The trend of using clean meals combined with natural pure drinks is increasingly blooming. This helps people improve their physique, strengthen their resistance, and prevent diseases effectively. Clean eating has been a trend for the past decade, although there's no official definition of just what "clean eating" means. In fact, it's more a dietary approach than a specific diet, although quite a number of cookbooks have spun off of this trend. The foun­dation of clean eating is choosing whole foods and foods in their less processed states. When choosing packaged foods with a label, foods with shorter ingredient lists are preferred, and added sugars are limited.

Tran Quynh Nhu applies a clean diet to improve her physique and promote health. Photo: H.T.V

Clean diets

Recalling the journey of starting a clean diet, Tran Quynh Nhu, 28, a resident in Cam Le District said that 4 years ago, she often used fast and junk food, leading to uncontrolled weight gain. Around that time, everywhere she went, she heard comments about her appearance that made her self-deprecating and sad. Therefore, she decided to change herself by actively learning more about a clean diet to improve her physique and health.

“In 2019, I applied the clean eating method. Up to now, from 56kg weight, I have reduced to 47kg, and above all, my health is very good. It's easy to say but at the beginning, it's quite difficult to eat clean because the body is not used to it, so it is easy to get hungry and I am quite confused when I do not know how to calculate calories or choose foods appropriately. At the same time, I have a misunderstanding that eating clean is using high-quality, expensive foods such as asparagus and salmon. Actually, Vietnamese dishes still ensure a clean, balanced diet, full of essential nutrients and the price is not high”.

Nhu divides her daily diet into four meals. For breakfast, she uses 2 slices of whole grain bread with unsweetened cashew butter and 2 eggs. Lunch can be eaten alternately such as starch from white rice or flexible black rice with chicken breast, shrimp, squid, fish and green vegetables. The afternoon meal consists of fruit, 30 grams of granola, yogurt, and supplements. For dinner, she consumes a little rice or oats to cook porridge and boiled vegetables such as water spinach, spinach, sweet potato and broccoli.

After 1 year of eating clean, she clearly feels the change as the body is light. She ‘feels’ lighter than ever before. Her skin and hair are also healthier thanks to the effect of eating granola nuts. Given these body improvements, she decided to eat until now.

“I think that clean eating must be maintained regularly with a serious pursuit. In addition to clean eating, I also do physical exercise and practice sports for 30 - 45 minutes every day such as jumping rope, cycling or yoga at home. With the desire to inspire others like me to overcome barriers to learn from personal change experiences, I have established the group ‘Eat clean in Da Nang’ with nearly 6,000 members in Da Nang and other cities and provinces. At the same time, I also operate the fanpage ‘Granola Da Nang’ to bring the main quality granola product lines that I have experienced and healthy confectionery (whole grain biscotti, sugar almond cake and mix seeds), low carb herbal tea or vermicelli products, brown rice and nut butter…”

Like Ms. Nhu, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Hien, 29 from Hai Chau District, fell in love with a clean diet after realising that she exceeded the prescribed weight. Specifically, after graduating from university, she weighed 82kg with a height of 1m72. So, she decided to adjust her diet and lose weight by eating clean. Every day she uses brown rice, vermicelli, sweet potatoes or corn, cereals, granola seeds and fresh fruit.

In addition, to achieve better results, she applies the 16:8 intermittent fasting that is a form of time-restricted fasting. It involves consuming foods during an 8-hour window and avoiding food, or fasting, for the remaining 16 hours each day. Some people believe that this method works by supporting the body’s circadian rhythm, which is its internal clock. After 3 years of following a clean diet, she lost 14kg spectacularly, her body is much lighter.

‘Green’ drinks

Not only applying a clean diet, but using juice from vegetables and fruits is equally effective. In the process of finding the desired weight, Ms. Ngo Thi Nguyet, owner of Ms Juice shop on Duy Tan Street, Hai Chau District, said: “It took me 14 days to follow a clean diet, healthy drinks as well as physical exercise, so I lost nearly 3kg. Since then, I was interested in clean juice and started this drink business.

The best time to drink juice is in the morning, right after juicing to preserve the most vitamins or take in 30 minutes before or after a snack and 1 hour if you have a full meal. People who begin with healthy drinks should squeeze more fruits than vegetables. Green juices are still recommended to be added more and should add some herbs such as ginger, lemongrass, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon, basil, rosemary leaves, to create a delicious juice. In addition to drinking vegetable juice regularly, I also combine a healthy diet, limit fat and don't stay up too late."

With the same opinion, Ms. Phan Thi Kieu Loan, 55, from Ngu Hanh Son District said that the nature of office work requires sitting a lot, making the body heavy and tired. “Through learning the method of taking healthy drinks from a friend, I hope to get back in shape, and more importantly, improve my health. Every day, I juice 1/4 pumpkin, 1/2 mango, 1/2 pineapple, a piece of ginger, a passion fruit, squeeze and drink in the morning or noon. This regimen is good for the heart, deeper sleep, diabetes prevention and cholesterol reduction. In addition, I eat lots of fruit and vegetables, incorporate granola nuts. Having done it regularly for nearly a year, I ‘feel’ my body is lighter, the amount of fat consumed is significant, and the work efficiency is also better". 

Doctor Nguyen Phan Minh Chau from the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology – Nutrition at the Da Nang Maternity and Paediatrics Hospital, said that squeezing fresh drinking water and eating clean helps the body to absorb almost all nutrients and minerals in the original form.

In addition to the effect of weight loss, clean eating and drinking also bring about many other effects such as improving the digestive system, reducing migraines and ensuring good sleep. However, it is necessary to apply the right way of eating and drinking with the amount absorbed by the body.

“Fruits and vegetables are very healthy. Most fruit and vegetable juices have vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can reduce the risk of cancer, boost the immune system, remove toxins from the body, aid digestion and help lose weight. However, with some vegetables such as beets and carrots, people with a history of diabetes should not consume because of their high sugar content, which can lead to digestive disorders , increased blood sugar”, said Chau.

Reporting by HUYNH TUONG VY - Translating by A.THU