Why we need to stop saying "bad foods"

As the saying goes, "the only foods that are bad are ones that you are allergic too, have actually gone offer are undercooked". Yet on a daily basis you will hear food described as being bad, sinful or worse. In this article I am going to explain why using phrases like "bad food" is problematic and how we can talk about food instead.

What's the problem with the phrase "bad foods"?

When we label foods as being good or bad this inherently implies a moral value. But foods cannot have a moral value because they are just food. By extension when we eat a food which we have labelled as bad, we consider ourselves to be bad. This is often not a conscious thought, however on a subconscious level the thought has an impact.

But thats not all... When we perceive foods as being bad we are more likely to restrict these foods, either limiting the amount we are "allowed" to eat or not allowing ourselves to eat them at all. As humans, when something is off-limits or we can’t have it makes, it becomes all the more appealing. Quite literally, our brains see the grass as being greener on the other side of the fence. This has been demonstrated in several different studies.

Because our brain is drawn to these off limits foods, we are only able to resist the allure for so long before we eat the forbidden fruit. Once we do eventually "give in" and eat the food we have limited, we are likely to experience feelings of guilt and shame.

What can we do instead of saying certain foods are bad?

If you are in the habit of labelling foods as good or bad, or even of labelling yourself as good or bad for eating certain foods, you are not alone. And there is plenty that can be done to shift your thinking around food. Here are some ideas to get you started:
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Notice when you are labelling foods as bad. You can't change something that you are not fully aware that you are doing.

Start to describe the food itself. Start to replace the words good and bad with actual descriptors of the food. For example, fries might be hot, salty and crispy or chocolate might be creamy, an apple may be juicy, crunchy and even tart.

Learn how to reframe your thoughts around food. If you are thinking of foods as being good or bad working with a psychologist or a non-diet dietitian to learn how to change unhelpful thoughts around food into more positive and accurate thoughts. This is something I teach the clients I work with to do.

So it's pretty clear that the way we talk about food influences how we think about it which in turn can have a direct impact on what and how we eat. So start to notice if you are labelling foods as bad, and then start to make adjustments to your language!
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By Dietitian Andrea Parker‍

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