Synonyms

health food

American

noun

any natural food popularly believed to promote or sustain good health, as by containing vital nutrients, being grown without the use of pesticides, or having a low sodium or fat content.

health food British

noun

1. vegetarian food organically grown and with no additives, eaten for its dietary value and benefit to health
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a health-food shop

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of health food

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Their activism faced a commercial test as the brand moved from health food aisles into the mainstream.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Beth Krietsch is a writer specializing in health, food, and wellness.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

Over the past year as demand has risen, health food chain Holland and Barrett has almost doubled its range of mushroom coffees, it told the BBC.

From BBC • Nov. 22, 2025

APLAHealth: At eight locations in Los Angeles and Long Beach, the provider offers healthcare, mental health, food, housing and other support services to the LGBTQ+ community.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 26, 2025

So now Molly does—she swallowed her pride, asked Ralph for money, and bought almond butter, organic honey, and nutty bread in the health food store in Bar Harbor.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023