In this article we’re going to talk about what is processed food. Our nutrition editor will break it down for you.
When certain food has had a series of mechanical and chemical operations performed on it to preserve the food, we call it preserved food. Alternatively, you can call any type of food a processed food if it had been altered in some way from its original state.We can recognize processed food very easily.
The food that typically comes in a box or a plastic container or a plastic packaging is always processed.Processed food often has more than one item listed on the ingredients list which is usually printed on the body of the packaging.
Not all the processed foods are good for our health but no matter how hard we try, we may never actually avoid processed food. Some of the processed food can be actually very healthy. Greek yogurt, nut butters, organic stock, tofu, frozen vegetable and canned beans for example are very healthy.
Some of the most highly processed foods are advertised as being healthy which includes breakfast cereals, whole-wheat bread, frozen meals and all but here’s what to expect:
Crackers, cookies, salad dressings often have added sugar and salt. This is done to make up for flavor. Gums and stabilizers make up for the texture. Some of the foods have way more calories than you need.
Nearly all breakfast cereals are highly processed. You should look for no added sugar, salt or artificial colorants and flavors.
Whole-wheat loaf breads contain artificial preservatives that maintains freshness even after weeks! They may look pretty at your dining table but if you want healthy bread, look for local bakery shops where you can buy simple breads made of flour, water, yeast, oil and salt.
If you want to live healthy, lose weight or improve your diet, it is recommended that you avoid processed food as much as you can. Go for leafy green vegetables, nuts and beans, lentils and fresh fruits instead of buying canned or processed food.