Often times, you will read articles or see advertisements for "clean" food. Along with using this terms, the person, advertisement, or article also prides the lack of artificial ingredients and showcases the all natural and non-genetically modified ingredients. Instead of listening to all the hype, I decided to take my own journey to discover the meaning of "clean" food and if we should be giving our tomatoes and chicken a bath before it goes in the oven.

I have recently had a food eating experience that convinced me that the best way to eat food is straight out of the ocean. On a recent beach trip, my boyfriend and I went to an adorable little seafood restaurant in Surf City, NC called "Buddy's Crab House and Oyster Bar". Now While he less than loves seafood, I DO love it and I would kill for fresh seafood. Well that is exactly what was delivered to our table overlooking the ocean, no more than 100 feet away. I ordered their steamer bucket for one and while they were unfortunately out of clams (a fact I was slightly devastated by), I simply asked for extra shrimp to come along with steamed oyster's, king crab legs and potatoes along with a side of melted butter, old bay seasoning and cocktail sauce. The entire ordeal was beautiful chaos, as it was presented in a bucket. I got to shuck my first oyster and realize that I myself was present and participating in my dining experience. But I realized that it was simply the food itself and the experience that came with the mouth-watering flavor that made it clean. It was fresh and it tasted good as well as was good for you and it was simple. This surely must be at least one definition of "clean" eating because it was not only the food itself, but also the atmosphere that made the experience clean and pure.

Steamer Bucket Joe Collins

In a more true to form definition of the word, it comes into play in relation to my workout and wanting to be fit. My significant other is a gym rat and very much believes in "clean" eating. In this atmosphere, the term takes on a new meaning. It means cutting out processed foods and buying products that are as straight from the earth as possible. Your mind automatically goes to organic foods, but this isn't necessarily what it entails. In my experience it includes dinners such as teriyaki chicken and brown rice, hamburgers made with grass fed beef and cutting out chips for peppers or a salad. I believe that "clean" is as much the ingredients as it is the good food and the experience. Clean doesn't necessary mean organic because you can have good healthy ingredients and have them be frozen or dried. This more gym-worthy definition or explanation of "clean" eating is often the first that people think of but I do believe that this is a limited definition; it doesn't include the food that is healthy and wholesome, yet good and good for your soul.

This wholesome food often comes in the form of artisan and locally made goods. I believe that these types of products can also be considered as clean eating because most of the time, the ingredients are natural and are inspired by the earth. Bakeries that bake with underused kinds of grains and techniques often produce beautiful breads, just like local bee keepers produce the most delicious honey because it tastes like home. Farmer's markets and side-of-the-road produce stands have the tastiest vegetables and fruit. This is "clean" food because it is holistic and it cuts out the middle man, you are able to have a closer relationship with the food you are tasting. You can pick it up, not packaged in plastic and hold it to your nose, try a sample and taste it. In this case, "clean" takes on a new meaning: how nourishing a product is not only physically, but for the soul; again, the experience and personal touch playing an important part (just like the oyster shucking).

Overall, my journey to discover what "clean" eating means, was more successful than I ever though it would be. It is not simply a definition of extremely healthy foods and the lack of food that it is bad for you, it is instead a blending of the two worlds that places you in the first-person seat, rather than a passive picking of ingredients. And while clean food can come in many forms, no single one is right, instead enjoy them all.