Differences between Clean Eating, Paleo Diet, and Vegetarianism

For a while I was really confused at what it meant to be a "clean" eater, doing a Paleo diet, and vegetarianism (thought this only meant no meat)...

I found some pretty interesting and new facts I didn't know about and thought I would share them:

PALEO DIET:

In simple terms the paleo diet is built from modern foods that (to the best of our ability) emulate the foods available to our pre-agricultural ancestors: Meat, fish, fowl, vegetables, fruits, roots, tubers and nuts. On the flip-side we see an omission of grains, legumes and dairy (and protein shakes). As this is directed to folks new to the paleo diet idea we need to address the “What Abouts.” This is the seemingly endless list of ingredients that folks ask: “What about artificial sweeteners, agave nectar, red wine…” In simple terms, if it’s not meat, fish, fowl, vegetables, fruits, roots tubers or nuts…it’s a “no-go.” At least initially..No dairy, wine, “agave” nectar, crystal light, protein shakes, etc…And ONLY water and nothing else as your source of hydration.

For more info visit http://robbwolf.com

For a little overview of different “takes” on the paleo diet check out 5 different paleo diet approaches. (www.dansplan.com)

CLEAN EATING: (www.thegraciouspantry.com)

THREE METHODS FOR EATING CLEAN

METHOD 1
There are many people simply looking to remove the chemicals from their diets and bodies, and therefore  eat clean. Their focus is NOT on losing weight, but on general health.They avoid processed foods of all kinds, yet eat only when the need arises or three times per day.

METHOD 2
(The most common, popular method)

Eat  Lots Of Plants – "Eat food that is straight from nature. (Some people say “as close to the way nature made it as possible”. But I think that leaves too much wiggle room – in my humble opinion) Eat mostly foods that are off a tree, bush, plant or vine, and you’ve pretty much got it covered.

Include Meats - "Eat meats that are whole and straight from the butcher. Don’t buy pre-packaged meat products because you never know what’s in them. When possible, buy whole meats and grind them yourself. You’d be surprised what’s in ground turkey meat! You can also select a few turkey breasts and ask that the butcher grind them for you. Many butchers are more than willing to accommodate."

Enjoy Grains - Eat grains that are still complete and haven’t been broken down into “glue”. Stick to brown rice, quinoa, and brown rice couscous.***

Read Labels I don’t know how many breads I’ve picked up at the store that say they are whole grain. But when I take a look at the ingredient list, white flour is the second ingredient after whole wheat flour!

Eat Fewer Ingredients. Try not to purchase foods that have more than 3-5 ingredients in the ingredient list. And be sure you recognize each and every ingredient. And remember, if you can’t pronounce it, it probably shouldn’t go into your body.

Eat 5-6 small meals per day. "This may seem like a lot at first. But remember, you are eating smaller portions. If you really have a hard time with this, prepare your regular three meals and a snack for the day, and divide lunch and dinner in half. You’ve instantly got 6 small meals!"

(I myself still have questions about the 'dairy' side of clean eating)

METHOD 3
"There is also another method of eating 3 regular meals and squeezing in 1 snack for a total of 4 meals. You eat every four hours instead of every 2-3. This concept is from Jillian Michaels and the theory behind it is that if you eat every 2-3 hours, your insulin stays continuously spiked and you end up with a higher chance of diabetes."

(www.thegraciouspantry.com)

VEGETARIANISM:

Vegetarian/Vegan:

Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat milk products-such as milk, cheese, and yogurt-and eggs, but no meat, poultry, seafood, or fish. "Lacto" means "milk." "Ovo" means eggs.

Lacto-vegetarians eat milk products, but not eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, or fish.

Vegans (say "VEE-guns" or "VAY-guns") are total vegetarians. They eat only plant foods. They don't eat food that comes from animals in any way, including milk products, eggs, honey, and gelatin (which comes from bones and other animal tissue).

(www.webmd.com)

Semi-vegetarian "diets consist largely of vegetarian foods, but may include fish or poultry, or sometimes other meats on an infrequent basis. Those with diets containing fish or poultry may define "meat" only as mammalian flesh and may identify with vegetarianism.[8][9] A pescetarian diet has been described as "fish but no other meats".

(Wikipedia.org)