Clean-Style Eating

Judy Seybold, MS, RDN, LD, CLC
Chief Nutrition Officer

Have you heard health-conscious consumers say they are “eating clean” and aren’t really sure what that entails? Clean-style eating is an approach that focuses on choosing products with less artificial ingredients, colors, and flavors, and less processed foods with shortened ingredient lists. Here are some core principles that can help you understand this eating style:

Clean-style Eating Principles

• Choose whole, unrefined foods whenever possible
• Avoid processed foods with long ingredient statements
• Include a mixture of protein, carbs, and fat at each meal
• Limit added sugar, fat, and salt
• Look for the attribute CLEAN
• Don’t drink your calories
• Move, move, move
• Eat five to six small meals per day

Now that you know what this eating style entails, do you have to overhaul your lifestyle to be successful at it? It’s recommended to start out slowly and focus on doing more cooking and reading labels closely. As you adjust, you will realize that eating clean is easier than you imagined and boils down to eating foods most closely to their natural state.

Tips for Getting Started

• Cook as much as possible so you can control what you eat, where it is sourced, and what you add to your food.
• Fill your plate with half fruits and vegetables. The remaining half can be divided evenly with whole grains and lean protein.
• Read ingredient statements when shopping. The shorter the list of ingredients, the better.
• Know where your food comes from and how it was caught or raised.
• Eat locally grown food when possible.

Here are some foods to stock your pantry and fridge, along with foods that can derail you from your clean eating pathway. Eating clean isn’t only about your health, but also about the health of the planet. Buy organic and choose sustainably raised meat and fish when possible.

Foods to Include

• Organic, grass-fed meats
• Sustainably caught seafood
• Organic eggs
• Fruits and vegetables
• Nuts and seeds
• Fermented foods (coconut water, kimchi, kombucha, sauerkraut)
• Healthy fats (avocado, coconut, olive oils)
• Raw honey and pure maple syrup (in moderation)
• Legumes

Foods to Avoid

• Refined sugar (cane sugar, high-fructose corn syrup)
• Preservatives and additives
• Alcohol

Clean-style eating has many advantages to it. It involves eating less processed foods which tend to be stripped of vital nutrients. Preservatives and additives are avoided because they can cause adverse reactions in some people. And as a result of trying to eat more whole foods, the intake of fruits and vegetables generally increases. To help navigate, identify a clean-style eating attribute when shopping that will help translate and identify foods that may be relevant for this eating plan.

Sample Menu

• Breakfast: green smoothie (kale, pineapple, cucumber, orange juice) and cup of oatmeal with blueberries, walnuts, and a touch of honey
• Lunch: whole grain quinoa bowl with chickpeas, chicken, zucchini, and peppers
• Dinner: wild-caught Atlantic salmon, roasted broccoli with almonds and brown rice
• Snacks: apple with almond butter; edamame hummus and rice cakes

Clean eating can mean something different to each individual. Some people follow very restrictive eating plans that exclude many foods while others may focus on including more nutrition-positive ingredients such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in their diet. Work with a registered dietitian to develop a clean-eating style that's right for you.

Shop Sifter for products that support a Clean-Style diet

Additional Resources

Clean Eating Magazine Cheat Sheet
Clean Eating: Getting to the Source (Mayo Clinic)