Eating "Clean?"

For the very best diet, consider eating food that’s “clean.”  My upcoming book, available in about 2 weeks, A Recipe for Life by the Doctor's Dietitian outlines easy steps to eat "clean" food.

What does it mean to be eating “clean” food?  Webster’s Dictionary defines “clean” as free from dirt or pollution.  In the nutrition world, clean eating is considered eating organic unprocessed foods that are:

• pesticide-free
• hormone-free
• free-range
• grass-fed (versus corn fed)
• non-GMO (genetically modified organisms)

Eating clean is a process or a journey of slowly reducing the amount of  manufactured processed food that you eat.  Eating solely organic foods would be a difficult way to live in the world, considering most of us eat out or at friends’ homes, but it is a worthwhile aspiration with myriad health benefits.  

A good way to start eating clean is to avoid food in boxes or packages such as chips, crackers, cookies, donuts, etc. since they contain refined processed carbohydrates with trans fats or omega 6 fats and do not have a favorable long-term effect on health.

If you can afford to buy organic, free-range, or grass-fed food, these are the most optimal and can provide long-term benefits (see the grocery store section for specifics on these topics).  You might see a slight increase in your food budget now, but you could save on health costs later.  Eating clean food is an investment in your future and the environment.

Since a barrage of fake food abounds in America, switching your diet to clean, non-processed foods takes a conscious change.  At first, this change can be quite challenging as you’ll need to rethink your refueling process. You are starting a new way of shopping, cooking and eating and educating yourself and reading labels takes time and effort. Don’t get discouraged. In time, clean eating will become simple eating!

Eating Non-GMO?

Last night I heard a lecture on: Is Our Food Safe: The Real Story About Genetically Engineered Food. Jeffrey Smith, one of the word’s experts on non-GMO eating, gave a very informative but disturbing lecture on the health risks of GMO foods.

What does it mean to eat non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) foods? The Center for Food Safety calls genetically modifying foods a “laboratory process of artificially inserting genes into the DNA of food crops or animals...GMO’s can be engineered with genes from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans.”

Why avoid GMO foods? Simply put, changing the DNA of a food crop will ultimately change the way the food acts in our bodies. This could wipe out the food’s health properties, almost replacing nature.

If a food product is labeled “certified organic” you can be assured there are no GMO products in it. Otherwise, it is necessary to check the labels for ingredients listed. What types of foods contain GMO components? The “Big Four” ingredients in processed foods are:

Corn – corn flour, meal, starch, gluten and syrup, and sweeteners such as fructose, dextrose, and glucose
Soy – soy flour, lecithin, protein, isolate, isoflavone, vegetable oil, and vegetable protein
Canola – canola oil
Sugar – anything not listed as 100% cane sugar

The complete guide to eating non-GMO food can be food on the Center for Food Safety's website.

They have a handy shopping guide that shows which food manufacturers use only non-GMO products in addition to food products that contain GMO products. The process of eating clean now has to include non-GMO foods. It may require some effort but the health rewards are well worth it.