Can you eat too clean?

Can you eat too clean?

Aiming to eat cleaner is usually a good idea. ‘Clean eating’ simply means eating foods that are as close to their natural state as possible. Potatoes not potato chips. Chicken breast not chicken nuggets.

Making healthy food swaps is smart for most, but for some it can be the start of something dangerous.

We explain clean eating and when it can potentially become unhealthy.

The idea behind clean eating is simple – food is the most nutritious when it’s the least processed. Eating a diet filled with processed foods can lead to poor health including heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity.

Clean foods are naturally nutrient rich, filled with healthy fiber, quality protein, vitamins and minerals, anti-oxidants and healthy fats. These foods fuel your body efficiently, help build a stronger immune system, improve heart health, lower cholesterol, increase energy levels, boost brain health and play a key role in weight management.

Eating clean is eating well. Until it isn’t. Almost any healthy habit can become unhealthy when taken to an extreme, and clean eating is no exception. Orthorexia nervosa is the term for being focused on clean eating in an unhealthy way. Eating disorder specialists diagnose someone as having orthorexia when they meet certain specific criteria.

People experiencing this may also spend an inordinate amount of time on activities related to food: choosing, planning, purchasing, preparation and consumption. They may attribute exaggerated healing powers to foods on their ‘good’ list or believe that totally eliminating foods they deem problematic will cure or prevent disease. For these folks, food is not a source of pleasure, it is a source of health and they may become visibly uncomfortable when prohibited foods are present.

[letsgosooners]

Another tremendous video from Lainey. Thank you for the insights. You are the best thing about Integris.