“Toxic, Ugly, And Damaging”: Why Clean Eating Isn’t Good For Us After All

Clean eating is a health trend that took off in recent years that involves cutting out any food that has been processed, in favour of all natural foods instead.

But Dr Max Pemberton, an eating disorder specialist, has penned an open letter to the Daily Mail expressing his concerns about it, saying, “The whole irony of the clean eating fad is that, despite what it purports to be, it’s fundamentally toxic.”

It seems that some women have become so focused on not eating processed goods that they consume nothing but fruit and veg – which doesn’t provide all of the key nutrients we need to live a healthy life.

His usual patients are women in their mid-twenties, and he says that their “emaciated” bodies lack so much energy that they struggle to do daily activities like walking up the stairs. Others develop bone disease and severe vomiting.

Some women’s ‘clean eating’ has even led to reproductive difficulties and issues with their menstrual cycle. He says, “their reproductive system shuts down because their body would be unable to feed a foetus.”

So how do we stop this from happening? “The proper, sensible way to eat is everything in moderation. I’m aware that this is a tired, boring answer. But it’s true,” he says.

“This is the way that people have a normal, healthy relationship with food. This is how people avoid yo-yo dieting or guilt and shame associated with eating. Of course, this doesn’t sell books or gain you thousands of followers on social media.”

Dr Pemberton concludes his letter by saying, “Be under no illusion: ‘clean eating’ is ugly, malevolent and damaging.”

Will you take his advice onboard?