What is meant by "Eat Clean"??

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

Generally it means eating foods as close to it's natural state as possible. Unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Whole grains rather than finely ground flour. Homemade meals from whole ingredients rather than premade ingredients or meals. Foods without synthetic additives. That sort of thing.

It's pretty hard and expensive to eat that way 100% in today's world. We grow, raise or hunt a good deal of our food, but we still don't eat clean all the time.

This is how I see it as well.

diannethegeek wrote: »

I started a list once of all the definitions of clean eating that we've seen on the boards. Some of them directly contradict each other. I'll also note that by some definitions, Fritos are a clean food.

If you're curious, they include:
Nothing but minimally processed foods.
Absolutely no processed foods.
Shop only the outside of the grocery store.
Nothing out of a box, jar, or can.
Only food that's not in a box or hermetically sealed bag, or from e.g. McDonald's.
Nothing at all with a barcode.
Nothing with more than 5 ingredients.
Nothing with more than 4 ingredients.
Nothing with more than 3 ingredients.
Nothing with more than 1 ingredient.
No added preservatives.
No added chemicals.
No chemicals, preservatives, etc. at all.
No ingredients that you can't pronounce.
No ingredients that sound like they came out of a chemistry book.
Don't eat products that have a TV commercial.
Don't eat products that have a longer shelf life than you do.
No added sugar.
No added refined sugar.
Swap white sugar for brown.
No "white" foods.
Nothing but lean meats, fruits, and vegetables.
Only meat from grass-fed animals and free-range chickens.
Only pesticide-free foods.

LOL. I forgot about the tv commercial thread. That was a classic.

Hi OP
Just for a slightly different perspective which might be helpful, I 'eat clean', as I suppose people might call it, almost all of the time, only deviating away from this on special occasions or on the infrequent occasions when I just feel like it.
When I'm 'eating clean' (although tbh I don't really think of it like that day-to-day, or follow any kind of diet or rules, it's just how I eat to feel best), my meals are made up of a protein source (simple animal meat such as beef, chicken, lamb, etc., or fish, seafood, or eggs), lots of veg (including some starchy veg such as swedes, sweet potatoes and parsnips), some fruit, and a few nuts and seeds. I cook in stable oils and fats such as olive oil and coconut oil (no seed or vegetable oils as they're heavily processed). Basically, anything that's not been processed, or had processed stuff added to it - as natural as possible. I don't eat grains, dairy or pulses (unless it's a special occasion), as like many other folk, I find that my digestion, skin and general health is better without them - that's partly why they're often considered 'unclean'.
Some people call this 'paleo' or 'primal' eating (there's literally a solar-system-size amount of information about these things, and 'clean eating' on the net if you're interested in delving into those cans of worms).
One of the misconceptions I think some people have about eating like this is 'so what the heck DO you eat?!', which is easily answered by listing the huge variety of meats, fish, seafood, veg, fruits, nuts, seeds and other fats that are considered 'clean'. The other often-asked question is 'are you undereating? How do you have enough energy?' - the answer is that it's really not a problem for me at all. Foods considered 'clean' are usually nutrient-dense, and protein and fat sources (meat/fish/eggs/nuts, etc.) are really satiating and keep you full for hours if you're eating enough of them. Personally, I noticed I have so much more energy if I eat this way, and I really do notice a drop in energy on the odd occasion when I do eat something with grains, refined sugars, etc. in it.
Anywho, I just thought I'd chip in my cents - like I said, I'm not one of those clean-eating-militants who sticks to particular rules and tries to enforce it on others. I just find my body and mind seem to work best if I eat certain things, most of which just happen to be 'clean'. But yeah, I agree with everyone else here who say eat what makes you feel best, not what your PT or anyone else dictates without trying it out on your individual body first for a month or so.
Damn, this is a long post - hope it kind of answers some of your question though!

kmab1985 wrote: »

I'm glad I posted this question because you have all just made me feel tonnes better, I've been panicking and feeling stressed about how much "clean eating" I'm doing to the point that if I do have something that might be processed I feel bad, guilty and horrible....

I've cut out white carbs (on advice from PT) and try and stick to brown carbs like wholemeal bread, brown pastas and rice etc.....but just couldn't get this "Eat Clean" out fo my head!!!

Thanks Everyone!

This is exactly why so many of us are against such restrictive diet plans. The most important aspect of any diet is adherence, and if you don't actually like the foods you're eating, or are sacrificing the things you love, the whole plan is a lose/lose situation.

Also, as my friend niner would say, brown rice contains white rice.

Just a marketing schtick. However, I would recommend washing some food prior to consumption.

evahw wrote: »

Hi OP
Just for a slightly different perspective which might be helpful, I 'eat clean', as I suppose people might call it, almost all of the time, only deviating away from this on special occasions or on the infrequent occasions when I just feel like it.
When I'm 'eating clean' (although tbh I don't really think of it like that day-to-day, or follow any kind of diet or rules, it's just how I eat to feel best), my meals are made up of a protein source (simple animal meat such as beef, chicken, lamb, etc., or fish, seafood, or eggs), lots of veg (including some starchy veg such as swedes, sweet potatoes and parsnips), some fruit, and a few nuts and seeds. I cook in stable oils and fats such as olive oil and coconut oil (no seed or vegetable oils as they're heavily processed). Basically, anything that's not been processed, or had processed stuff added to it - as natural as possible. I don't eat grains, dairy or pulses (unless it's a special occasion), as like many other folk, I find that my digestion, skin and general health is better without them - that's partly why they're often considered 'unclean'.
Some people call this 'paleo' or 'primal' eating (there's literally a solar-system-size amount of information about these things, and 'clean eating' on the net if you're interested in delving into those cans of worms).
One of the misconceptions I think some people have about eating like this is 'so what the heck DO you eat?!', which is easily answered by listing the huge variety of meats, fish, seafood, veg, fruits, nuts, seeds and other fats that are considered 'clean'. The other often-asked question is 'are you undereating? How do you have enough energy?' - the answer is that it's really not a problem for me at all. Foods considered 'clean' are usually nutrient-dense, and protein and fat sources (meat/fish/eggs/nuts, etc.) are really satiating and keep you full for hours if you're eating enough of them. Personally, I noticed I have so much more energy if I eat this way, and I really do notice a drop in energy on the odd occasion when I do eat something with grains, refined sugars, etc. in it.
Anywho, I just thought I'd chip in my cents - like I said, I'm not one of those clean-eating-militants who sticks to particular rules and tries to enforce it on others. I just find my body and mind seem to work best if I eat certain things, most of which just happen to be 'clean'. But yeah, I agree with everyone else here who say eat what makes you feel best, not what your PT or anyone else dictates without trying it out on your individual body first for a month or so.
Damn, this is a long post - hope it kind of answers some of your question though!

There is nothing "unclean" about pulses.