Will Oprah take clean eating mainstream?

Celebrities have a great deal of influence on our health, fitness and lifestyle choices.

Think of Angelina Jolie’s emotive 2013

The New York Times column about undergoing BRCA testing. In the days following publication, there was a stark increase in the number of women undergoing the test for Breast Cancer 1 and 2 genes.

But someone whose influence is unparalleled — and no, it’s not one of the Kardashian/Jenner lot — made a very smart business move earlier this week.

And by doing so, she put a stamp of approval on a very important message.

Oprah Winfrey joined the board of directors at True Food Kitchen, a healthdriven restaurant built around seasonal menus and a philosophy that food should make you feel better, not worse.

Now that True Food’s mission has been Oprah-approved, some wonder how much the media mogul’s influence will affect the business.

Going “mainstream” always runs the risk of change. But this venture seems to indicate only beneficial outcomes for everyone involved, especially because the restaurant’s philosophy — a much needed message — is going to become accessible to more people.

True Food Kitchen was launched from Phoenix in 2008. Its menu is based on Dr. Andrew Weil’s anti-inflammatory food pyramid, which promotes a particular “diet” — not in the trendy weight-loss sense, but in consuming foods that counteract chronic inflammation.

That’s important because inflammation is often at the root of more serious afflictions, such as heart disease and some cancers.

It’s not the first time Winfrey has ventured into the health realm, having lent her popular appeal to Weight Watchers a few years ago. There, she increased that company’s shares while simultaneously boosting her own net worth by $400 million.

Unlike her role with Weight Watchers, Winfrey is joining the company not as a spokeswoman but as a board member, aiming to grow the 23 restaurants into a national chain.

While Winfrey may not appear in any of True Foods’ advertising, the sheer power of her name is enough to draw attention from those who may not otherwise have been interested.

Sometimes my friends have scoff at my restaurant suggestions or dinner orders for being “too healthy.” Their jokes about eating like a rabbit or wanting to be trendy by drinking kombucha are funny, so I laugh.

They understand that I’ll indulge in refined or processed foods occasionally, but prefer to limit that as much as possible.

What they don’t understand in those moments, though, is why finding healthy alternatives is important. They’re associating “clean eating” with the negative connotations of a diet or else thinking of it as a hipster-like trend.

Perhaps it is just that for some people — a temporary endeavor to lose weight or to curate an aesthetically pleasing Instagram filled with leafy greens and colorful berries.

Choosing healthy, delicious food is part of an overall balanced lifestyle.

Leading and enjoying an active lifestyle has made me a big proponent of healthy eating. Learning how nutrition intricately affects one’s hormones, sleep patterns and exercise helped me establish new habits.

That’s why restaurants and businesses with the mission of making nutrition and health accessible and comprehensive to everyone are so wonderful.

They deserve all the support they can get.