Nutrition Taya Bregant Nutrition Taya Bregant

Clean Eating: The Good & Bad Side

Clean eating has once just been a nutrition related buzzword, but is now recognized as a social media fueled lifestyle. It is a hot topic of discussion among the conversation in the wellness world, however there is also a large lack of proper evidence and regulations when it comes to the term, which is what makes it potentially dangerous since it can be miss-used easily.

In this article I wanted to take a look first into what makes up a “clean eating” diet, what are the upsides of this kind of eating as well as what are some negative and potentially dangerous aspects of clean eating which have to be considered

I hope that with this article I can shed some light and help your understanding on this topic and use it to expand your awareness and knowledge on this topic

Enjoy 😊

WHAT IS CLEAN EATING?

With how prevalent the term “clean eating” has become, one would think that it carries a formally governmentally regulated definition; however, that is not the case.

Because of a lack of this formal definition, “clean eating” means slightly different things to different individuals, which is why it is also easy for it to get mixed up with other diet-related terms where this misinformation can rapidly spread through consumers.

In general, a diet that follows a “clean eating” pattern should follow the following principles:

  • Eating foods which are as close to their natural state as possible

  • Opting for organic foods when possible

  • Choosing foods which are minimally processed, termed as “natural” and which do not contain minimal chemical additives and preservatives (choosing foods which have as short of an ingredients list as possible)

Ideally, this kind of eating encourages eating whole fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats while at the same time limiting consumption of highly processed snacks, foods, and drinks.

Additionally, to many people, clean eating is associated with terms such as plant-based, grass-fed, sugar-free, or gluten-free.

A study published in 2020 took a look into how US adolescents and young adults viewed the term “clean eating,” where the findings showed overall that this demographic has a high level of awareness of the use of this term and also have an overall positive attitude towards this way of eating. Specifically, it showed that:

  • 55% of the 1266 respondents said that they have previously heard of the term “clean eating,” which most commonly done via social media and their peers.

  • 71% of respondents noted that they view “clean eating” as a healthy approach to eating, while 6% of responses said it was “unhealthy,” and 18% claimed it had both positive and negative aspects.

  • 40% of the participants said that they related “clean eating” with “non-processed” or “whole foods,” and 13% linked it with “non-GMO” products and “organic” farming.

  • A considerable percentage (41%) expressed that they would probably try this eating approach themselves, where this attitude was higher among female respondents than male.

.

WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT IT?

In theory, the principle of “clean eating” sounds good and healthy, since we are all generally told to eat a diet which is high in predominantly whole foods that are rich in high-quality nutrients, while reducing our energy intake from highly processed and industrialized foods which have a high content of refined sugars, salt, and harmful fats.

This kind of approach can, in the main part, lead us to living an overall healthy lifestyle while promoting various aspects of our health and helping with weight management.

There is a current lack of research that focuses on the specific relationship between “clean eating” and the impact it has on our health; however, there are many studies which endorse the view that consumption of plenty of whole foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, lean meats, and high-quality fat sources can promote general health and well-being while preventing many chronic diseases.

AND THE BAD SIDE?

So far, “clean eating” sounds like a rather good and healthful approach to our eating, but are there any downsides associated with it?

The main issue lies in the idea that as soon as you start using or following the term “clean,” it implies that some foods are “clean” while others are “dirty,” which creates this sharp dichotomy between good and bad foods.

Viewing what you eat as bad and good can cause many people to become preoccupied with what they are eating, to the point where it becomes very time-consuming and damaging to their mental health and later on, even to their physical health.

People who promote strict “clean eating” often advise to avoid and cut out all instances and sources of any sort of added sugars, high salt foods, foods that are high in processed fats and snacks, and ingredients that may contain many additives. While it is true that these things are generally not beneficial for our health, it is also most of the time not necessary to take it to the extreme where we forcefully limit ourselves from consuming foods of this kind. Some clean eating approaches go a step further and eliminate certain food groups altogether which can be seen as a very harsh and restrictive way of eating for most people, which not only gets in the way of enjoying the food you eat, but it can also worsen your mental health and make it harder to enjoy food outside, especially in social settings.

Furthermore, this kind of mindset can also trigger feelings of guilt whenever we think of wanting to eat a food which is considered as “bad” or “dirty,” since we all get cravings and at the end of the day, it is important to nurture our food cravings, albeit in moderation.

To top it all off, many celebrity bloggers and fitness influencers promote patterns of eating like this, which not only influence people's diet choices to a high degree, but often these people lack the much-needed credentials or proper scientific knowledge to back up the information they are promoting.

Overall, following too much of a restrictive “clean eating” approach does not just have the ability to seriously worsen our relationship with food and our enjoyment of it, but also can severely impact our mental well-being in the long term since we fall into a state of obsessiveness and needing to have perfect control of the foods we eat.

Symptoms of this kind are often recognized under the eating disorder Orthorexia nervosa which is a condition in which the individual is severely preoccupied with eating only strictly “healthy” foods in order to achieve a sense of nutritional “purity” which can lead to various forms of anxiety and distress for the individual.

Although this condition is still only now being recognized properly in the medical field, I believe it is something that is becoming ever more common in our society, where the issue is that it is often hard to identify, since on the surface, we perceive the individual to be healthy since they are only eating healthy foods. But true mental and physical well-being is so much more than how it looks on the surface.

FINAL NOTE

To conclude, clean eating is a health and wellness concept that encourages the consumption of minimally processed fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy proteins, and fats.

While all of this may sound great, a large issue behind this pattern of eating is that it lacks regulation, which leads to varying interpretations among individuals and the food industry.

Additionally, extreme adherence to clean eating is associated with the risk of disordered eating patterns like orthorexia nervosa which can have detrimental effects on the individual and their relationship to food.

Although enjoying healthful foods is not harmful, an obsession with clean eating can ironically be seriously damaging. It is crucial to find a balance between incorporating nutrient-dense whole foods into our diet but also realizing that if we indulge in something less healthy every once in a while, that is perfectly fine and healthy too.

Moderation is key, and remember to also enjoy your food and your life.

KEY IDEAS

In todays blog post we have discussed the popular idea of “clean eating” which arose from many internet based food blogs and nutrition influencers, where we look into what it is, what are the benefits associated with it as well as the potential down sides.

SOURCES

Read More
Nutrition Taya Bregant Nutrition Taya Bregant

Importance Of Dietary Fibre

I think all of us have at some point in our lives heard that we should eat our fruits and vegetables, not just for their vitamins and other benefits but also due to their fibre rich content.

Nowadays you can find a lot of statistical information about how many of us are not getting enough fibre each day through our diet partially because a lot of the food you can buy today in a grocery store is heavily processed during which a lot of the beneficial fibre is stripped away.

Here I wanted tot take a look at what fibre actually is at the end of the day, what are the benefits of a fibre rich diet and what are some of the best fibre rich foods you can incorporate into your diet to start noticing some of the mentioned benefits.

I hope you learn something new from this one :)

WHAT IS FIBRE?


Nutritionists classify fibre as a type of carbohydrate which in reality, our bodies can not fully digest and process. Because of this, fibers most commonly pass through our digestive tract undigested and while doing so, also nourishing the bacteria that are found there, specifically in the colon. Fibers are naturally occurring within foods of a plant origin such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, cereals, grains, nuts and seeds and are not found/ found in limited amounts in animal foods.

Fibre is also classified into 2 different classes:

  • Soluble fibre: This is a type of fibre which can dissolve in water and by doing so, can form a gel like substance in our gut which helps with lowering of cholesterol and blood glucose levels after a meal. Furthermore, this type of fibre originates from the insides of plant materials such as pectin, which allows for the gel like consistency.

    • Best sources: Oats, chia seeds, beans, lentils, apples and blueberries

  • Insoluble fibre: Unlike soluble fibre, insoluble fibre comes from the outer fibrous parts of plants which provide structure to the plant however for us, are completely indigestible and instead function to move food through our digestive system by promoting regular bowel movements and also prevention constipation. Insoluble fibers make up the majority of our stool and pass through our digestive tract largely untouched.

    • Best sources: Whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, wheat, rice bran) legumes, almonds, walnuts, fruits with edible skins (apples, pears etc.)

BENEFITS OF A DIET RICH IN FIBRE


The scientific community is well aware of some of the more basic benefits of consuming adequate fibre such as that of improved digestion and reduced constipation, however newer research is coming out which is establishing a preventative link between fibre and many other benefits:

  • Feeds good bacteria in our gut: The bacteria found within our gut like to feed on a specific and group of plant fibers called prebiotics which are a class of complex carbohydrates such as fibre and are also not broken down during digestion. Instead prebiotics are deigned to feed the good bacteria in our gut by being fermented. I have previously written all about the wonders of our gut flora here.

  • Bacterial nourishment produces beneficial compounds: As the bacteria in your colon nourish and feed the fibre we eat, they can produce a variety of different by-products such as short chain fatty acids which have been correlated with improved immune function and lowering of inflammation.

  • Keeps your gut lining healthy: Fibre is essential for the lining of your gut because it provides a source of energy and nourishment for the bacteria living in your gut, which prevents this bacteria from feeding on the actual lining of your gut. Furthermore, it also prevents the occurrence of hemorrhoids. A healthy lining is not just important to allow digested food to pass through normally but also regulates which nutrients and substances enter your circulatory system and what is kept out.

  • Crating a diverse bacterial community: What you eat is one of the most influential factors for the bacterial diversity and make up of your gut which can either work towards introducing more new beneficial bacterial species or fostering more harmful ones or simply just not having enough of a diveristy of bacteria (especially true when you eat the same types of foods on repeat). The greater the variety of beneficial bacteria in your gut, the greater the variety of functions and benefits they can produce.

  • Ensures normal bowel movements: Dietary fibre greatly contributes to the size and weight of your stool also by softening it, and thus making it easier to pass through, effectively also reducing constipation.

  • Protects against heart disease: Some studies have indicated that soluble fibers specifically such as those found in oats, flax seeds and beans have the ability to lower LDL cholesterol as well as high blood pressure and inflammation all of which work together to improve our cardiovascular health.

  • Improved weight management: Fibre has the added benefits that fibrous foods are much more filling while being lower in calories meaning that we are less likely to over eat and also, fibre keeps us feeling fuller for longer, all of which can be advantageous benefits for people looking to loose or maintain weight.

  • Reducing chances of developing certain cancers: Some research is pointing in the direction that eating enough fibre can help with preventing colon cancer which could be partially attributed to the fact that certain fibre types (pectin) have antioxidant properties. If you are interested about antixodiants and what they are, feel free to read about them here

  • Preventing unwanted blood sugar spikes: Soluble fibre has been shown to greatly slow down the absorption of sugar into our blood stream which helps with ensuring a gradual release of sugar into our blood stream from the food we eat and digest and in this way preventing large spikes in our blood sugar. Highly processed and sweet foods which lack fibre result in sugars entering our blood stream much faster than if fibre was present which is why they can result in energy crashes after consuming them, since the sugars are not released gradually. Maintaining healthy levels of blood glucose is especially useful for people who have diabetes, while at the same time, adequate fibre intake also reduces your chances of developing diabetes.

FOODS WITH MOST FIBRE


If you know or think that you are not getting enough fibre each day, below are some of the highest fibre food options you can choose to increase your fibre intake:

  • Legumes: Lentils, peas, chickpeas, beans, edamame,

  • Members of the brassica genus: Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts

  • Berries: Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries

  • Avocados

  • Whole grains: Whole wheat bread, pasta, brown rice, oats, quinoa, pop corn

  • Apples and pears

  • Artichokes

  • Celery

  • Dried fruit: Figs, prunes, dates

  • Nuts and seeds: Sunflower seeds, almonds, chia seeds, pistachios

  • Dark chocolate


A NOTE ABOUT PROCESSED FOODS

  • When it comes to ultra processed starch based foods such as , white rice, crackers, chips, white bread etc. the process of producing these foods removes the outer bran layer of the grain which is where all the fibre is stored and the result is a sweeter grain since below the bran layer is where the starch is found. This is why we should always aim to get some whole foods into our diet every day since they provide us with ample fibre and vitamins and minerals that come from natural sources instead of being artificially added to foods


DAILY INTAKE RECOMMENDATIONS

  • In general, men require a higher fibre intake than women, where for men it is recommend around 30-35 grams per day while for women it is around 25 grams of fibre per day.

  • Do keep in mind that older people and young children require less fibre, where the highest fibre intake is some-were in the age category of 20-50 years.

  • Women who are breastfeeding also require more fibre than usual.

🧠 KEY WORDS

  • Fibre: A type of complex carbohydrate found within plants which our body can not fully digest however it greatly impacts the wellbeing of our gut microbiome.

  • Soluble fibre: A type of fibre which is able to dissolve in water and form a gel like substance in our gut. Soluble fibre has been shown to reduce blood sugar spikes as well as cholesterol levels.

  • Insoluble fibre: A type of fibre found on the outer parts of fibrous plants which we can not digest however it helps with moving food along our digestive tract.


🔑 KEY IDEAS

  • Today we discussed what fibre is and the different types of fibre you can find within foods. Afterwards we took a look at why a healthy fibre intake is good for us and also what are the richest plant sources of fibre that we can eat.

✏️ SOURCES

Read More