Cleaner Eating Origin and Trend: Eating lean and cleaner

The clean-eating trend has been popular for quite some time and although it is not clearly defined, it generally promotes eating more whole foods, plant-based options, fruit and vegetables, unrefined, unprocessed food, and more recently sourced locally.

Eliminating foods from your diet that cause ill-health

Typically, most people who choose to eat a clean diet avoid eating unhealthy artificial additives. But what does “clean eating/Cleaner eating” mean? Well, it’s nothing new. Clean eating has been a trend for many years, just under different headings and guises. Natural, organic, chemical, and preservative-free eating need not be costly. In this article, I hope to give you an insight into how to eat cleaner foods.

Why is Cleaner Eating Healthier?

Remember – Eating the occasional fry up is not really going to do you any harm, other than maybe a bit of a fleeting tummy upset. Cleaner eating has never been as popular as it is right now. Cleaner eating used to mean eating whole foods like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, animal and plant-based protein, nuts, seeds, and oils and cutting back on processed foods. It meant sourcing good ingredients that are as natural/organic as possible and preparing more meals at home, which could also save you money. Adopting a clean approach to food means making healthy choices, by eating fewer foods that contain preservatives, salt, and added sugars.

Moving away from highly processed foods

The digestive system works by breaking down food into nutrients and energy for the body to use.  Although most foods are all right when consumed in moderation, some aren’t great for digestion because they increase the risk of bloating, heartburn, and diarrhea, such as:

• Refined sugar and sweeteners
• Refined carbohydrates, like white bread
• Milk or white chocolate
• Dairy foods such as cheese and cream
• Spicy foods, such as some types of curry
• Greasy foods like pizza

What is the truth about carbohydrates?

There are three types of carbohydrates found in food: Sugar, Starch, and Fiber.

In today’s society, more and more people realize that eating healthy is very important, leading to healthy eating trends.

Fact: what you eat can affect your digestive health. Take carbohydrates, for example – this is a relatively large category because not all carbs are the same, and you need some carbs in your diet. For instance, fiber, which is found in wholegrain versions of starchy carbs, is meant to be good for you.

What is the truth about sugar?

Having too much sugar is not healthy and can lead to health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), American adults consume on average about 77 grams (almost 20 teaspoons) of added sugar per day, which works out to be about 60 pounds of sugar per year. By ‘added sugar,’ I am referring to the sugar found in food and beverages.

Naturally occurring sugar (free sugar) is found in whole, unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, honey, and some grains. But just because this is natural sugar, it doesn’t automatically make it OK. The World Health Organization (WHO) classes natural sugars like honey, syrups, fruit juices, and fruit juice concentrates as ‘free sugars’ and recommends these are limited in our diets because they are high in kilojoules and provide little fiber or nutrients.

Best eating trends for digestion

According to the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 60 to 70 million Americans have digestive diseases. This is probably why digestive health has become such an important topic, and there is no sign that this trend is slowing. Maintaining a healthy gut is important for many reasons. It regulates the immune system and encourages the body’s natural detoxification process, and promotes mental well-being.

One great way to help your gut is to make sure you have an adequate supply of healthy bacteria living in your stomach, therefore aim to include prebiotic and probiotic foods in your diet. While probiotics seem to get all the credit for gut health, prebiotics is essential to maintain the correct balance of good bacteria inside your digestive system.

Eliminate food sensitivities

It’s vital you can identify the foods that affect your body and cause inflammation, gas, and other troublesome side effects. There is a vast difference between food sensitivity and food intolerance, so you should consult a doctor if you are in doubt. So whether you are intolerant or food sensitive, using an eliminating diet can help you identify which foods your body finds hard to digest.

Allergies and intolerances to gluten, dairy, lactose, soy, nut, and shellfish-free are rising globally, leading to an increasing number of people looking for ‘free from’ foods that bring relief from chronic digestive complaints. There is also growing belief gluten, lactose, dairy-free products are healthier and easier to digest.

Eating Healthy – Conclusion

Food trends are rising in popularity, with many of us growing ever more conscious of our health. Adopting a clean approach to food means making healthier choices, by eating fewer foods that cause digestive issues and other health concerns. Your digestive system breaks down food into nutrients and energy.  Although most foods are all right when consumed in moderation, some aren’t great for digestion because they increase the risk of bloating, heartburn, and diarrhea, so eating healthier options is beneficial.

Link/Reference for more detail information :1.theguardian.com / 2.goodhousekeeping.com