Just so you know, "Clean Eating" is Diet Culture
“I’ve always considered clean eating similar to whole food eating. I don’t think it always goes with losing weight, being fit, or thin. To me, it means taking care of my body by putting things into it that aren’t processed all the time and are nutritious for my body. It’s about helping me not have migraines and feeling better. I think it can be about taking care of the body I have – no matter what size. Maybe I am wrong?”
This was a comment I received under my “Just so you know, ‘clean eating’ is diet culture” post. It was the second time I posted it and I was expecting the pushback. I understand the pushback. Unlike other comments, this one was approached with genuine curiosity. As always, I am here for that.
If you are here, I believe that means you desire to become more in tune with your body. You want to learn how to nourish your body in a way that feels good to you. One of the most important components to food freedom is becoming keenly aware of diet culture – even the sneakiest forms. And “clean eating” is one of the sneakiest.
In her book Anti Diet, Christy Harrison states, “In the early 2000s, food activism and the gluten-free fad had cross-pollinated to create what would become one of the most popular manifestations of modern diet culture ‘clean eating.’ Combining the fetishization of ‘real food’ with the demonization of gluten and other grains, the concept of ‘clean eating’ had its origins in alternative medicine and made its way into the bodybuilding world; it was then popularized by bodybuilder and bikini competitor Tosca Reno in her 2005 book, The Eat Clean Diet. Her version of clean eating was a low-calorie diet with a twist; it encouraged people to eat ‘whole foods’ and to avoid artificial ingredients, preservatives, sugar, and anything “processed’. In 2008 Reno cofounded Clean Eating magazine with her husband. When Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012, the latter’s millions of new subscribers made #cleaneating a viral trend. With photogenic foods such as green juices and colorful salads – and eventually the now-ubiquitous smoothie bowl – clean eating was poised for Instagram stardom.”
If we understand that one of the hallmarks of diet culture is that it demonizes certain foods and idolizes others, “clean eating” does exactly that. If there are “clean” foods that means, there must be “dirty” foods. And if you believe this, you are certain to feel a lot of guilt about the food you eat. And potentially be very loud about it, even judgy to others.
While some people claim that their definition of “clean eating” has nothing to do with weight loss, I beg to differ. There most certainly is a connection to “clean eating” and thinness. Because those who promote “clean eating” tend to also promote thin = healthy.
If you truly have a normal, healthy relationship with food, you view food through a neutral lens. You see that different foods serve different purposes. That food, no matter what can provide energy and/or provide nutrients and/or provide pleasure. For example, even those messy baby bottle suckers that dip into colored sugar (my kids love these) might remind you of summers at the baseball field with your family. Wouldn’t you rather have this mindset around food? Yes, even pure sugar. How is it helpful to fear it, feel shame around it, or talk negatively about it?
I hope that you understand that by me saying, “Cleaning up your diet fits under the umbrella of diet culture” does not mean that you will “eat Doritos all day long.” Or, “cram massive amounts of sugar down your throat.” (things people on IG assume you do if you don’t buy into “clean eating”). You can still add chia seeds to your smoothie bowl or eat a kale Caesar salad if you like to do so. When it comes to nourishing your body in a way that feels good to you, that’s Gentle Nutrition – the tenth principle of Intuitive Eating. And one component whole-person health.
Important things to consider about “clean eating”:
1. It has no single, official definition.
2. In a nutshell, some say it means to only eat organic, sustainable, or “whole” foods.
3. It wants you to avoid anything “processed”. But did you know that all food, yes kale, oats, and plain Green yogurt are all processed.
4. If taken to the extreme, it can lead to a very limited diet free of joy.
5. Intense “clean eaters” may develop an eating disorder called Orthorexia – an obsession with “clean eating.”
6. It’s not a guarantee for health as whole-person health depends on much more than what you eat.