Fitness fanatics and nutrition junkies have been expounding the merits of clean eating since the early naughties, passing up the processed aisles of our local supermarkets and posting permanent residence in the fruit and vegie patches of colourful farmers markets and fresh food grocers.

If we all ate clean, organic production would sky-rocket! But what does it mean?

First Impressions

Upon experimenting with a few colleagues, clean eating ran the gamut from the common sense to the ridiculous. Misconceptions ranged from sipping thick broths and restricting solid food; having a shower before eating, and good old fashioned food hygiene – nobody likes the taste of pesticides! All humour and stringent bathing schedules aside, there is no definitive definition; instead, clean eaters live by a philosophy of respect.

It all about Respect baby – Respect for your body, respect for our environment and respect for unprocessed super foods nature has developed to feed our physiques and develop our minds. At it’s very core and without the cacophony of muddying opinion, to eat clean is to banish processed, additive rich foods, and replace them with whole, organic and unrefined products. It’s pretty simple, really, once you strip away the jargon.

Are Clean Eaters Vegetarians?

Not at all. Clean eating may conjure imaginings of fruits and leafy greens, as we’re consistently told via advertising and nutritionists that these often forgotten foods are the best for us. And they are. Meats though, still plays an important part of a balanced diet, providing iron and essential vitamins to build our muscles and cultivate a resilient internal system. Instead of stopping in at the local supermarket, Sunshine Coasters (the lucky ones, as they’re known) are spoiled for organic choice; some of the best include Forest Glen Organic Meats, a specialty butcher dedicated to providing hormone, steroid and antibiotic free stock to cusomers; and Kialla Organic, a livestock farm dedicated to providing organic beef, lamb and mince options to residents all over the Sunshine Coast, delivering straight to your door.

Will Mass Produced Vegies Be Okay?

No. Never. The day a person becomes a clean eater, they forgo their Woolies and Coles memberships and say goodbye to the plastic bags of chain super giants. Fruits and vegetables should be untreated, pesticide free and hormone free to pass the sanctuary of your lips. Where do you find such taste sensations on the Sunny Coast? That’s easy. The Sunshine Coast has become a veritable hub for organic buyers and growers; try Jeffers Market, Kawana Waters Farmers Market, B Fresh at Warana Markets or Yandina Markets…Are you noticing a trend here? The best places to stock your clean eating cupboard are mostly outside, just as it should be. For a spot of air-conditioning and dedicated customer service, Embellish Organics, Organika, Pardons Fruit Store and Raw n Love are the perfect places to replenish your whole grains stores.

Even when you are out and about, the Sunny Coast still has an abundance of tasty, clean cafes to satisfy your appitite and sweet tooth and show you how exciting clean, fresh and seasonal eating can be. We recommend the delectable pancakes at Goodness Gracious Organic and Gluten Free Café for the sweet tooth, or the lunch special and a fresh juice from Raw Energy!