Clean Eating: The "Healthy Anorexia"?
As I sat down to write this new blog post, I sipped tentatively on "The Antioxidant"- a smoothie concoction of super foods- açaí berries, goji berries, agave nectar, cashew nut butter and coconut water all combined into a bittersweet power drink. I decided to try it out because I wanted to see what all the hype was about these super foods. It was incredibly sweet and very rich. After a quarter of this concoction, I was done. If agave nectar was the only sweetener used in that smoothie, and it was that sweet, I began to seriously question how healthy these super foods really are...
If you use the internet or social media of any kind, you have probably been exposed to these types of foods frequently and have been bombarded with pictures of fitness models, skinny moms of toddlers, yoga gurus, cross-fit trainers and other fit people with seemingly "perfect" bodies all commending themselves on another day of "eating clean".
I am very excited to be writing about this particular topic, because I know that people are hungry for answers at the moment. I have had numerous friends turn to me with questions about Clean Eating, some of which even admitted that they have been experiencing intense fear and shame around food since being exposed to it. It seems as though anyone who succeeds in following this way of eating receives an enormous amount of praise for it and anyone who doesn't is seen as... dirty?
In this blog post I decided to explore different components of the world of Clean Eating and to take a brief look at its link to Orthorexia Nervosa. I hope it helps you to get a better idea of what Clean Eating really is, how healthy it is and to make informed decisions about your own health.
What is Clean Eating?
The History
The Clean Eating diet is a lifestyle phenomenon that has recently taken social media by storm, however, the concept started many years ago. The Clean Eating movement originated in gyms in the 1960's, but has evolved over time, following changes in nutrition trends.
In the 1980's, "clean eating" involved cutting out fat. Now, fat is highly promoted and carbohydrates are cut down or cut out completely. Each trend lasts for roughly a decade, so it shouldn't be too long before a new trend arises and the diet evolves again.
The Idea
Clean Eating is based on the idea that everything we put into our bodies has some sort of an effect on them. The diet encourages people to become mindful of what they're putting into their bodies, to look at where the components of their food have come from and to question what effects these components may have on their bodies in the long term.
Clean Eating mainly discourages eating anything that comes from packaging of any sort. This includes cans, boxes or bags.
It discourages eating anything that contains preservatives or any ingredient that is processed in a factory, while it encourages eating organic foods rather than conventional foods.
It also promotes several foods with particularly beneficial properties. These are known as super foods.
The Key Principles: Fact or fiction?
Eating less processed foods and cooking foods from scratch is definitely a good habit to get into, but is it necessary to take this to the extreme that the Clean Eating diet suggests we do?
Let's take a look at a few of the key components and discuss how scientifically sound they are.
Preservatives
Many people are aware that preservatives can be harmful to the body in some way. Certain preservatives have been banned in various countries around the world because of their potentially harmful effects.
The key point to note is that most studies done on preservatives and their negative effects were done on groups of people who consumed extremely large amounts of preservative-containing foods. These foods were the base of their diet.
If a person is eating a variety of foods, aiming to include lots of fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole-grains and lean proteins, then eating some preservative-containing foods occasionally shouldn't have any negative effect.
Preservatives do not need to be avoided like the plague. They just need to be enjoyed as part of a varied diet.
Organic Foods
The organic food movement began around 1920 in response to the industrialisation of agricultural practices. Its mission was to counteract the negative effect that large-scale industrial farming was having on the environment.
Over time, organic foods also began to be seen as more nutritious since they had gone through minimal processing and had come into minimal contact with pesticides and growth hormones.
What most people don't realise is that the government places a limit on the amount of pesticides that can be present in food products. This limit is known as the Maximum Residue Limit and it is usually well below the dangerous level that can cause negative health effects. Eating fruit and vegetables from a supermarket should therefore always be safe and not cause long-term health problems.
The above picture shows how some Clean Eating extremists label certain fruits and vegetables as "unclean" because they frequently come into contact with pesticides or are often genetically modified.
This is very dangerous thinking as these fruits and vegetables contain hoards of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. The benefits of eating them would far out-weigh any potential side effects. The levels of pesticides on these foods, by law, have to be below the Maximum Residue Limit and genetic modification of foods, up to this point, hasn't been proven to cause any negative health effects.
If you are choosing organic foods for environmental reasons and ethical beliefs, then go for it. If your organic food choices are based on nutrition alone, maybe this information can help you be a little less rigid with where you source your food from.
Super Foods
Coconut oil, açaí berries, cashew nut butter, chia seeds, agave nectar, kale, wheat-free products, quinoa... ring a bell? These "miraculously healthy" super foods build the foundation of the Clean Eating diet. They are thought to contain extremely concentrated amounts of healthy vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants, which could prevent diseases and increase longevity.
Are these foods as miraculously healthy as they are made out to be? While these foods do have some very good, healthy components so do other foods. To better understand this concept let's take a look at a few examples:
Açaí berries are high in antioxidants, but so are most other kinds of berries, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.
Agave nectar is thought to be a more natural sweetener with a low glycaemic index (GI), but the body doesn't actually process it very differently from honey or sugar. It has actually been linked to an increased risk of developing insulin resistance.
Chia seeds are high in omega 3, protein and fibre, but so are many other types of seeds and nuts.
Kale is high in antioxidants and calcium, but so are all other green, leafy vegetables.
As you can see, there is no such thing as a single solution, miracle food. I would be very careful of believing any statements where a single food is promoted as being superior to others. Isn't it just a little suspicious that these "miracle" foods are also some of the most expensive products on the shelf?
Moderation is Always Key
The main ideas behind the Clean Eating diet are actually, in essence, really good for our health. The problem arises, however, when the idea of moderation is lost and people start taking this diet to the extreme.
The nature of nutrition is that our bodies thrive best when we are happy, stress-free and are obtaining our nutrients from a wide-variety of food sources. When any severe limits or restrictions are put on our diet, we are at risk of losing health in one or more areas of our lives, often mentally or socially. This, in turn, can have a negative effect on our bodies due to stress.
To understand this further, let's take a look at Orthorexia Nervosa.
Orthorexia Nervosa
Many people are familiar with the textbook eating disorders, Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa, but when it comes to the remainder of the multi-coloured, diverse and complex spectrum of eating disorders, people seem to be quite naive.
One of these less well-known eating disorders is Orthorexia Nervosa. Here are some common traits of Orthorexics:
Orthorexics are often a normal weight for their height and eat normal portions.
They experience fear and discomfort when they have to eat anything that they perceive as "unhealthy".
Orthorexics will use exercise to purge toxins rather than calories.
Even though Orthorexia Nervosa is not as physically damaging as other eating disorders, it can become just as debilitating to a person's mental and social well-being. Due to lack of awareness or urgency, Orthorexics could live for years fixated on food, thinking that they're "just following a healthy lifestyle".
To find out more about Orthorexia and to take a self-test, click here.
So does Clean Eating Always Lead to Orthorexia Nervosa?
Quite honestly, no. Not everyone has the potential to develop an eating disorder. Eating disorders develop as a result of multiple factors, including genetics, family upbringing, a stunted ability to deal with emotions and traumatic events in one's life. If someone is predisposed to having an eating disorder, this diet could definitely be the trigger that sets the spark off, but then again, so could any other diet or exercise program.
The Clean Eating diet, while not always resulting in a full-blown eating disorder, can still create fear and feelings of shame around food. A few of its statements seem to feed off of sensationalism and are not necessarily scientifically sound. This is something to be aware of if you are following the diet. Also try out the following tips:
Try to become aware of how much of your self-worth and feeling of happiness is coming from what foods you are eating.
Use the information in this blog post to remind you which components of the diet are good and which are not really based on truth.
Practice incorporating some foods into your diet that are outside of the Clean Eating guidelines and to allow for moderation.
Your freedom from fear is much more important and healthier for you than eating "perfectly" all the time.
I hope that this blog post enlightened and informed you. Please share it with your friends, comment and subscribe for updates. Until next time, keep healthy, happy and free! xx
References:
Barnett, M. J., Dripps, W. R., & Blomquist, K. K. (2016). Organivore or organorexic? Examining the relationship between alternative food network engagement, disordered eating, and special diets. Appetite, 105, 713-720.
Bismil, M. Q. (2016). Clean eating versus industry. Sat.
Bratman, S. (1997). Orthorexia nervosa. Yoga Journal. website: http://www. orthorexia. com/index. php.
Musolino, C., Warin, M., Wade, T., & Gilchrist, P. (2015). ‘Healthy anorexia’: The complexity of care in disordered eating. Social Science & Medicine, 139, 18-25.
Patel, L. (2016). Is it Time for an Oil Change?. nutrition, 14, 04.
Pila, E., Mond, J. M., Griffiths, S., Mitchison, D., & Murray, S. B. (2017). A thematic content analysis of# cheatmeal images on social media: Characterizing an emerging dietary trend. International Journal of Eating Disorders.
Wright, F. (2016). There's no dirt in my food. Lifted Brow, The, (32), 13.
