We hear the phrase “clean eating” tossed around a lot. It sounds positive, but we’ve never been exactly sure what it entails. So we checked in with Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN and founder of Nutritious Life, for her definition of the buzzy term, as well as whether she actually recommends it.
What does eating “clean” really mean?
“[Eating] whole, real, unprocessed foods as often as possible. In other words, naturally nutrient-dense foods. It is mostly plant-based by default.”
So is it all non-processed foods?
“At Nutritious Life, we believe that eating clean is not about living off of lemon, water and cayenne. It can mean a lot of different things to different people. For people beginning to incorporate healthy habits into their lifestyle, it could mean no fast food. For others who are slightly higher on the ‘clean eating’ spectrum, it might mean no packaged food at all.”
Would you recommend embracing it?
“I, of course, recommend a diet high in whole, real, unprocessed foods (that are organic as often as possible). For me, that’s eating clean. You can also incorporate animal products like grass-fed beef, organic chicken and organic dairy if that’s right for your body.”
