do it all at once, or did it evolve and how? What challenges or setbacks have you faced in your chosen way of eating. What solutions did you find? Are you trying to make any changes? What results to you think you diet has led to? Physically or lifestyle wise.
This is meant to be completely subjective, so please don't burn people who are just telling their own story.
I want to eat organic some day, if that's what you mean by clean. I wouldn't personally refer to it as "clean eating," I would just call it organic. Everybody seems to have a different definition around here. Sadly, organic foods are about double the price of regular foods. Organic candy bars are SUPER expensive. I WANT to do it because I suffer from idiopathic urticaria. . .which basically means that my body can "decide" that it's being invaded by allergens and then it produces excess histamine to fight them off which results in hives all over my body. No doctor has been able to figure out what I'm "allergic" to but through my own research, this seems the most plausible. I presented my theory to my doctor and he suggested eating organic to rule out an allergy to some kind of pesticide or something similar.
If I ever have enough money to actually do this, I imagine it would be as all at once as possible, but I expect that it would take some time to locate stores that have an organic version of certain items I may want to purchase. BUT. I work reduced "full-time" hours while I'm paying to put myself through full time school, so I doubt this will happen any time soon. I'll just keep popping Loratadine in the mean time since that works most days to keep away the itchiness.
Organic foods is not always twice the price as other foods. It depends on your location but you can also order online so you are not restricted to paying the high prices. Our health food store has prices comparable to the grocery store and I can buy organic produce for less than grocery store prices. Our free range chicken and eggs are less expensive than the grocery store price as is our grass fed beef. With a bit of creativity you can easily be eating organic foods for less than the cost of other foods.
An elimination diet may get to the root of your allergies if in fact it is caused by something you are eating. It may be due to another allergen though. Popping Loratadine, while giving temporary relief, is not the answer. At some point, your body will rebel against that as well. I'd rather spend my money on organic foods and make my indoor space healthy than spend it on drugs that temporarily mask the problem, speaking from experience.0
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