There is no such thing as clean eating =)

To be honest I didn't read the whole thing. But I don't agree with the author's claim that people described foods as "clean" or "dirty" to a significant degree back in prior decades. The term was probably used here and there but I don't recall it being mainstream until the mid 2000's.

Also, while it's true the a definitive definition of clean and dirty is difficult, that's not really important. Clean versus dirty is more of a continuum, as opposed to a yes or no type thing. Obviously it's healthier to eat mostly foods that minimally processed and natural (like broccoli instead of twinkies). If you want to get into the nitty gritty and argue about foods in the grey area then clean versus dirty isn't a very useful. But that's not what it's used for. It's just another way of classifying natural foods versus processed ones. And once again the definition of "processed" is shady. Does putting beef through a meat grinder suddenly make it "processed?" Of course not.

btw there is such thing as clean and dirty foods.

the difference is did I wash the fruit/drop the meat on the floor or not

I would also add the following to food descriptions:
- Culturally relevant
- Psychologically comforting

And I would separate naturally occurring micro nutrients from the ones that get added.