Fear of vegetables (lachanophobia)

Lachanophobia is a fear of vegetables. It can range from feeling uneasy at the sight of greens on a plate to steering clear of whole aisles in the supermarket, and it can make meals with family or friends feel tense.

About this phobia

The name comes from the Greek lachanon, meaning vegetable. It is uncommon and found mostly on lists of phobias rather than in clinical writing. It is often grouped with wider food fears and with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), a recognised condition where certain foods are avoided because of their look, texture or a past bad experience.

What it feels like

• Feeling queasy or tense when vegetables are served
• Picking food apart to remove any trace of vegetables
• Dreading meals out where the menu is uncertain

Explore more unusual fears in the rare phobias A to Z, or browse the common phobias.

Common questions

Is a fear of vegetables just fussy eating?

Not always. Fussy eating is usually a matter of taste, whereas a phobia brings real anxiety, sometimes from texture, smell or a past choking or sickness episode. If it means eating much less or losing weight, speak to a GP.

How can you help?

I use hypnotherapy and NLP to change how your mind responds to the thing you fear, so the old alarm stops going off. Sessions are one to one over Zoom, and you get a recording of the hypnosis to listen to afterwards.

How many sessions will I need?

Many clients notice a real difference after one 90 minute session. If the fear goes back a long way, three sessions gives us room to make the change stick.

Ready to start?

Book a £49 consultation call and we’ll talk through your fear, or take the free suitability test first.

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