![]() It’s important to note that labeling a food ‘organic’ does not mean that the product is nutritious, healthy, or safe the labeling standards are based solely on agricultural field or farm practices. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA): “ Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge bioengineering or ionizing radiation.” Food produced in this way can be labeled with the USDA symbol and sold as ‘organic.’ For a food or feed product to be labeled ‘organic’ there are agronomic and animal husbandry practices that have to be followed. The agricultural use of the term ‘organic’ is entirely different from the chemical use and is focused on product labeling. Amino acids (image right) are the building blocks of protein, and a good example of organic molecules. This is why organic chemistry is called “the chemistry of carbon.” Generally that carbon atom is bonded to at least one hydrogen atom. With very few exceptions a chemical is classified as organic if it contains at least one carbon atom, regardless of its source. In chemistry, the definition is based solely on chemical structure. The chemistry definition is, for the most part, unambiguous and clear-cut, so let’s start there. ![]() Part of the confusion arises from the fact that there are two very different definitions for the same word, one from chemistry and one from agriculture. Although many people may have a vague idea of the meaning of the term, they may not be able to give the actual definition. “Organic” may be one of the most confusing words in language today. So what does it mean when a food product is ‘organic?’ A recent post by the American Council for Science and Health attempts to address some of the confusion. Of course, how clean your diet is, is up to you.įind additional healthy weight resources and read our blogs about weight management that can help you reach your goals.Įileen Dutter is a clinical dietitian in Weight Management Services in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.I am old enough that I heard the term ‘organic’ defined in chemistry class long before the term was widely applied to food products. Eating those items as fresh as possible without being overly processed is clean eating. as the trials employ appropriate safety monitoring of trial subjects. Consider making treats at home with less sugar or with honey, and with fruit and whole grains.Īs you look over the items listed, imagine where they came from in their original state. of practically all healthy persons and are not synonymous with requirements. Look for unsweetened tea and coffee, water and seltzer. Those made with whole grains, air-popped popcorn, oats, brown rice, whole-wheat pastaĬheese, milk, plain yogurt, unsweetened nondairy milksĭrinks and desserts can be a big source of added sugar. ![]() These items are examples of what might be considered in a clean diet:Īpples, bananas, blueberries, grapes, oranges, strawberries, 100% fruit juiceĪvocados, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, green beans, lettuce, mushrooms, onion, peppers, salsa, sweet potatoes, tomatoesĭried beans, eggs from grass-fed chickens, fresh fish, grass-fed chickens, plain nut butters (no sugar added), unflavored nuts It may be daunting to consider eating a clean diet, but the benefits might far outweigh any concerns you may have when attempting to eat clean. ![]() Foods in their natural state are more flavorful. Clean foods fill your body with plentiful vitamins and minerals, high-quality protein and healthy fats, which improve heart and brain health, assist with weight management, build a stronger immune system and increase energy levels, among other benefits. These additional items may be detrimental to your overall health and well-being.Ĭlean eating nourishes your body with healthy and nutrient-dense foods. Most Americans eat a diet rich in heavily processed foods which have been made from synthetic ingredients, and packed with fat, sugar, sodium, chemicals, preservatives, food dyes and other additives your body doesn’t quite know what to do with. The main reason to take on clean eating is the health benefits of consuming foods rich in nutrient content directly from the earth that have not been overly processed. This encourages us to make our meals from scratch to make them as “clean” as possible. There are a lot of variations to clean eating but, basically, it refers to eating foods that are as close as possible to their natural state. ![]()
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