What happens when healthy eating goes too far? Orthorexia is one example.

Every once in a while, I like to write an article to remind you that healthy eating is not all that matters in life.

If you feel like this is in contradiction with what I usually write about, let me re-establish my message.

First of all, don’t get me wrong: eating healthy, nourishing foods is highly important. A plethora of articles on my blog backed by scientific evidence attest to it.

But do you know what’s even more important than eating healthily?

Living healthily. Actually being healthy. 

Now in most cases, these coincide. But not always. This may be because one has an altered perception of what healthy eating is (eating lettuce leaves and celery sticks all day isn’t healthy). Or because one takes healthy eating too far, obsessing over the purity of their food and opting out of social situations involving “unhealthy” foods. These are some signs of orthorexia. 

What is orthorexia, why is it dangerous, and how can you overcome it?

What does orthorexia do to your body? 
A person suffering from orthorexia spends hours carefully inspect food labels, researching food facts, planning out their meals… They often shut themselves out of social situations involving food. Even if orthorexic behaviors are motivated by a desire for optimal health, they can lead to nutritional deficiencies, medical complications (anemia, digestive issues, impaired bone health…) and a poor quality of life. Orthorexia can lead to low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, and other eating disorders. Sometimes, people with orthorexia may also be diagnosed with an obsessive-compulsive disorder. 

What is orthorexia?

Orthorexia is a pathological obsession with healthy eating [1], excluding any “impure” food from one’s diet, all under no medical obligation. A person suffering from orthorexia follows a restrictive diet, has very specific eating habits, and avoids “bad” foods at all costs. 

They are obsessed with the quality (rather than the quantity) of their food. To them, taste and pleasure are secondary. 

Orthorexia may stem from or be reinforced by society’s obsession with eating well, choosing healthy, organic foods, and the constant pressure to lose weight and improve health.

This often starts out by simply wanting to eat healthier and paying attention to food quality. 

When this enthusiasm for healthy eating turns into an obsession, it’s orthorexia. [2] Sometimes, this happens after a traumatic event, and the orthorexic behaviors are seen as a way to regain control. 

People who follow a very restrictive diet (like raw vegans, for instance) may be more likely to trigger the psychological factor that leads to orthorexia. (Quick disclaimer: of course, you can be raw vegan, perfectly healthy, and not orthorexic. And you can be an omnivore and have orthorexia.)

What are the symptoms of orthorexia?

Eating very healthily turns into orthorexia when one’s relationship with food affects different dimensions of their life. This could mean social events, their own pleasure, their mental health, their relationships, etc. 

A person suffering from orthorexia often devotes an important part of their day to thinking about food. They carefully inspect food labels, spend time researching food facts, plan out their meals…