Why I Hate The Term "Clean Eating"

Now-a-days everyone is talking about "eating clean" and it's dancing on my last nerve. I'm all for eating as close to the earth as possible and staying away from preservatives. I don't have a problem with the idea at all, it's actually pretty close to how I eat. I have a major problem with the term.

When we say things like "clean eating" we are insinuating there are clean and dirty foods. When we start to classify foods as "dirty" we put a bad spin on them. Should we be eating my beloved french fries all the time? No. Can I have them once in a while because I'm an adult and I can make my own food choices? Yes, and I don't want to feel guilty about it.

Eating foods we deam "dirty" once in a while is not a bad thing. Eating foods that are processed is not a bad thing. Not having money to buy food and being a victim of food insecurity is a bad thing. There are millions of people in United States that deal with food insecurity on a regular basis and often when they can afford food it's the "dirty" kind because it's what fills their bellies and what they can afford.

According to Feeding America, who's mission is to end hunger in America, 49.1 million Americans live in food-insecure households. 72% of the people who participate in their programs live at or below the poverty line and have a median household income of just over $9,000.

Let that one sink in for a minute. If you are someone barely hanging on and your choice is "dirty" fast food that fills you up or "clean" organic vegetables what choice are you going to make?

Food is life, food is not dirty or clean. The next time you say you are "eating clean" don't put a quarter in a jar, donate to Feeding America or give to your local food bank. There are a lot of people who would gladly eat your dirty food.

http://www.feedingamerica.org

#FeedingAmerica #poverty #foodinsecurity #cleaneating