What’s the problem with the labels ‘Good Food’ vs ‘Bad Food’?
Food labelling is a huge part of the food, diet and fitness industries at the moment - most online recipes and food bloggers love to label food as ‘vegan’, ‘gluten-free’ or ‘dairy-free’. I know that if I post a vegan recipe it’ll get way more likes! But when does this labelling start to become unhelpful?
How many times have you clicked on a recipe or bought something at the supermarket because it has been labelled as, ‘clean’, ‘detox’, ‘skinny’ or ‘healthy’? These words are often used to make us feel like we are eating something ‘good’. It is encouraging us to buy, giving us the sense that we are making a positive choice for our health.
These food labels are used for other foods too, those that society deems as ‘bad’. They are often described as, ‘luxurious’, ‘rich’, ‘decadent’ or ‘naughty’. These words make us feel like we are doing something wrong by eating these foods, it gives us the sense that they should be limited.
Have a think about how they food labels make you feel - they are not only moralising the food but you are also moralising yourself for consuming them. Your self-worth is not determined by the food you eat.
One of the biggest principles in intuitive eating and mindful eating is to try and step past labelling food in these black and white terms. In order to find freedom around food, it is important to view food on an equal footing. No food has a moral value. Putting a certain value on foods can lead to binging, over-restriction and food guilt.
As soon as a food is labelled as ‘bad’ or ‘wrong’, it can make you feel guilty about consuming it. Here’s an example; I love brownies, but I have always restricted them because they are ‘bad’ - too high in calories to be enjoyed.
My favourite brownies are from my local bakery - if I am going there for lunch, I will have thought about getting a brownie all morning. I will purposely choose the ‘good’ lightest lunch option so I can be ‘bad’ and have the brownie. I haven’t enjoyed my lunch and when the brownie finally comes, I eat it and enjoy it but afterwards the food guilt sets in. I’ll probably go home and binge on something sweet because I’ve blown my food choices for that day.
Although an extreme example, this kind of thinking is happening all the time. I’ve heard it so much from my clients, one of whom said she was trying to find a way to stop her ‘sweet moments’ in the mid-afternoon where she craved chocolate. When we give certain food this kind of power then we start to crave it. As soon as we deprive ourselves of something, we want it more.
Of course, there are certain foods that provide more nutrition than others but that does not make them better. Nutrients isn’t the only way that we can look at food, there are many ways that food can nourish and fuel us aside from it’s nutrients.
We will gain energy from all food and drink we consume regardless of whether you think it is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ - an energy bar with lots of added sugar will provide a quick source of energy if it’s needed. From a purely nutritional standpoint, a cheeseburger provides lots of protein from the meat and cheese alongside carbohydrates from the bun with lots of vitamins from the salad.
Pleasure is another way to look at food, an ice cold gin and tonic on a hot day doesn’t give us many nutrients but it’s so satisfying. Think of the social aspects of eating too - we would never think of a family Christmas dinner as ‘healthy’ but it boosts our mental health massively.
Intuitive or mindful eating is the only method I have found to reduce this kind of thinking. Instead of thinking solely about calories and nutrition, it gives us the space to be present when we are eating and allows us to assess our food choices properly. That brownie I mentioned might actually make me feel a little too full, maybe I could only have half then save the rest for later. Think about the signals that your body is giving you - are you actually enjoying the food or not?
Dropping the labels allows us to own responsibility. We get to decide what food we want, how much we want and when. This power shift is a constant reminder that you are in control of your food choices, the food doesn’t control you. When you label foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ you give them moral power. Give your body the chance to tell you what it wants!