Coming Clean

   Yesterday morning my culinary co-conspirator passed along to me several issues of recent cooking genre magazines.  And while I enjoy perusing the recipes contained therein I am even more fascinated by the commentary of guest writers on contemporary culinary issues.

     Such was the case as I settled in to read an editorial entitled "Coming Clean" in the April/May 2015 issue of allrecipes.  The author was seeking clarity on exactly what the term "clean eating" really means.  Is it "a diet, a lifestyle a belief system--or something else entirely?" the author asks.  After not receiving much in the way of a definitive answer from Internet sources she concedes that clean eating may mean many things to many people.  But there is a basic agreement that it seems to always include the idea of consuming minimally processed foods, that is, foods that are close to their fresh-from-the-farm condition.  The less processed they are the more natural nutrients they contain, resulting in a more healthy environment and healthier people, too.

     Processing food has been a time honored necessity in our world, to preserve abundance for lean times.  Our fore bearers salted meats, pickled vegetables, canned fruits and turned milk into cheese.  Processing increases shelf life, lower costs and in general makes  some foods more appealing.  A prime example of this is found in canned tomatoes that have been picked at the peak of ripeness and minimally processed versus a tasteless tomato that has been grown for its sturdiness in shipping rather than its flavor.  And where would we be without the processing of olives to make the oil that we use to cook healthy meals?

     But it is a proven fact that processed foods contribute to 75% of the sodium in our diet.  And the average American also consumes about 22 teaspoons of sugar every day, mostly from highly processed drinks and breakfast cereals.

     The essay concludes by stating what clean eating is and isn't.  Here are the 3 clarifying conclusions:

1. It isn't about losing weight.  You can eat too many "clean" calories and still gain weight--just as you could with highly processed foods.

2.  It doesn't necessarily cost more.  Rice and beans are minimally processed and very inexpensive.  While highly processed foods (like chips and soda) can be inexpensive, so can clean foods.  It all depends on your choices.

3.  It doesn't have to take hours of cooking.  It can be as simple as a dinner of broiled fish with broccoli and roast potatoes.

     It's all just common sense, really.  The closer you stay to un- or minimally processed , the cleaner your diet will be.