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Clean Eating-MSE style!
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WantToBeSE
Posts: 7,729 Forumite


I am wondering if anyone else 'Clean Eats'? I know a few people who are interested in it so I thought I would start a new thread where we can discuss it.
I don’t really know an awful lot about it to be honest. From the research that I have done in the last few days I gather that there are a few ways to 'Eat Cleanly':
1-Removing as many chemicals from the diet as possible, mainly achieved by avoiding any processed foods.
2-Eat foods that are made from nature and not altered by man. These are things like Fruit,Veg, Meat, Whole grains, Nuts and Seeds.
3- Both and/or a mixture of the above!
I guess the main aim is to be healthier and put less 'unknowns' into the body. The focus is less on losing weight (although I admit this will be a bonus!) but more on health and wellbeing.
I wont be switching over to 'strict' CE straight away as I have a kitchen full of stuff to use up (white rice/pasta) but I can make a start on it now by not buying stuff to add to my 'un' Clean kitchen cupboards.
My only problem is that whenever I think of CE I just imagine a plate of grilled chicken,salad and veggies. Don't get me wrong, I have had this several times over the last few weeks and it tastes lovely..but I seem to get stuck for any other ideas, especially on a budget. Chicken is expensive and I am also concerned about the levels of estrogen and other hormones in them. I am guessing that buying an Organic chicken is the only way around this, but that is even more expensive.
I need to use Google to help me out I think!
I found this blog whichI think explains it really well http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating/ and also this blog http://funeralformyfat.tumblr.com/EatingClean but there are loads of other blogs/articles/websites that are available to look at too. If you type 'Clean Eating' into Pinterest it brings up some lovely looking things.
I generally avoid too much rubbish food anyway, apart from snacks, so the transition wont be THAT hard..right? Famous Last Words
So, does anybody fancy joining me?
Updated with any useful links:
Recipes for veg rich foods: http://plantbasedonabudget.com/recipes/
All about Whole grains (recipes etc): http://wholegrainscouncil.org/
I don’t really know an awful lot about it to be honest. From the research that I have done in the last few days I gather that there are a few ways to 'Eat Cleanly':
1-Removing as many chemicals from the diet as possible, mainly achieved by avoiding any processed foods.
2-Eat foods that are made from nature and not altered by man. These are things like Fruit,Veg, Meat, Whole grains, Nuts and Seeds.
3- Both and/or a mixture of the above!
I guess the main aim is to be healthier and put less 'unknowns' into the body. The focus is less on losing weight (although I admit this will be a bonus!) but more on health and wellbeing.
I wont be switching over to 'strict' CE straight away as I have a kitchen full of stuff to use up (white rice/pasta) but I can make a start on it now by not buying stuff to add to my 'un' Clean kitchen cupboards.
My only problem is that whenever I think of CE I just imagine a plate of grilled chicken,salad and veggies. Don't get me wrong, I have had this several times over the last few weeks and it tastes lovely..but I seem to get stuck for any other ideas, especially on a budget. Chicken is expensive and I am also concerned about the levels of estrogen and other hormones in them. I am guessing that buying an Organic chicken is the only way around this, but that is even more expensive.
I need to use Google to help me out I think!
I found this blog whichI think explains it really well http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating/ and also this blog http://funeralformyfat.tumblr.com/EatingClean but there are loads of other blogs/articles/websites that are available to look at too. If you type 'Clean Eating' into Pinterest it brings up some lovely looking things.
I generally avoid too much rubbish food anyway, apart from snacks, so the transition wont be THAT hard..right? Famous Last Words

So, does anybody fancy joining me?
Updated with any useful links:
Recipes for veg rich foods: http://plantbasedonabudget.com/recipes/
All about Whole grains (recipes etc): http://wholegrainscouncil.org/
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Comments
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WantToBeSE wrote: »I wont be switchingover to 'strict' CE straight away as I have a kitchen full of stuffto use up (white rice/pasta) but I can make a start on it now by notbuying stuff to add to my 'un' Clean kitchen cupboards
Me too WantToBeSE; I have been have a go at trying to clean up my act quite a bit lately, however like you we have a whole lot of 'unclean' stuff that needs to be used beforehand. I've still Christmas stuff hanging about and the only way to make it my
disappear is to eat it. I'm pretty good with breakfast and lunches during the week (although white rice and pasta are still there) but my biggest weakness is snacking after work; crisps crackers and jelly belly sweets, so I'll be watching this thread with interest.Mortgage
Start January 2017: $268,012
Latest balance $266,734
Reduction: $1,278.450 -
Hi WantToBe
good idea and thanks for this thread, it'll help keep me on the straight and narrow!
My CleanEating rules are similar to the Paleo diet, basically no grains! Most grains along with an assortment of other foods set my IBS off so I'm trying to go with:
Meat, Fish, Salad and Veg with certain fruits and nuts. Aiming to go caffeine free at some point and cut out alcohol for a month (probably February) if I can brave the headaches again!! :eek:
So if it ain't been caught, dug up or picked I'm not to have it!
My Avon delivery has just arrived so I'll catch up on LTW laterx
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Pay ALL your debt off by Xmas 2019
#126 £1900/£125260 -
My CleanEating rules are similar to the Paleo diet, basically no grains!
Lamb's liver is usually from naturally fed animals and is a cheap form of meat. I find the taste a bit strong so have a lot of fried (butter or coconut oil) onion and mushrooms with it.
One of my breakfast/lunch staples is a sort of omelette made with two large free range eggs with fried mushrooms or spinach (cheapest is frozen - Iceland £1).
Lidl sell organic carrots and they sometimes have organic onions too.The mind of the bigot is like the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour upon it, the more it will contract.
Oliver Wendell Holmes0 -
Yay I've been looking forward to this thread!
I've really become quite good at eating clean these past 6 months or so I've been doing it.
One of the important things is for people to realise that low/reduced fat things are big NO, as is stuff like diet coke (not that soft drinks are clean in the first place, but if you can't give them up).
All the proccessing that goes into removing the healthy fats from such things is ludicrous, and unnecessary as good fats are well... GOOD for us, and actually help with weight loss. Not to mention they then pack them full of sugar to make up for the lack of taste. Super healthy.
And artificial sweeteners in diet drinks wreak havoc with your insulin levels, among other things. This causes you to actually get hungrier and eat more!
The same thing goes for processed carbs, so things like white bread, white rice, pasta etc all lead to your insulin levels spiking and then crashing, meaning you need to eat more carbs again, which is why people eat so much.
Non white grains are known as 'complex' carbs, so they take the body longer to digest, for a steady energy release, and that is why they keep you fuller for longer. White versions don't.
I get my carbs from sweet potatoes, and veggies. Sometimes brown rice.
If you can't afford lots of meat for your protein, things like lentils, avocados, beans, even peaches have protein! And of course trusty eggs and cheese. A good stew with kidney beans will be full of protein! Things like veggie chillie, too.
There are lots of good blogs out there, Sharie of funeralformyfat is one of my faves, good find!
Also if you have instagram, if you search for the hashtag #eatclean you will find loads of inspiration for meals to make. I follow lots of people on there who inspire me to stay on the straight and narrow!
Also it's important not to be too strict with yourself or you'll get nowhere. Denying yourself treats and things you like isn't good practice, it's all about moderation. This is why everybody has 'cheat days'. For my my cheat days are my weekends. I have whatever I like at the weekends, and eat perfectly during the weekend. Moderation is key or you'll just binge or give up!
I do find though that my body doesn't want things like chips, pizzas, etc anymore, now that I've been feeding it well. And once you stop having fizzy drinks and sweets for a while you stop wanting them.
I don't think I'll ever stop wanting chocolate cake as a treat, though!LBM moment Nov 2013
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Hi Everyone, thanks for joining me
I think my first plan will be to switch over to wholemeal grains. So that means replacing white pasta, rice and bread with Wholemeal pasta, brown rice, and I believe bulgar wheat will be OK too (although if someone can confirm that for me I'd appreciate it).
Just found a list of wholemeal grains for anyone else who is interested:- brown rice
- buckwheat
- bulgur (cracked wheat)
- millet
- oatmeal
- popcorn
- rolled oats
- quinoa
- sorghum
- triticale
- whole grain barley
- whole grain cornmeal
- whole rye
- whole wheat bread
- whole wheat crackers
- whole wheat pasta
- whole wheat tortillas
- wild rice
sorghum
triticale
I don't even know what they are!0 -
Kitty- can I ask, how long did it take for you to stop craving sugar? I am convinced that I am a sugar addict, the cravings for it are awful. I can normally last 2 days at max without buying chocolate or sweets etc, and this will really be a test for me.
Also, can anyone suggest some 'Clean' but sweet snack ideas? I was just thinking fruit and chopped up veggies?0 -
WantToBeSE wrote: »Hi Everyone, thanks for joining me
I think my first plan will be to switch over to wholemeal grains. So that means replacing white pasta, rice and bread with Wholemeal pasta, brown rice, and I believe bulgar wheat will be OK too (although if someone can confirm that for me I'd appreciate it).
Just found a list of wholemeal grains for anyone else who is interested:- brown rice
- buckwheat
- bulgur (cracked wheat)
- millet
- oatmeal
- popcorn
- rolled oats
- quinoa
- sorghum
- triticale
- whole grain barley
- whole grain cornmeal
- whole rye
- whole wheat bread
- whole wheat crackers
- whole wheat pasta
- whole wheat tortillas
- wild rice
sorghum
triticale
I don't even know what they are!WantToBeSE wrote: »Kitty- can I ask, how long did it take for you to stop craving sugar? I am convinced that I am a sugar addict, the cravings for it are awful. I can normally last 2 days at max without buying chocolate or sweets etc, and this will really be a test for me.
Also, can anyone suggest some 'Clean' but sweet snack ideas? I was just thinking fruit and chopped up veggies?
I like to have a cup of green tea with stevia in the morning, and that really helps me have less cravings through the day.
I also really love chopping up strawberries and sprinkling on a bit of stevia, mmm. Really yummy snack that I take to work with me sometimes to help when a sweet craving strikes!
Grapes are good too, and obviously other fruit.
If you want chocolate, dark chocolate in moderation is good. Takes a while to aquire a taste for it, but now I like it.
It's important to note as well that if you're still having fizzy drinks you are still going to be craving sweets. So try to cut out things like coke and fanta as best you can.
Also when I go out to eat I ask for salad instead of chips, which makes most of the meals I get pretty clean as I usually order meat. Then I get juice or water instead of a coke.LBM moment Nov 2013
Barclaycard 0% [STRIKE]£2,719.64[/STRIKE] £1,575.22♦ Virgin 0% [STRIKE]£3,224.00[/STRIKE] £2,533.08♦ MBNA 0% [STRIKE]£1,994.72[/STRIKE] £2,473.53♦ Lloyds Card 0% [STRIKE]£1740[/STRIKE] £1,260♦ Loan 22.80% APR [STRIKE]£3,585.63[/STRIKE] GONE:j ♦ Invisalign 0% [STRIKE]£2,493.26[/STRIKE] GONE :jOriginal Total: [STRIKE]£13,120.17[/STRIKE] Now: £7,841.430 -
Wholemeal pasta is better for you than white pasta but there are other carbs that are healthier still, such as sweet potatoes. Wholewheat products are generally white carbs with fibre added back in.
I did switch over to wholemeal pasta when I started losing weight but I dont eat much of it now, I eat a lot of sweet potatoes, they are very good for you.
Wholemeal bread also has sugar added to it. I actually dont do moderation well so my diet is pretty clean most of the time.0 -
Wholemeal pasta is better for you than white pasta but there are other carbs that are healthier still, such as sweet potatoes. Wholewheat products are generally white carbs with fibre added back in.
I did switch over to wholemeal pasta when I started losing weight but I dont eat much of it now, I eat a lot of sweet potatoes, they are very good for you.
Wholemeal bread also has sugar added to it. I actually dont do moderation well so my diet is pretty clean most of the time.
I confuse people by making spaghetti bolognaise without the spaghetti because I don't like pasta products :rotfl:
Sweet potatoes are like the staple of my diet, I eat them every single day and I LOVE them. They are my favourite thing to bulk out a meal ever. I don't really eat or enjoy regular potatos to be honest.LBM moment Nov 2013
Barclaycard 0% [STRIKE]£2,719.64[/STRIKE] £1,575.22♦ Virgin 0% [STRIKE]£3,224.00[/STRIKE] £2,533.08♦ MBNA 0% [STRIKE]£1,994.72[/STRIKE] £2,473.53♦ Lloyds Card 0% [STRIKE]£1740[/STRIKE] £1,260♦ Loan 22.80% APR [STRIKE]£3,585.63[/STRIKE] GONE:j ♦ Invisalign 0% [STRIKE]£2,493.26[/STRIKE] GONE :jOriginal Total: [STRIKE]£13,120.17[/STRIKE] Now: £7,841.430 -
This is a list of banned foods on a clean eating programme I got a couple of years ago (I didnt do it, it was just too tough for me at that point in time, but I might give it a go now).
WHEAT: pasta, noodles, cous cous, bulgar wheat, muesli, breakfast cereals, bread, crackers, soy sauce, stock cubes
DAIRY: cheese, milk (fresh, dried & UHT), yoghurt, butter, ice cream, cream
SUGAR: chocolate, biscuits, cakes, pastries, fruit squash/cordial, fizzy drinks, muesli bars
REFINED FOODS: white rice, rice noodles – anything that is ‘white’ i.e. refined to remove the good bits!
PROCESSED FOODS: ANY prepared foods, including pizza, fish fingers, ready meals, soups, sauces, crisps, etc.
ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS: ANY food or drink with ‘no added sugar’, ‘diet’ or ‘sugar-free’ prefixes. Read the ingredients:
aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and acesulfame potassium are the key watch-outs.
ADDED SUGARS: ANY foods that contain ‘-ose’ in the ingredients including glucose syrup, maltose, barley malt,
fructose, sucrose. These are all versions of sugar.
CAFFEINE: coffee, tea, cola-based drinks, red bull
and some suggestions of what should go and what you replace them with
Pasta, noodles, white (no)
rice(no)
Wheat-free pasta & noodles (e.g. corn/rice/quinoa/buckwheat),(yes)
brown rice, lentils, beans(yes)
Breakfast cereals (no) Wheat free muesli; rolled oats, oatmeal, quinoa flakes(yes)
Bread and crackers (no) 100% Rye bread, Ryvita, oatcakes(yes)
Milk (no) Soya, rice or oat milk (yes)
Butter and margarine (no)Coconut oil (available from health food shops), olive oil (yes)
Yoghurt (no) Soya yoghurt(yes)
Spreads (no) Hummus, guacamole, tahini(yes)
Soy sauce,(no) stock Tamari (wheat-free soy sauce), wheat-free Marigold bouillon (yes)
Red Meat (no)Chicken, fish, eggs, tofu(yes)
Caffeine (no) Green tea, rooibos tea, herbal teas (nettle fennel, etc) miso soup(yes)
Alcohol (no) Sparkling water with fresh lime, fresh juices w/ sparkling water(yes)0
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