The Clean Eating Illusion

"Clean eating” - It’s the latest trend but what is it all about and is there any merit to it when it comes to weight loss?

While there is no official definition of clean eating, the term is widely used in the social media world (think blogs, Facebook and Instagram) alongside claims of healthy lifestyles, weight loss and health benefits. At the tame end of the spectrum, the core principles behind clean eating tend to be – eliminating processed foods, reducing salt and refined sugar intake, reducing alcohol intake and eating more fruit and vegetables. Great, we say!

However, some clean eating guidelines then go as far as cutting out gluten, dairy and soy or eating only uncooked foods. An extreme example of this is the raw vegan intake promoted by one particular clean eating advocate of 15 bananas, 40 pieces of fruit and a few kilograms of potatoes per day. Eek!

Some of the principles above are in line with evidenced base practice for weight loss and health, however others can be sensationalised, non-evidenced based ideas that are restrictive, promote unhealthy relationships with food or even eliminate entire food groups unnecessarily.

So how do you know what advice is best? Remember that these online ‘gurus’ are often not qualified and what may have worked for them, is regularly not based on evidence and is not likely to suit you. Eating well is not a cookie-cutter approach and requires the consideration of a wide range of factors to find what is best for each individual.

While clean eating may have some merit in encouraging less junk and more vegetables, often people following these guidelines associate shame or failure for consuming ‘unclean‘ or ‘dirty’ foods and this can lead to obsessions with food or mental health issues. The term can also be misleading with clean or raw treats often containing large amounts of calories due to their high dried fruit, nut, seed and oil content.

The bottom line is that it is not necessary to label our food as clean or unclean. We encourage a wide variety of healthy and enjoyable foods each day! Chat to our LifeShape Dietitians for professional advice on a well – balanced, individually tailored, healthy eating plan just for you.




 

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Our Disclaimer: All client testimonials are genuine accounts of experiences on the LifeShape program. Due to the personalised nature of the LifeShape program, results may vary based on an individual’s compliance, motivation and personal history.

Acknowledgement to Country: LifeShape Clinic acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present.
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