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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.

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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

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The Hype Around Spirulina Explained

In the past couple of years, you have probably come across or heard of the green algae superfood spirulina, which is often sold under the superfood or supplement section of stores claiming to yield all sorts of positive health effects on our wellbeing.

I wanted to take a look into this and see wether all the health related hype around spirulina really adds up.

Enjoy and as always, thank you for reading each week 😊

WHAT IS SPIRULINA?

In its raw form, spirulina is a type of algae which grows in salt or fresh water and is known to be a kind of cyanobacteria which is a family of single celled microbes that are recognized as green-blue algae. This single celled algae is able to photosynthesize just like other plants which is also why the algae comes in a vibrant green color thanks to all of the chlorophyll pigment within it.

It has been found that spirulina has been consumed already by the Aztecs in Mexico claiming to have boosted their endurance and physical abilities when it came to physically intense exercises. In the past decade it had grown a lot in popularity partially because NASA a couple of years ago found that this algae could successfully be grown in space to be used by astronauts.

Other than that, spirulina is today one of the worlds most popular supplements and can nowadays be found usually in a powder or capsule that are eaten alongside a healthy and balanced diet.

More and more research is coming out exploring the variety of health benefits which this algae could bring about. Read on to find out all about them.

NUTRIENT PROFILE

Based on the composition of spirulina, it is estimated that a single table spoon of spirulina (7g) provides the following nutrients in approximate amounts:

  • 20 calories

  • 4g of protein

  • < 2g of carbohydrates

  • 1g of fat (Provides a 1.5 : 1 ratio of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids)

Apart from these macronutrients, spirulina is also a decent source of the following micronutrients which serve many different functions within our body

  • Vitamins: Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Thiamine (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) and Niacin (Vitamin B3)

  • Minerals: Copper, iron, magnesium, potassium and manganese

Apart from these nutrients, spirulina is low in sodium and cholesterol making it a health addition to our diets as a supplement. Overall, spirulina contains a couple of key active ingredients such as phycocyanins, fatty acids, proteins and the before mentioned vitamins and minerals which give spirulina its health boosting properties. Phycocyanins found in spirulina are specialized pigments found within the algae which give it its unique strong green blue color and also raise the antioxidant level of spirulina.

WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR?

High Antioxidant Profile

  • As mentioned before, phycocyanins found in spirulina are the blue-green pigments responsible for spirulina’s impressive antioxidant profile. By raising the level of antioxidants in our diet, our bodies are better able to fight off free radicals that otherwise result in oxidative stress and can over time cause real harm to our bodies cells and blood vessel's for example. In this way, antioxidants prevent the bodies inflammation levels from becoming too high and in this way protecting us from a myriad of chronic diseases that are brought about by high inflammation in the body.

  • If you are interested, I have previously written about antioxidants and how they work here

Supports Good Eye And Oral Health

  • Spirulina contains a high amount of zeaxanthin which is a plant pigment that has been shown to help support good vision and eye health by preventing age related vision loss and the development of cataracts

  • Other studies have also found that spirulina has potent antibacterial properties which could make it useful for maintaining good oral health by being able to reduce some dental plaque and lowering the risk of oral cancer among those who chew tobacco. Quite some research has been done on spirulina’s ability to reduce the growth of oral sub mucous fibrosis (OSMF) which is a type of pre-cancerous wound in the mouth.

Can Improve Heart Health

  • In some studies, spirulina has been shown to be able to lower total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) as well as triglycerides. On the upside, it has the ability to increase HDL or the good kind of cholesterol. This makes spirulina a good natural choice for improving lipids found within our blood and in this way protecting our heart health by lowering the chances of developing stroke or heart disease, additionally because spirulina has the property of decreasing oxidation of LDL cholesterol as will be mentioned below.

Has A Positive Effect On Your Immune System

  • Researchers are proposing that thanks to spirulina’s high vitamin content, specifically Vitamins E, C and B6, that it could maintain a healthy immune system function. Additionally, scientists are uncovering that spirulina can enhance the bodies natural production of white blood cells and antibodies which fight off bacteria and viruses to keep our body healthy.

  • If you would like to know more about how to boost your immune system, I have written about this topic here

Protects LDL Cholesterol From Oxidation

  • In your body, fatty structures such as LDL cholesterol are prone to undergoing oxidation which is known as lipid peroxidation. This oxidation of lipids is a key factor in contributing to the development of many chronic diseases and conditions.

  • Researches are uncovering that spirulina could have potent effects when it comes to minimizing lipid peroxidation in the body, helping to lower levels of inflammation as well as protecting you from different chronic conditions.

Could Help With Reducing Blood Pressure

  • A couple of different studies have come to the conclusion that a moderate consumption of spirulina per day, roughly 1 tablespoon, has the ability to significantly reduce both diastolic and systolic blood pressure, which could be especially beneficial for people who suffer from high blood pressure.

  • It is believed that the mechanism at work here is that spirulina stimulates a greater production of nitric oxide in the body which works to relax and dilute our blood vessels and thus reduce blood pressure.

Could Aid In Reducing Anemia

  • Anemia is recognized as a condition where by a person has a lower red blood cell count and thereby has lower levels of the oxygen carrying pigment hemoglobin that is found within red blood cells. With lower levels of hemoglobin, your blood becomes less effective at transporting oxygen around the body meaning that your feel fatigue and a lack of energy most of the time.

  • In a study from 2011, 40 older adults which previously had a recorded history of anemia, took daily spirulina supplements and showed a increase in their red blood cell count and noted improved immune function.

Could Improve Muscle Strength And Endurance

  • When we exercise, we naturally cause some oxidative damage to our muscle tissues due to anaerobic conditions of respiration (when our cells produce energy when here is an absence of oxygen). This oxidative damage, can greatly contribute to muscle fatigue and a poorer endurance which can hinder the athletic performance of athletes.

  • Intaking spirulina has been found to minimize this damage among athletes while also improving their muscle strength and endurance by increasing the oxygen uptake ability of our muscles.

Lowering blood sugar levels

  • Although most studies based on the effect of spirulina and blood sugar levels are based on animals, there is also some evidence starting to emerge to support that link in humans. In study participants who took spirulina supplements daily showed a reduction in fasting blood sugar levels among people who have type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, spirulina showed to have no impact on the blood sugar levels after a meal (after eating).

Could Improve General Mental Wellbeing

  • Spirulina has been found to contain the amino acid tryptophan which can naturally increase the amount of serotonin being produced in our brain. This discovery could potentially make spirulina useful for treating different mood disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders or schizophrenia, however more research is currently needed for this.

POTENTIAL RISKS OF USING SPIRULINA

Although spirulina is considered to be generally safe to eat and consume, there are a couple of things to watch out for:

  • During the growth cycle of spirulina, it may accumulate heavy metals, dangerous bacteria or other particles which can be harmful to our liver.

  • Spirulina also has a blood thinning effect meaning that individuals with blood clotting disorders or those who take blood thinning medications should use it with caution.

  • People who have the genetic disorder phenylketonuria (PKU) may want to also avoid spirulina because it contains the amino acid phenylalanine that can be harmful to people with that disorder.

  • People with certain autoimmune disorders may also have negative reactions to consuming spirulina.

  • Some food experts claim that spirulina naturally contains vitamin B12 that is crucial for our health in order to make new red blood cells, however spirulina does not contain vitamin B12, it is only suggested that it contains a compound which is similar to vitamin B12 as we know it.

Some people experience some of the common side effects when consuming spirulina regularly:

  • Allergies

  • Headaches

  • Sweating

  • Muscle pain

  • Issues with sleeping

HOW TO USE IT

Some people may not be a fan of the slightly bitter or earthy flavor of spirulina, which is why I have included below some more apetizing and convenient ways of using spirulina in a healthy moderation:

  • Adding it into smoothies (check the serving size on the back of the packaging)

  • Sprinkling it on top of soups

  • Mixing it in with oatmeal and adding sweeter toppings to balance the flavors

  • Mixing it into baked goods

  • Some people prefer to just drink it straight by mixing it with water

As a general point to consider, don't use more spirulina than what is suggested on the back of the product. There is no official serving size recommendation for spirulina, so I would say to start small such as half or one teaspoon and seeing how you feel afterwards.

🧠 KEY IDEAS

In this blog post we have taken a look into one of the worlds most popular food supplements - Spirulina. We have uncovered what spirulina actually is, what are the various health claims about it and lastly went through some safety recommendations and ideas for using it.

✏️ REFERENCES

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Building A Healthy Relationship With Food

You may not realize it, but having an unhealthy relationship with food is often more common than you think. These relationships come in different forms and are expressed differently among people, which is why it can be difficult to clearly define what unhealthy eating patterns look like - After all we all have different lifestyles, food preferences and dietary choices.

Alongside this, living in a current society which heavily praises “healthy” or “clean” eating practices, it can be difficult for people suffering from orthorexia (Having a unhealthy obsessions with eating foods that are categorized as being “healthy”), as their eating habits are praised by diet culture even though their relationship with themselves, others and food is falling apart. But orthorexia is quite an extreme example and deserves a post of its own.

To put in simple terms, I wanted to write this post because I believe that a lot of people struggle with their relationship to food - they might not even be aware of it - simply because each day we are faced with so much media about diet culture and how we should live our lives and mostly how and what we should eat. I we try to fallow all those rules, over time it may become overwhelming, restrictive and damaging to our health, even when it is promoted as a “healthy option”.

I hope you find this post interesting and that you could help yourself or others if you do start noticing any signs of unhealthy eating patterns.

ROLE OF FOOD IN OUR LIFE

Before I get into how disordered food relationships look like and what are some of the common symptoms, I wanted to first talk about food, especially the role it plays in our life.

I want to emphasize that while eating food is essential for intaking energy and vital nutrients, it is not the only role that food plays in our life.

Below are some other reasons for why food matters to us:

  • Source of energy and crucial nutrients: Macronutrients and micronutrients

  • Cultural and social bonding: Celebrations (birthdays, weddings etc.), social gatherings, sharing experiences with others, creating memories

  • Emotional wellbeing: Providing comfort and feelings of nostalgia and happiness

I wanted to briefly talk about the role of food here because I believe that if we only see food as a means of energy and nutrients source, we increase our chances of developing disordered eating habits. We may start feeling guilty about having eaten something, overthinking our food choices or just being generally dissatisfied because food is not eaten to be enjoyed but because it is something that we “have to do” in order to merely sustain ourselves and stay alive.

SIGNS OF A UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP

  • Feeling guilty after eating certain foods

  • Being constantly preoccupied and thinking about food (what I ate, what I will eat next, how much am I “allowed” to eat etc.)

  • Experiencing generally less pleasure from food and eating (feelings of anxiety)

  • Feeling tired or exhausted from never fully nourishing yourself

  • Labelling foods as “good” or “bad”

  • Restricting foods which are “bad” for you

  • Excessively relying on calorie counters and apps which track your calorie consumption and when/ what you can eat

  • Seeking excessive comfort in food (too much emotional eating)- could encourage binge eating

  • Ignoring your bodies natural hunger cues

  • Having specific “cheat days” where we endlessly indulge in things we otherwise restrict

  • Feeling lots of stress and anxiety when eating with others because we are concerned about what others may think of your food choices.

WHAT DOES A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP LOOK LIKE?

  • Giving yourself unconditional permission to eat the foods you enjoy in moderation

  • Respecting your bodies natural hunger cues (eat when hungry, stop when full)

  • Eating everything in moderation and not having off limits foods

  • Not letting the opinions of others control what you should be eating

  • Not feeling the need to justifying the food choices which you make

  • Understanding that you as a person are not defined by the foods you eat

  • You eat food because it makes you feel good and rules you, not based on calories or solely on specific nutrients

HOW TO ENCOURAGE HEALTHIER EATING PATTERNS

  • Giving yourself unconditional permission to eat

  • Being aware of your natural hunger cues

  • Practicing mindful eating (Click here to see my post on how to eat slower)

  • Don't labeling foods as “good” or “bad”

  • Seeking professional help if you need it

  • Prevent restricting food - Restricting foods only makes cravings of those foods worse

  • Don't only view food in terms of its nutrition - look at all the other parts it plays in your life

  • Pay attention to the language you use about food (clean, junk food, cheat meal, forbidden, superfood, healthy…)

  • Start taking gradual small food risks which feel scary to you

  • Not beating yourself up for any food related reason

  • Making sure you are eating enough for your needs (activity, age etc)

  • Regulating your social media intake (can have a big impact on how you view food)

  • Consider what a sustainable longterm eating approach looks like for you

  • Try keeping a food journal can work for some (If it brings you further anxiety, don't keep a journal)

Although this is a rather undiscussed and ignored topic, I feel that it is really important to make sure we are eating well for our needs and fore mostly keeping a healthy relationship with food.

Food is so much more than just calories, nutrients or energy, so make sure to acknowledge and respect that. Improving your relationship in this sense will give you so much more appreciation for food and your body, while also giving you a new sense of energy and freedom to carry through your days.

As a last note to keep in mind: Being healthy is so much more than just looking “healthy” on the outside, it is deeply rooted in how you feel on the inside which is ultimately controlled by the relationships you have with yourself, others, food, exercise and other daily activities.

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