We can’t get away from food knowledge, which is power and what you put on your plate can have a huge impact on your life, as previously mentioned. Here Wendy Bazilian, TheGuardian.com, reflects on a guide to clean eating:

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“Heavily processed food has recently been linked to poor health and even early death. No wonder clean eating is having a moment

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Doubtless you have heard the term a dozen times. In fact, a survey out this month from the not-for-profit International Food Information Council found “clean eating” to be the most widely followed diet among American consumers.

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But what, exactly, is it? As a practicing dietitian with a doctorate in public health who has written books on the subject, I’m often tasked with explaining how to eat “clean”. And it’s not always easy.

I can best describe it as a holistic approach to seeking foods that are fresher, less processed and higher quality – with individuals defining each of these in personal ways. But the broader idea springs from the belief that the single most important investment you can make to your health on a daily basis is to eat well. And eating well starts with eating “clean.

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To ground the term in research, we can compare the health outcomes of eating whole foods to eating a highly processed diet. Observational studies have linked ultra-processed diets with poor health, risk of certain cancers, weight gain and early death. Just this month, researchers published a highly controlled clinical trial showing that eating highly processed foods can increase eating speed, total calories consumed and weight gain, compared with an unprocessed – or “clean” – whole foods diet.

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While there is no one right way to do it, a clean eating approach focuses on whole foods and ingredients. It also limits or avoids ultra-processed foods, products with extra-long shelf life and certain ingredients you would not be able to buy retail in the supermarket. In short: clean eating privileges food in its natural state.

So where should you begin? Let’s lay it out in manageable steps.

What it is clean eating?

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Simply put: it’s about choosing whole foods and ingredients, as well as products that are as minimally processed and additive-free as possible. The mindset should be affirming and not punishing. When you pick what to eat, prioritize:

• Whole foods and ingredients first. By definition, whole foods have no added sugar, salt, fat, synthetic preservatives or chemicals.

• Minimally processed foods made with whole and familiar ingredients.

Where possible, avoid foods with added synthetic chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, preservatives, or artificial sweeteners, flavors and colors. Ultra-processed foods often contain artificial ingredients and excess or added sugar, fats or salt and, at the same time, have limited nutritional value.”

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Read More … Article Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/06/clean-eating-guide-dietician-what-is-it-how-to

 

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