2 Reasons Why We Need To Stop Falling For 'Clean Eating' Trends

Repeat after me: there's no such thing as 'clean food.' Here's why, and how damaging the belief can be.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | July 30, 2024

"Clean eating" is a dietary trend focused on consuming whole foods while avoiding processed and packaged foods with refined sugars, artificial ingredients or preservatives.

On the surface, this trend appears to encourage healthier diet choices that support overall well-being. However, interpretations of what clean eating means can vary widely, and recent studies have questioned the safety and feasibility of such a diet.

Here are two reasons why it is essential to question the clean eating trend, according to research.

1. It Can Promote Disordered Eating

The clean eating trend has been criticized for fueling a black-and-white mindset around food, labeling some foods as entirely good and others as entirely bad and severely restricting said "bad" foods. This can demonize essential food groups and create shame and fear around eating certain foods, even in appropriate amounts.

A 2018 study found that many women tend to have a positive view of clean eating, even though it is associated with concerning levels of dietary restriction. The strict avoidance of certain foods can lead to a limited diet and potential nutrient deficiencies as well as a skewed relationship with food and one's body.

"Unverified health advice like clean eating in an unregulated social media environment with almost 2.5 billion users can be dangerous and costly if people believe and follow something that may not actually help them," the researchers write.

The misinformation about nutrition online is concerning. For instance, a 2018 study published in Nutrients examined the nutritional content of recipes on popular clean eating blogs compared to recipes without such claims and found that while clean eating recipes contained significantly more protein, fat and fiber per serving, they also contained the same amount of energy, sugar and sodium as foods without those claims. This highlights how consumers seeking healthy alternatives are often misled by the wellness industry.

Whole, unprocessed foods or organic foods can also be more expensive and less accessible, making clean eating challenging for many.

Additionally, an obsession with eating "clean" can lead to orthorexia nervosa, an unhealthy fixation on eating healthily and "perfectly," where individuals may experience extreme anxiety or guilt if they deviate from their dietary rules.

"Orthorexia Nervosa is a form of eating disorder that can easily 'hide' behind the premise of 'clean eating'. One cannot be mindful while also being in a state of shame directed toward oneself. Often the pursuit of 'healthy eating' can even lead to significant health issues due to the low body weight, low body fat and other nutritional deficiencies.," explains Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, chief medical officer of Within Health, an all-virtual eating disorder treatment provider.

"Take a step back and consider your quality of life, how much time and energy food is taking in your life and whether a preoccupation with the health of food is interfering with relationships. Have others questioned your behavior? Do you feel afraid of eating foods that don't constitute 'healthy eating' in your mind?," she adds, offering guidance on how to recognize whether a person's relationship with food is truly healthy.

2. It Can Cause Social Isolation

A 2020 study found that food restrictions can predict loneliness. When individuals adhere strictly to clean eating principles, they may find themselves avoiding social situations where foods deemed "unclean" are present.

This avoidance can result in missing out on important and meaningful social gatherings, such as family dinners, celebrations and casual outings with friends, where food is a central element of the social experience.

"When a patient is forfeiting social interactions, pleasure and enjoyment of food, there is a problem. Eating is a part of social life and human-to-human connection. The hyper-focus on the ingredients in foods deprives the person from the very real human, lived and joyful experience of eating," says Oliver-Pyatt.

It is essential for our health as a society to promote mindful eating practices that focus on connecting with our natural hunger and satiety cues and the enjoyment of food as opposed to attitudes of guilt, shame and restriction.

We must prioritize balanced nutrition that includes all food groups and acknowledge that all foods can fit into a healthy diet when consumed in moderation. By moving away from rigid and often unrealistic clean eating trends, we can all build a more compassionate and inclusive relationship with food and by extension, with ourselves.

Wondering if you show signs of an unhealthy relationship with food? Take this test to find out: Eating Attitudes Test

A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here.