"Clean" vs. "unclean" eating studies?

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SnuggleSmacks
SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So, I'm genuinely curious. Are there any studies out there on clean vs. unclean diets? For example, something on groups consuming the same number of calories and macros, but one group eating clean while the other eats processed foods? I've been unable to locate such a study, and I'm deeply curious as to how much difference it actually makes. ETA: Including a definition of "clean" in the study would also be very helpful, as that seems to vary wildly from person to person.

I realize that many people feel very passionately about this issue, and that's fine. I have a thick skin, and am willing to be swayed by facts, although I know there will be plenty of bro-science and hyperbole to sort through.

Thanks in advance!

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Replies

  • j4nash
    j4nash Posts: 1,719 Member
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    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/
  • j4nash
    j4nash Posts: 1,719 Member
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    "Clean" eating helps me hit my macro targets.. it would be difficult to hit them eating fast food. Although I eat ice cream every day. And McDonalds quite a bit.
  • kristin0715
    kristin0715 Posts: 10
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    I know this is going to sound silly but today is the first time I have heard macro. Can you explain what they are to me?
  • zamphir66
    zamphir66 Posts: 582 Member
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    I know this is going to sound silly but today is the first time I have heard macro. Can you explain what they are to me?

    Macronutrients: carbs, protein, fat, etc.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

    Ha! I know all about the Twinkie diet, as I'm usually the one who posts it. But that doesn't really address the question, as there's no control group and tests to compare. And I'm not interested necessarily in just weight loss, but also in general health markers.

    I'm really curious as to whether this clean eating rage makes a real difference, as most of those who tout it claim that while CICO works for weight loss, clean eating also addresses total health. I'd like to see proof of that. Does it exist?
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    "Clean" eating helps me hit my macro targets.. it would be difficult to hit them eating fast food. Although I eat ice cream every day. And McDonalds quite a bit.

    This gets into the fact that "clean" eating is completely vague and "processed" as usually used by "clean" eaters is incoherent.

    I don't like fast food, so almost never eat it, but also I don't eat "clean" because I don't believe in the concept (calling foods dirty, acting as if nutrition is about not eating foods vs seeking out a nutritionally balanced diet). Another reason I think it would be silly for me to give up processed foods is that they are extremely helpful for me in meeting my macros. Greek yogurt, for example.

    Oh, and I also like to have ice cream when I have the calories. I don't see why this is bad if I don't skimp on my nutrition to do it.

    A study that compared "clean" eating with sensible eating of the sort that seems to be the usual alternative recommended around here would be interesting, but I doubt it's been done. Lots of difficulties. There are efforts to compare vegetarians and not, but causation is always a problem.
  • MrGonzo05
    MrGonzo05 Posts: 1,120 Member
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    There was a study, but it was found to be unclean.
  • rachiealx
    rachiealx Posts: 36
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    There was a study, but it was found to be unclean.

    :laugh:
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    You're not going to find a study on 'clean' vs. 'unclean' because those aren't adjectives that any researcher would apply to diet. You might find something specific if you look for it-- diets with more plant fats seem to favor heart health, vegan diets favor ___, macrobiotic diets favor ____, etc.

    You're more likely to find studies done on populations with specific dietary habits since you can't really rely on self-reporting for most diet info. You could read the book The China Study. Or read up on the Inuits. The Mediterranean diet. Usually that's where the broad conclusions come from, population studies. Of course they often contradict each other.

    I think conventional wisdom is what's boiled down from all these studies. Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Ok, that's not conventional wisdom, that's Michael Pollan, but I think he nailed it. :laugh:
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    I think conventional wisdom is what's boiled down from all these studies. Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. Ok, that's not conventional wisdom, that's Michael Pollan, but I think he nailed it. :laugh:
    Yes. That is it.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Ha! I know all about the Twinkie diet, as I'm usually the one who posts it. But that doesn't really address the question, as there's no control group and tests to compare.

    So what? The dude dropped tons of weight, most of it fat, and all his blood tests showed significant improvement.

    What else do you need to know, exactly?

    You can't address "total health" with just diet - it's going to require exercise as well. Probably a lot of it.
  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
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    following...
  • WhoWasGivenToFly
    WhoWasGivenToFly Posts: 64 Member
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    So, if a person is 50 lbs over weigh because of eating too much of foods that are considered " clean" ( as in my case, never really ate junk or processed foods, fast foods, etc just serving sizes too big of what I was eating) vs. being 50 lbs overweight from eating too much " unclean" food is the risk of health problems the same? is it the excess body weight that is the health issue or what you ate to have the excess weight the issue?

    Always wondered? I know of many people who are of " normal weight" who eating habits are awful but somehow these people are perceived by some as "healthy" because their weight is normal.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,968 Member
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    RCT's for any length of time with enough participants is prohibitive....never going to happen. You also can't control calorie intake simply because everyone requires different amounts. Genetics, lifestyle, family, culture etc all contribute to someones overall health, food actually isn't that important in the big scheme of things if someone isn't overweight or obese.
  • Chickaboo2014
    Chickaboo2014 Posts: 136 Member
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    ???? ???? ????
    ????????????????????????????
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    I am sure these people ate "clean" all there lives and these picture are just flukes. I wonder if those cakes are clean, non-processed,sugar-free, gluten-free, flour-free etc.
    th?id=HN.608023904609960453&pid=15.1&P=0
    th?id=HN.607997078241739203&pid=15.1&P=0
  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
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    RCT's for any length of time with enough participants is prohibitive....never going to happen. You also can't control calorie intake simply because everyone requires different amounts. Genetics, lifestyle, family, culture etc all contribute to someones overall health, food actually isn't that important in the big scheme of things if someone isn't overweight or obese.

    I am not a scientist so I know nothing about control groups and studies, but is there perhaps a study out there that measures the effects of eating whole vs. processed foods on a group that is within normal weight ranges (so that the obesity issue doesn't play in)?

    Of course food is just a small part of our overall health, but I have a hard time believing that a lifetime of eating processed foods full of various lab-made chemicals is not going to have some detrimental effects when compared to eating natural whole foods (preferably not treated with pesticides). At least that is what my gut tells me...
  • glasshalffull713
    glasshalffull713 Posts: 323 Member
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    I am sure these people ate "clean" all there lives and these picture are just flukes. I wonder if those cakes are clean, non-processed,sugar-free, gluten-free, flour-free etc.
    th?id=HN.608023904609960453&pid=15.1&P=0
    th?id=HN.607997078241739203&pid=15.1&P=0

    That's not really helpful. There are always outliers. The OP has a legit question- whether or not there are studies out there showing evidence. These pics are hardly evidence, and certainly not studies. And gluten free has nothing to do with clean eating. That is for people who are allergic to gluten.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
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    following...
    Same
    tumblr_inline_mvoxizhvGE1rg5w1l.gif
  • greengoddess0123
    greengoddess0123 Posts: 417 Member
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    I am sure these people ate "clean" all there lives and these picture are just flukes. I wonder if those cakes are clean, non-processed,sugar-free, gluten-free, flour-free etc.
    th?id=HN.608023904609960453&pid=15.1&P=0
    th?id=HN.607997078241739203&pid=15.1&P=0

    The lady lighting her cigarette on her 100th birthday cake is my new hero.

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