Cottage Cheese Is a Protein Rich Food Product

Many people are rightfully confused as to what makes a food product or beverage processed. Although it is best to limit your intake of highly processed foods, minimal processing like cleaning and packaging are not necessarily bad for your health. There is so much ambiguity in what processed means, there are actually many minimally processed foods that are high in nutritional value and increase the availability for a steady intake of seasonal foods that you should eat.
Food manufacturers use sodium and sugar to modify flavor, and both are included in additives that affect the texture (baked goods) or color (Maraschino cherries) of foods. So, always read the food label. Processed foods are major contributors of sodium in the American diet because salt is commonly added to preserve foods, enhance flavor, and extend shelf life. With canned goods look for no salt added or low-sodium options.
Most processed food products are found in the interior aisles at the supermarket. The secret is look beyond the product marketing and read the ingredients label. Here are some healthier processed foods, such as:
- Protein Rich Cottage Cheese – Since protein accounts for about seventy percent of the calories, cottage cheese can help with weight control as it stimulates feelings of fullness and delivers a good amount of calcium. Nonetheless, read the food labels and select products that are lower in sodium.
- Packaged Salads or Vegetables – A pre-prepped veggie mix can add to many plates, such as a topping for tacos. Pre-washed and shredded salads, kale, and bagged coleslaw minimize waste and are a major time saver when you’re working in the kitchen.
- Rotisserie Chicken – If you are looking for a convenient and affordable alternative to less-healthy fast food chicken, try a store bought rotisserie chicken. But, check the food label for sodium content and dietary experts suggest you peel the skin before consumption.
- Plant Based Pastas – Vegetable or legume-based pastas are most often gluten free and contain higher amounts of fiber and iron. In addition to cutting down on carbohydrate consumption, consuming plant-based pastas offer a more complete set of nutrients to better support your overall health and wellness.
- Cereal – Although some cereals are highly processed, most are fortified with minerals and vitamins to add to the nutritional content. However, you have to read the nutrition facts list and select processed cereals that are low in added sugars.
- Matcha Powder – One serving of matcha tea can have the nutritional equivalent of 10 cups of regularly brewed green tea. It can boost metabolism, enhance mood, and is a simple way of adding a mega dose of antioxidants to benefit your daily dietary routine.
- Canned Tomatoes – Canned tomatoes can include extra sugar, sodium, or even fat added during food processing, but healthier versions can save a lot of time over cooking dried beans from scratch. Also, a great source of plant-based protein.
Food labels are the identity card for a minimally-processed, heavily-processed, or ultra-processed food product and provides a list of ingredients by weight in descending order. Using this information can be helpful in making healthy food choices. With a growing number of food-related health issues on the rise, consumers are expressing more concern than ever before about the contents of processed foods. Unfortunately, food labels only provide you with answers if you take time to review them.
Processed foods must list the ingredients by weight. This includes compound ingredients. For example, the chocolate chip in a bag of cookies shows the cocoa, butter and sugar used to make the chocolate, in addition to the cookie’s other ingredients. Perhaps the most confusing aspect of the nutrition facts label is the percent daily value. Percent daily value tells you what percentage of your daily requirement you’ll consume of each nutrient per serving you eat. So, remember to check the serving size, too.
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