Processed Foods Have Undergone Some Change

The Department of Agriculture defines a processed food as one that has undergone changes to its natural state. That said, raw agricultural products are subjected to washing, cleaning, milling, cutting, freezing, drying, dehydrating, and packaging. Ingredients are added to processed foods for a variety of reasons. It may be to extend shelf life, to make the taste more appealing, or sometimes to give the processed product its shape or form, such as salt used in baked goods.

Many of today’s beverages, including fancy coffees, sodas, and sports drinks, are loaded with added sugars, sodium, and other additives that aid in quick absorption that results in an initial rush, which can also be followed by a sudden plummet. Manufacturers who produce cereal bars are notorious for naming and displaying their products with good-for-you marketing messages. The longer the list of ingredients the more likely it is an overly-processed.

Since there are numerous differences between minimally processed and highly processed foods, it is important to be selective. Nutrition facts labels are useful in determining your best food choices, such as:

• Canned Tomatoes – Canned tomatoes provide your body with lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant. This phytochemical has been shown in hundreds of food studies to have a positive impact on breast cancer, heart cancer, inflammation, and prostate cancer.
• Greek Yogurt – Plain Creek yogurt is a processed food but that does not mean it is not a healthy food choice. It is packed with protein to help you manage hunger and contains beneficial probiotics for good gut health.
• Pickles – Although cucumbers are considered to be healthier than pickles because they contain far less sugar or sodium, snacking on a dill pickle can often satisfy your salty cravings for less healthy options like potato chips.
• Hummus – Depending on your health goals and dietary needs, hummus can be a healthy addition to your menu plan. Hummus is a relatively high protein and moderate fat food. However, always check the product food label as some brands contain much more sodium than others.
• Matcha Powder – Studies have linked green tea to a variety of health benefits, like helping to prevent heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Matcha is high in a catechin called epigallocatechin gallate, which is believed to lower risks for certain cancers.
• Granola Bars – Granola bars are a processed food product that has proportioned amounts of oats, nuts, seed, and dried fruit. Many granola products can improve heart health and blood sugar control as a healthy food or can be loaded with added sugars and other less healthy ingredients… so read the food label.
• Packaged Salads or Vegetables – Minimal processing is often used to make shopping the produce aisle easier and more convenient for you at home. Cleaned and pre-cut veggies are ready to eat raw, add to a soup, or microwave as a tasty side dish.

It would make for healthier food choices if people were less obsessed over the calories and more attentive as to the ingredients in processed foods, especially the use of preservatives and the added amounts of sugars, salt, and fat. Purchasing power is real and when you buy food at the store your dollar counts. When you select the healthier processed food, your purchase will be reported, and your store will know to stock more of that particular kind of food.

Ensuring food safety is shared responsibility and food labels keep the consumer informed about the amount of each ingredient contained in processed food. Reading labels can help you make better processed food choices. It is so easy to select a food item based on your assumptions as to how healthy the food product is and how well does it fit into your overall menu plan. Guessing can cause you to have to realize later that you were duped by the manufacturer’s marketing spiel.