What ‘Eating Clean’ Gets Wrong: Hanif Lalani Provides a More Human Approach to Nutrition

The phrase eating clean sounds like common sense — wholesome foods, no junk, no guilt. But like many wellness buzzwords, it carries a moral undercurrent that quickly becomes a trap.

Hanif Lalani, a UK-based health coach known for his holistic approach to well-being, sees this all the time in his practice. Clients arrive with rigid food rules, anxiety around “cheat” days, and a sense that every meal is a test of willpower. What begins as a desire for health often mutates into control — and eventually, shame. 

As explored by him in this BBN Times article, the problem with clean eating isn’t just that it’s vague. It’s that it’s perfectionist. It frames food as either virtuous or toxic, reducing nutrition to a binary that leaves little room for context, joy, or culture. More importantly, Lalani says, it ignores the psychological and emotional dimensions of eating — the very dimensions that often shape our long-term relationship with food.

Hanif Lalani encourages a more human approach: one rooted in curiosity, flexibility, and the understanding that nourishment is more than macronutrients. In his model, nutrition isn’t about obedience — it’s about support. What foods help you feel grounded, energized, resilient? What rhythms work with your life, not against it?

Instead of restrictive meal plans or one-size-fits-all detoxes, Hanif Lalani teaches his clients to listen — not just to their cravings, but to what those cravings might signal. Are you underslept? Overstressed? Socially depleted? Food isn’t just fuel. It’s communication.

That shift — from clean to conscious — is what makes Lalani’s approach sustainable. It centers the full person, not just their plate. It leaves room for celebration, for tradition, even for dessert. And ironically, when food becomes less about control, people often make more nourishing choices — not because they should, but because they want to.

In the end, Lalani’s view challenges the wellness industry’s obsession with purity. Clean is not the same as healthy. And health, as it turns out, has a lot more to do with how we feel than how we label our lunch.

For a detailed explanation, visit https://www.haniflalanihealthsubstack.com/ to read the full article.