Clean Eating vs. Whole30

We all like to eat healthy, because it boosts energy and increases our overall health. Eating healthy can be a challenge, though, because more healthful foods tend to be more expensive, and they require more preparation compared to more convenient, less healthy foods. A roasted chicken breast with vegetables is going to take much longer than getting Chinese takeout.

For those who are trying to get on a more healthful food path, there are hundreds of different diet plans online. Two of the most popular are "clean eating" and "Whole30". These two diet plans focus on real, whole foods with minimal ingredients and limited or no processed foods. Which one is better though, what are the pros and cons?

Lets start with Whole30. (for the full list of rules, visit https://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/)

Whole30 is a diet plan that is based on a 30 day cycle, where for 30 days you have to follow a strict set of diet rules to achieve your health and weight loss goals. After the 30 days, you can slowly start adding more foods into your diet that weren't allowed during the 30 days.

Here are the rules:

-You can have moderate portions of meat, seafood, and eggs. Lots of vegetables, some fruit, plenty of natural fats, and plenty of herbs, spices, and seasonings.

-Try to have foods with very few ingredients, all of which you can pronounce, or no listed ingredients at all because the foods are whole and unprocessed.

You must avoid the following:

-Added sugar (real or artificial): maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, date syrup, stevia, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, etc.

-No alcohol, even for cooking. Ideally, no tobacco products either.

-No grains: wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, rice, millet, bulgur, sorghum, sprouted grains, all gluten free pseudo-cereals (quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat). This also includes any wheat, corn, and rice additives in food like bran, germ, and starch.

-No legumes: all beans (black, red, pinto, navy, white, kidney, lima, fava, etc.) No peas, chickpeas, or peanuts. All forms of soy are not allowed: soy sauce, miso, tofu, tempeh, edamame, and all other soy additives (lecithin).

-No dairy: cow, goat, sheep's milk (milk, cream, cheese, kefir, sour cream, ice cream, frozen yogurt)

-No carrageerian, MSG, or sulfites

-No baked goods, junk foods, or treats with "approved" ingredients. This includes, pancakes, waffles, bread, tortillas, biscuits, muffins, cupcakes, cookies, brownies, pizza crust, cereal, ice cream, and commercially prepared chips or French fries

-"When in doubt, leave it out"

-Don't step on the scale until the 30 days are over

There are some exceptions to these rules:

-Ghee, or clarified butter, is allowed

-Fruit juice is allowed, because it is added into some foods

-Green beans, sugar snap peas, and snow peas are the only allowed legumes

-Vinegar (the only vinegar NOT allowed is malt vinegar because it contains gluten)

-Coconut aminos

-Salt

Some pros of the Whole30 diet plan are

-It promotes education of how to read nutrition labels, because you have to make sure that the foods you are eating don't contain the "banned" ingredients. It also makes you aware of what you are putting into you body, which is never a bad thing.

-It encourages the consumption of meat, seafood, eggs, vegetables, oils, nuts, seeds, and limited amounts of fruit, which is partially in line with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (click here to see the Dietary Guidelines for Americans)

Some cons of the Whole30 diet plan are

-The complete elimination of dairy, grains, and legumes. Depriving yourself of nutrient-packed grains will reduce your consumption of fiber, Vitamin E, iron, folate, magnesium, B vitamins, and some protein. All of these nutrients are essential to have in our diets.

-There is no science based reason to completely eliminate dairy products, especially yogurt and milk. These are excellent sources of protein, calcium, potassium, and Vitamin D. The consumption of these are linked to improved bone health, and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Now, let's take a look at clean eating.

(for a more comprehensive list of rules, visit https://www.fitnessmagazine.com/weight-loss/plans/diets/clean-eating)

Clean eating focuses on being mindful of the food's pathway between its origin and your plate, and eating whole, "real" foods. This means foods that are unprocessed or minimally processed.

According to the guidelines of clean eating, processed foods are...

-Any additives (salt, sugar, fat) to enhance flavor

-Any food that has been changed from its natural form, like mashing apples in to applesauce or stir-frying vegetables.

-Components manufactured in a lab, or those ingredients that you just can't recognize or pronounce.

The problem with "ultra-processed" foods are that some of them are marketed as being much healthier than they really are, by using marketing terms like "low-fat", "fat free", or "sugar free". This does not mean that they are healthier than their full fat or sugar filled counterparts. Companies have to compensate for the lost fat or sugar in other ways, to keep the flavor and texture of the food the same, so often times this adds more calories to the foods. So while you're not consuming as much fat, you could be consuming more calories.

So, here are the clean eating rules:

-Eat unprocessed foods, including: fresh fruits and vegetables, dried legumes, nuts, and farm-fresh eggs

-Eat minimally processed foods, including: unrefined grains (whole wheat bread/pasta, popcorn, steel-cut oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice)

-Some processed foods, like frozen fruits and vegetables, unprocessed meats, hormone-free dairy, and oils are allowed on this diet

Clean eating is different from another "whole food" diet plan, the Paleo diet, because the Paleo diet prohibits all grains, legumes, and dairy. Clean eating does not eliminate any food groups.

The pros of clean eating are

-You eat more fruits and vegetables, unprocessed whole grains, and lean proteins

-Most people lose weight, because they are eating more healthful foods

-Increased energy, cardiovascular benefits, and more digestive health because of the reduction in highly processed foods

The cons of clean eating are

-It can be hard to follow due to the elimination of sugar and unprocessed foods

-Buying more healthful food can be more expensive

-There is no calorie limit, which can lead to overeating and unwanted weight gain

-It involves more meal prep, which can be time consuming

There are the facts.

Whole30 is more of a crash diet plan, where after the 30 days there are no strict rules or guidelines, so it can lead to gaining the weight back and leaving you at square one. Clean eating is more of a change in lifestyle, because its not an elimination diet, you are free to eat from any food group you would like, just make sure you choose the healthiest options within each group. In the Whole30 diet, if you eat one "banned" food, you have to reset to day one. There are no "cheat days", and a special occasion is not an excuse to stray from your diet.

So happy eating! Be well!