Clean Eating, is it following your intuition or following a diet?Eating clean , is it eating organic, Mediterranean or Zen? How to avoid the pitfalls of Clean Eating? Expert answers and testimonials of this new nutritional trend of Clean Food.
Clean Eating is a healthy trend that originated in the US in the 60s, at a time when junk food was more political and moral than nutritional. Rejecting everything industrial meant above all rejecting food waste (which went hand in hand with the explosion of hyper consumption and hyper industrial production).
Today, Clean Eating is a trend that promotes unprocessed, organic foods that are as clean as possible . "This eating style, relayed by many blogs, mainly affects social media regulars," explains Dr. Michèle Marchaland, a specialist in micronutritional and functional medicine, and medical advisor at the Valdys thalassotherapy center in Roscoff (Finistère).
But the dissemination of the principles of this healthy, balanced and ethical nutrition raises questions. Doctors, micronutrition specialists and dieticians respond.
Is Clean Eating a diet?
No! Eating healthy is not about dieting . It is above all about protecting yourself against many of the diseases of our time that can be avoided with a healthy lifestyle. And this involves giving up the feeling of having complete power over your body. "We need to stop believing that we can decide everything, including how much we will weigh next month!" says Dr. Cyril Laporte, a cancer doctor with a DU in health nutrition, who runs the Cypios practice, a center specializing in nutritional support in Paris, with Pierre Joyeau, a graduate in health nutrition and micronutrition (from the SIIN, Scientific Institute for Intelligent Nutrition). "Regaining your humility allows you to reconnect with your power," adds Pierre Joyeau. "We never talk about dieting. A change in nutritional attitude leads to the right weight, the healthy weight. "Respecting yourself by choosing a quality, balanced, healthy diet has a direct impact on the body , weight, but also on the place you occupy in life" conclude the two experts. In their book, "The New Food Revolution" (Mango editions), they sincerely defend their credo in a clear and playful way.
© Cypios : on the right Cyril Laporte, on the left Pierre Joyeau
Does eating clean mean eating zen?
For Dr. Cyril Laporte, it is vital to alternate between eating and not eating,being in motion and then resting, surrounding yourself with noise and then calm. "We need this alternation to find security. The idea of intermittent fasting , which consists of resting your digestive system, is good. But on condition that you eat before and after what is good for you. Alternating junk food and fasting is violence. Alternating hyperconsumption and diets is also violence. Eating your meals under stress, at full speed, without taking the time to chew or be aware of what you are eating, is still violence. On the other hand, making the difference between the daily, healthy, balanced which represents 80% of the time, and the exceptional (but without abuse!) for the remaining 20% is a balanced approach. Without ever losing sight of the pleasure."
Clean Eating, an obsession?
Eating healthy at all costs, without integrating food into a healthy lifestyle , is of no interest. Dr. Michèle Marchaland specifies that "food remains only one of the beneficial factors for health and must be an integral part of a healthy lifestyle (practicing a sporting activity, stress management , good sleep, social ties, etc.). Above all, it must not become a problem or an obsession, sources of anxiety that would be counterproductive for health. Indeed, some practitioners, who only limit themselves to the health benefits of food, tend to fixate on the ingredients . An attitude that can lead them to obsessive habits. The desire to eat well must not become pathological. The pleasure of preparing a meal and the pleasure of eating must not be replaced by food rituals such as a constant preoccupation with food, deciphering the composition of foods, the fear of getting sick by consuming certain foods, etc."
Clean food = organic food?
"We can only agree with organic, seasonal and local products, because it is no longer necessary to demonstrate that the content of micronutrients - polyphenols and carotenoids among others - is higher in food from organic farming . This makes it possible to increase the micronutrient value of foods without increasing their quantity. In addition, the use of pesticides considerably increases the accumulation of toxins and functional alterations" explains Doctor Michèle Marchaland. For this doctor, all organic is good!
Clean Eating and Mediterranean diet, what’s the difference?
"If we follow the broad outlines of clean eating ( avoiding processed and refined foods , cooking at home, choosing local and organic foods, adding color to our plates, eating more fruits and vegetables, etc.) but keeping the fundamental notion of pleasure without an obsessive attitude, there are similarities with the Mediterranean diet, which remains the rule for me in terms of health," says Dr. Michèle Marchaland. "The Mediterranean diet inspired by Crete is based on variety, on an abundant consumption of foods rich in fiber, fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole starches, oilseeds, rich in essential fatty acids, polyphenols and with a low glycemic load. I also recommend the intake of cold-pressed olive and rapeseed oil, moderate portions of meat, eggs and cheese rich in arachidonic acid - a fatty acid from the omega 6 family -, fish and seafood at least twice a week, not forgetting herbs and spices. This universal dietary model protects against chronic diseases known as diseases of civilization (cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases)” concludes the doctor.
Intuitive Eating and Clean Eating, are they the same?
We are not far off. And it makes sense. At the origin of the name and definition of intuitive eating, two Americans, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, dieticians, authors of studies and best-selling books on the subject. Their principles are very close to those of Clean Eating: the need to eat healthy and balanced and above all, to make peace with food. A fundamental reminder for those who approach any dietary approach with frenzy or rigidity. No clean or intuitive eating, no nutritional fulfillment, without this letting go that induces a peaceful connection with one's plate and with one's body. Letting go is only possible if there is knowledge, skills and security.
Before the first bite of the fork, a whole process is established upstream: choice of distribution channel, choice of foods, preparation of meals, tasting, all consciously and joyfully...
The 10 Principles of Intuitive Eating
- Reject diets that offer false hope,
- Honor your hunger,
- Making peace with food,
- Don't categorize "good" and "bad" foods,
- Respect the satiety signals and listen to your body to hear them,
- Rediscover the pleasure of eating,
- Finding ways other than food to soothe your emotions,
- Be kind to your body,
- Exercise to feel good about yourself,
- Take care of your health.
If, according to the apostles of Clean Food, the only difference between these two types of diet is the labeling of good and bad foods, everyone agrees that demonizing a food is never beneficial... In a word, trust yourself.
Clean Eating… not so clean?
If you have grasped the basics of healthy and balanced eating, you are your own decoder, whether in reading labels or recipes presented on many specialized blogs. Dr. Marchaland advises caution: "Clean Eating recipes contain a lot of coconut oil. While coconut oil has acquired a good reputation over the years as a health food, it is a plant source containing a very high proportion of saturated fatty acids that increase LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and are therefore not recommended for cardiovascular health. Good fatty acids, particularly omega 3, must be provided by diet (especially small oily fish, such as sardines). Tuna rich in heavy metals should be avoided. These omega 3 fatty acids have fundamental physiological roles, especially on the risks of cardiovascular disease, inflammation, immunity, vision and emotional balance. Olive oil associated with the Mediterranean diet is hypocholesterolemic and increases HDL (the good cholesterol) according to its polyphenol content. The recommendations are about 3 tablespoons, per day, of olive oil.
To each his own Clean Eating?
Adopting the art of healthy eating is obviously beneficial, but do it at your own pace and with indulgence towards yourself. “Changing your plate, starting to eat healthy, balanced, whether by being flexitarian, or even vegetarian or raw food enthusiasts, adopting functional nutrition (which highlights the nutritional values of foods to restore or maintain balance and health), is done at each person's own pace, depending on their lifestyle and starting point. Hence the importance of individualized support when it comes to a profound change,” explains Céline Vaquer, naturopath, iridologist, specialized in functional nutrition. “And above all, it is not a diet, so there is no point in calculating the number of calories on each plate or keeping your eye on the scale. Moving towards healthy eating is a way of life,” notes the naturopath. Indeed, sifting through your shopping list means avoiding anything that is too fatty, too sweet, too processed, or produced or grown too far away.
Clean Eating: what are the triggers?
Sophie, Laurent and Jules explain why and how they adopted Clean Eating.
- For Sophie, 42, it was being fed up with diets that changed everything.
"I had a few pounds to lose, I looked into all the diets that were supposed to be super effective. I tried several of them, without much success since I was hungry between meals and I threw myself on all sorts of sweet or salty foods! Normal, I was malnourished. I discovered on Instagram the super tempting accounts of several expert influencers and I was caught up in the Clean Eating trend."
- Laurent, 51, is gaining weight in his fifties
"However, I was eating healthily and balanced, without alcohol or sweets, I was cycling every two days, I didn't see what I could change. I started to discover approaches that spoke to me: Clean Eating and mindful eating, which I combined with slow food. In fact, my problem was there: I was eating on the go, in front of my computer at lunchtime and too quickly in the evening, without taking the time to chew, drinking too much water while eating (which dilutes the food bolus and hinders the proper assimilation of nutrients). I understood that eating healthily was good, provided you eat your meals without stress."
- Jules, 26, is the power of the mirror effect and sharing
"I met Manon, a healthy food fan. With her, it was hard to continue eating so badly. She didn't give me an ultimatum, she just cooked healthy, clean and tasty food! It didn't take me long to swap my soda for water with a squeeze of lime, a panini for fried rice with fresh vegetables. I felt so much better and almost overnight... there's no going back!"
Convinced? Once you have committed to Clean Eating, there will be no turning back! Eating very fatty, very sugary, ultra-processed foods will seem incongruous, even... bad. You may even not be satisfied and feel tired because these foods are full of empty calories, devoid of vitamins, minerals and fiber. In conclusion, it is up to you to enjoy a healthy, varied, balanced, ethical diet, with joy and good humor!
