Beyond the Hype: What are the downsides of clean eating?

October 29, 2025 •

5 min read

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, diet culture and restrictive practices like "clean eating" can fuel eating disorders such as orthorexia nervosa, an obsession with healthy eating that can lead to significant distress. The potential risks and negative psychological effects of this seemingly harmless trend are often overlooked in favor of its promised benefits.

Quick Summary

Clean eating's vague definition and rigid rules can foster unhealthy obsessions like orthorexia, leading to nutrient deficiencies, mental health strain, and social isolation.

Key Points

Risk of Orthorexia: An obsessive preoccupation with eating only "healthy" or "pure" foods is a significant downside of clean eating, potentially leading to a serious eating disorder.
Nutrient Deficiencies: The rigid elimination of entire food groups like dairy or grains can lead to deficiencies in essential nutrients like calcium, iron, and vitamin B12.
Mental Health Strain: The moralistic "good" versus "bad" food mindset can cause significant guilt, shame, and anxiety, while increasing the risk of a restrict-binge cycle.
Social Isolation: Strict dietary rules often lead to avoiding social situations involving food, causing isolation and negatively impacting relationships.
Misinformation and Vague Rules: The lack of a clear definition for clean eating leaves it open to dangerous interpretations and misinformation promoted by unqualified influencers, rather than scientific evidence.
Costly and Inconvenient: The emphasis on cooking from scratch and buying specific, often expensive, ingredients can make clean eating a time-consuming and costly commitment.

The Vague and Restrictive Nature of the Term

Unlike an evidence-based diet with clear guidelines, there is no universally accepted scientific definition for "clean eating". This lack of clarity is one of its most fundamental flaws. The term is open to subjective interpretation, which can lead to increasingly restrictive and unhealthy eating patterns. While it may begin with a positive intention to consume more whole foods and fewer processed ones, the movement's focus on "purity" can cause individuals to continually cut out more food groups in an effort to eat even "cleaner". This can progress from avoiding fast food to eliminating dairy, gluten, grains, and even certain vegetables, driven by fearmongering and misinformation often spread online. This slippery slope moves a person away from informed, balanced eating toward a place of food fear and restriction.

The Connection to Disordered Eating and Orthorexia

For vulnerable individuals, the obsessive and moralistic nature of clean eating can morph into a form of disordered eating known as orthorexia nervosa. Orthorexia is an unhealthy obsession with eating only foods perceived as healthy or pure, and it is a recognized mental health concern, even if it is not yet officially listed in the main diagnostic manuals. The key difference between orthorexia and a regular diet is the severity of the fixation and the resulting emotional and functional impairment. Adherence to the diet defines a person's self-worth, and consuming a perceived "unclean" food can trigger intense guilt, anxiety, or shame.

Common psychological symptoms associated with orthorexia include:

A strong preoccupation with dietary rules that dominate daily life.
Emotional distress, anxiety, and guilt after deviating from the diet.
A belief that adherence to the diet makes one morally superior.
Diminished enjoyment of meals and social occasions involving food.

Nutritional Deficiencies from Excessive Restriction

Eliminating entire food groups, a common practice in extreme versions of clean eating, can result in significant nutritional deficiencies. A balanced diet, which includes a variety of food sources, is essential for obtaining all necessary micronutrients. Restricting or cutting out grains, dairy, and legumes can deprive the body of vital nutrients.

Potential Nutrient Gaps

Calcium and Vitamin D: Avoiding dairy products without adequate fortified alternatives or supplements can impact bone health, potentially leading to osteoporosis later in life.
Iron: Vegans and vegetarians who do not plan their diet carefully may be at risk for iron deficiency, which causes fatigue and impacts brain development.
Vitamin B12: Found primarily in animal products, B12 is a common deficiency concern for strict vegans if they don't supplement effectively.
Fiber: Cutting out whole grains and processed foods indiscriminately can result in a lack of dietary fiber, impacting digestive health and increasing risks of chronic diseases.

Social Isolation and Mental Health Strain

Food is a central part of many social gatherings and cultural traditions. Rigid adherence to clean eating can lead to social isolation, as individuals may avoid restaurants, holidays, and parties where food doesn't meet their strict standards. This constant vigilance can place a significant mental burden on a person, increasing stress, anxiety, and feelings of loneliness. The focus shifts from enjoying food and company to scrutinizing ingredients, which fundamentally alters a person's relationship with both food and their community.

The “Good” vs. “Bad” Food Dichotomy

Clean eating promotes a black-and-white view of food, labeling some as "good" or "clean" and others as "bad" or "dirty". This moralistic approach is not supported by evidence-based nutrition science and can foster an unhealthy, chaotic relationship with food. A balanced approach acknowledges that while some foods are more nutrient-dense than others, all foods can fit into a healthy diet when consumed mindfully. Demonizing certain foods can lead to guilt and shame, potentially triggering a restrict-binge cycle of eating.

Clean Eating vs. Balanced Nutrition


Aspect	Rigid Clean Eating Approach	Balanced Nutrition Approach
Food Rules	Strict, often self-imposed, eliminating entire food groups like grains or dairy.	Flexible, emphasizing variety and listening to the body's hunger cues.
Mindset	Moralistic; certain foods are "good" or "bad." Food purity defines self-worth.	Mindful; all foods have a place. Focus on nourishment, not perfection or morality.
Processed Foods	All processed foods are considered dirty and unhealthy.	Distinguishes between minimally processed (e.g., frozen veggies, canned beans) and ultra-processed foods.
Social Impact	Often leads to social isolation by avoiding food-centric social events.	Encourages social connection and enjoying food in moderation with others.
Mental Health	Can cause anxiety, guilt, and stress around food. High risk for orthorexia.	Fosters a healthy, peaceful relationship with food. Reduces anxiety.

Is “Processed” Always Unhealthy?

One of the central tenets of clean eating is the avoidance of all processed foods. However, this is an oversimplification. The term "processed" covers a wide range of changes to a food from its natural state, and many processed foods are nutritious and beneficial. Freezing fruits and vegetables, canning beans, and fermenting yogurt are all forms of processing that can enhance food safety, make nutrients more available, and increase shelf life and convenience. The real issue lies with ultra-processed foods, which contain high amounts of added sugar, fat, salt, and artificial ingredients. A balanced approach correctly differentiates between these categories, rather than lumping all processed items into a single, fear-based group.

The Financial and Time Commitment

For many, adhering to a strict clean eating regimen is simply not feasible. The emphasis on cooking everything from scratch, buying expensive organic produce, and sourcing ingredients from specific vendors can be both costly and time-consuming. Convenient, minimally processed foods, such as canned beans or frozen vegetables, can be a vital part of a healthy diet, especially for those with busy schedules or limited budgets. A rigid clean eating approach often overlooks these practical realities, making it a privilege rather than an accessible path to health.

Conclusion

While the concept of consuming more whole, natural foods has merit, the rigid ideology and vague definitions of clean eating can lead to serious physical and psychological harm. The downsides, which include the potential for disordered eating, nutritional deficiencies, mental health strain, and social isolation, are too significant to ignore. Rather than pursuing an unattainable ideal of "purity," a balanced approach that focuses on variety, moderation, and a healthy relationship with food is a more sustainable and genuinely healthy path. Speaking with a registered dietitian can provide personalized, evidence-based guidance that sidesteps the pitfalls of diet culture and promotes true well-being.

How to Find a Healthier Approach

For those looking to move away from rigid clean eating, here are some actionable steps:

Prioritize Intuitive Eating: Listen to your body's natural hunger and fullness cues, rather than following rigid external rules.
Focus on Addition, Not Subtraction: Instead of eliminating foods, focus on adding more variety and color to your diet with different plants, whole grains, and lean proteins.
Rethink Processed Foods: Understand the difference between ultra-processed and minimally processed foods. Embrace convenient, healthy options like frozen vegetables and canned beans.
Practice Food Neutrality: Challenge the notion of "good" and "bad" foods. A food's value isn't moral; it's nutritional and contextual.
Seek Professional Help: If you feel your eating is obsessive or causing distress, consult a healthcare provider or registered dietitian.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, you can find resources at the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) at www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

A healthy, balanced diet focuses on a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods in moderation, without moralizing food choices. Clean eating, conversely, often involves rigid and restrictive rules based on arbitrary ideas of "purity," which can lead to negative physical and psychological consequences.

No. The term "processed food" is too broad. While ultra-processed foods are high in sugar, fat, and artificial additives, many minimally processed foods like frozen vegetables, canned beans, and pasteurized milk are perfectly healthy and convenient.

Signs include obsessive thoughts about food, guilt or anxiety after eating, avoiding social events due to food, increasing food restrictions, and a decline in overall mental or physical well-being. If you notice these signs, it's wise to seek professional help.

The pressure to buy only fresh, organic, or specialty ingredients and to cook every meal from scratch increases food costs. A balanced diet often utilizes more affordable, nutritious options like canned or frozen goods.

Yes. When clean eating principles lead to the elimination of entire food groups, a person is at high risk for deficiencies in vital nutrients like calcium, iron, and B vitamins, especially if they do not supplement properly.

Psychological impacts can include chronic stress, anxiety, guilt, and a negative self-image tied to food choices. This can set the stage for orthorexia, where food becomes a source of stress rather than nourishment.

Focus on food flexibility and intuitive eating. Incorporate a wider variety of foods without labeling them as "good" or "bad." Reintroduce foods you've been restricting slowly and pay attention to your body's signals.