What is 'clean' eating??

I keep seeing references to 'eating clean'. What does this mean?
I assume it means something different than washing my fruit and veg.
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Replies

  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    I think it started in the body building world. When I reference clean eating it is to Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet book series which is lower in sugars, uses minimally processed foods, and is moderate to slightly higher protein
  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
    To me it means that I didn't give myself food poisoning.

    There's always someone gotta mention cleaning food. Getting old now lol
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    fr33sia12 wrote: »
    To me it means that I didn't give myself food poisoning.

    There's always someone gotta mention cleaning food. Getting old now lol

    Not sure why you quoted me? Only the OP mentioned cleaning food.
  • Raptor2763
    Raptor2763 Posts: 387 Member
    Easiest definition I've found is "if it didn't have a mother or you didn't pick it, don't eat it"
  • Sara1791
    Sara1791 Posts: 760 Member
    oh no, fool me once
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    When someone says they eat clean, I interpret that as saying their diet is mostly comprised of whole foods as a jumping off point, then ask for specifics. It's the same way I approach vegetarians; I know that not eating meat is a pretty good jumping off point for them, but there are different types of vegetarians. It's a just general term to describe how someone eats, and like every other diet on earth, each individual is going to have preferences about what foods they do and do not want to eat.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    It depends...

    I dislike the term, but ultimately I would describe my diet as pretty "clean" in that it revolves substantially around whole foods and minimally processed foods like canned tomatoes, beans, etc.

    That said, there are many self righteous zealots out there who wouldn't consider my diet clean at all...because I don't necessarily go out of my way to by organic or non gmo or whatever...my broccoli is just regular old dirty broccoli. Yet others would not consider it clean because I eat fish, poultry, and meat...or the fish would be ok, but not red meat...etc, etc, etc...

    And of course, I still sometimes go out for pizza or have some candy, etc...I'm not all or nothing so for many, my diet, regardless of overall nutrition would be dirty as *kitten*.
  • bb2much
    bb2much Posts: 3 Member
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I hate the term, but under some definitions my diet is, since I am nutrition-conscious and like to cook from whole foods (even if I don't pick them myself except on occasion -- my garden is better in some years than others). Under other rules (like the ridiculous NO processed food or the one my salad fails miserably), I'm not at all, despite the above and the fact I focus on seasonal and local as much as possible and get my meat from local farms and stuff like that.

    I think the term tends to be divisive and not to map to what it claims to, namely a focus on "healthy" eating, which is one reason it annoys me.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited September 2016
    I keep seeing references to 'eating clean'. What does this mean?
    I assume it means something different than washing my fruit and veg.
    Honestly, that's how I've been seeing, as there are so many definitions for clean eating. ;)


    I dislike the term also. Many times someone joins the forum with a pretentious 'I eat clean and am holier than thou' attitude and insult those who chose to eat a balanced diet. I once had a clean eating enthusiast hound me over wanting to make breakfast muffins. It was amusing.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Washing your food before you eat it. Normally I go for an antibacterial spray and then deep rinse cycle before I consider cooking it.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    It obviously means whatever YOU think it means.