Granola Bars Can Be Healthy or Loaded with Sugar

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 flavor and taste more appealing, or sometimes to give the processed product its shape or form, such as salt used in baked goods.

Breads, pasta, and cereal made from refined grains have been stripped of fiber and minerals. Consuming these ultra-processed foods can trigger inflammation and are known culprits for certain diseases including obesity and heart disease. Food manufacturers who produce cereal bars are notorious for naming and displaying their products with innocent-looking and good-for-you marketing messages. The longer the list of ingredients the more likely it is an overly-processed food item.

Generally speaking, fresh produce, pasteurized milk, chicken, seafood, beans, and eggs are considered unprocessed or minimally processed and deserve a spot on your menu plan. Here are some healthier minimally processed foods, such as:

• 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.
• 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 – Yogurt is a processed food that it also a healthy source of protein, vitamin B12, calcium, and probiotics. However, it is important to read the nutrition facts label to select products that are limited in added sugars. Plain Greek yogurt often has twice the protein and half of the sugar content.
• Pickles – Although salt is added to the brine to preserve pickles and make them extra tasty, pickles generally offer more vitamins and fiber that a raw cucumber. But, read the food label and select pickled products that contain the least amounts of sugar and sodium.
• Hummus – With its chickpea base, hummus contains valuable nutrients like protein, zinc, and iron. Moreover, chickpeas are loaded with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds as well as fiber and protein to keep you feeling full longer.
• 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.
• Packaged Salads or Vegetables – Although all produce slowly loses nutrients once it is harvested, bagged salads and pre-cut veggies are a great way to get more vegetables on the table. Select fresh, whole products when you can but don’t avoid minimally processed packaged salads and vegetables. They can be a healthy option.

If you have never checked a food label at the grocery store (or at home), it has valuable information that should know about the processed food you’re considering. Reading the ingredients list puts you in charge of your food choices. Food packaging is often filled with colors, images, catch phrases, and deceptive marketing messages. If you’re trying to choose between two processed food products, look at the information contained on the nutrition facts label.

Experts recommends that you avoid trans fats, but that is not an ingredient that is listed as such on the food label. It is actually displayed along with other partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils. When you cook with fresh ingredients, you will be able to retain more nutrients compared to processed foods. Even though some processed foods are good for you, the goal is to limit consumption and use the freshest ingredients available.