Clean eating - hardly anyone has been able to get past this term in the last 10 years, precisely because it has been and still is very widely represented on social networks. Through the popularisation of fitness and nutrition blogs or accounts, this apparent "trend diet" has found great recognition worldwide.

But what does Clean Eating actually mean and where does this trend come from?

With this way of eating, one can actually speak neither of a trend nor of a diet, since the goal of this diet is a long-term one and it has existed for a very long time. However, this way of eating has taken on different names over the course of time. In 2007, the term "clean eating" came into circulation through the Canadian Tosca Reno, who published the first book of her Eat-Clean series in the same year.

Clean eating, as mentioned above, is more about a long-term dietary change that advocates a healthy lifestyle, which at the same time also represents a counter-movement to the industrial processing of food. This type of diet is mainly about eating food in its least processed and most natural form (clean). In short, it is a whole food diet that focuses on avoiding preservatives, flavourings, colourings and flavour enhancers. This also includes foods such as refined sugar and white flour, as these are heavily processed in the production process and do not provide us with any nutrients. If you now think that with this diet there is hardly anything left to eat, you are wrong!

Fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, pseudo-cereals, dried fruits, superfoods, nuts and whole grain products (e.g. whole grain pasta) are still allowed. Furthermore, Clean Eating does not necessarily have to be a vegan or vegetarian diet, as fresh, unprocessed fish and meat are among the foods that are classified as "clean". In terms of drinking, water is at the top of the list. Alcohol, ready-made juices and sugary soft drinks should be avoided.

As a general rule, you should stay away from foods that contain more than 5 or even unpronounceable ingredients (E-numbers or foreign words). With foods like tofu, however, opinions differ because on the one hand it is a highly processed product, but on the other hand some types of natural tofu contain only 3 ingredients.

Likewise, it is advised to buy regional and seasonal goods as much as possible. In this way, attention is also paid to the ecological footprint. Very radical followers of this diet even avoid any form of plastic packaging and buy their food in unpackaged shops.

Another word that comes up again and again in connection with Clean Eating is Meal Prep - the preparation and pre-cooking of food for several days. And this link makes sense for exactly 3 reasons:

If you want to try Clean Eating, it is possible that you will find it difficult to make the change consistently, especially in the beginning. Since this diet is a lifestyle and not a diet (which are usually limited to a few weeks), pre-planning your meals will help you stay on track and really make a long-term change.

2. you save time and money. These are probably the two most well-known points that make Meal Prep attractive. Because Meal Prep saves you the daily trip to the supermarket, you are not tempted to buy huge quantities, but stick to your planned ration. Clean eating is often a bit more expensive, because you have to buy organic products more often or ingredients such as nuts are generally a bit more expensive. So it's handy to have a meal plan and avoid unnecessary expenses. Furthermore, you save yourself the time-consuming cooking after a long, stressful day at work. Or the hectic trip to the bakery or similar during your lunch break.

By combining Meal Prep and Clean Eating, you learn a lot about carbohydrates, proteins and the different fats. Because through the preparation you get much more involved with your food, as you have to try out different combinations to see what goes together and which food provides you with which nutrients. In addition, you know exactly what is in your food at the end of the day, because you also make your own (seasoning) sauces with Clean Eating.

Generally speaking, the main intention behind clean eating is a healthy, wholesome diet that makes you feel fitter and better all round, not goals such as weight loss or muscle building. However, it can happen that by avoiding sugar and other additives you lose a few kilos all by yourself. Especially if you have often had frozen pizzas, crisps and ready-made juices before. Clean eating is really suitable for everyone who wants to live and eat more consciously, regardless of whether this decision is made for fitness reasons, for the sake of the environment or because of intolerances.