Why restaurants are adding ‘clean foods’ to their menus – Press Telegram

There is a few years of history behind the new truffle fly at Islands Restaurant.

According to Icelandic president Michael Smith, first, casual restaurant chains are now serving potatoes in bespoke baskets of french fries, sliced ​​daily.

But they also show the chain’s commitment to clean foods, a movement that began about 12 years ago. According to early clean food proponents, this was a reaction to highly processed foods containing more than five ingredients.

Roger A. Clements, adjunct professor of pharmacy at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy and deputy director of the Regulatory Science Program, said:

He pointed out New survey by the International Food Information Council in May This indicates that 63% of adults are affected by the food and beverage ingredient list and 64% are trying to choose foods that contain clean ingredients.

People in an online survey of more than 1,000 adults in the United States used terms such as “not artificial or synthetic” to describe “clean” and words such as “organic” or “fresh.”

They have the motivation to experience the benefits of healthy foods or avoid foods with the sound of chemicals.

Clements saw in a recent visit to Islands Restaurant how that desire was fulfilled.

At the entrance was a chain sign promoting the chain’s “clean and customized” campaign.

“Catch a new wave of clean,” it read. “At Islands, we take pride in procuring the highest quality ingredients. Our commitment is to prepare and deliver healthy, clean foods.”

He went in and ordered a salad, but said that the signs of clean food did not affect his choice.

According to Clements, the sign reflects in a telephone interview that customers want more than nutritional content.

“Many of the restaurant industry and parts of the food industry are all stunned.”

According to Smith, that is not the intention.

“We wanted to improve the menu and become one of the casual dining restaurants that offers this to our guests. There aren’t many,” he said in a telephone interview.

“We want to be the first one to do the right thing.”

The clean food movement has affected restaurants, but full-service chains don’t accept it like quick-service chains. Chipotle Mexican Grill, based in Newport Beach, 53 ingredients that can be pronounced by eaters, such as yellow onions and sunflower oil..

Panera Bread, based in St. Louis, calls 100% of food 100% cleanThat is, no artificial preservatives, flavors, sweets or colorings.

The island’s commitment is to avoid growth hormones, antibiotics, artificial ingredients and preservatives.

“This is a project to look at all the ingredients in the menu,” Smith said in a telephone interview.

In a telephone interview, Smith said the Islands menu is currently about 75% clean, with a goal of reaching 100% in 2022.

Despite the health crisis causing supply chain disruptions, much work, including dealing with suppliers, was done during the pandemic he said.

Clements said clean food marketing did not take into account the complexity of food chemistry.

“Their signs indicate the absence of hormones,” Clements observed in a telephone interview. “Well, how do you think plants grow?”

He gave some examples of how labels can be misunderstood or incomplete.

Vinegar on the Chipotle 53 ingredient list is the same as acetic acid.

Carmine, a natural crimson food coloring, comes from beetles that some vegetarians may not accept.

Milk contains over 100 ingredients, far exceeding the 5 ingredient limit in many clean diet recipes.[[[[

Clements said too many people choose their diet based on what they see on social media, so they need to find a real health care professional instead.

“Talk to someone like me. Don’t rely on the blogosphere.”

Possible resources include the Food Technology Institute and the Academy of Nutrition and Nutrition, he said.

Well-known institutions such as Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Mayo Clinic also post articles on nutrition online.

Nutritionist Emily Brown writes that eating clean can mean eating more whole foods and less processed snack foods. Mayo Clinic Website Articles..

She proposes to limit packaged foods. Foods with added salt, sugar and fat. And foods that change dramatically compared to their natural form.

“If you try to simplify the menu, you’ll see that,” says Clements. “But I work where you are trying to get nutrition in a malnourished population, and you can’t do that with five ingredients.”

Nutritional resources

Food Technology Research Institute: “What is a clean label?” blog.ift.org/what-is-clean-label

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: “20 Health Tips for 2021” eatrightpro.org

Mayo Clinic: “Food Label Guide” mayoclinic.org