When you hear the term “processed food,” what immediately comes to mind? Perhaps those endless potato chips, colored ketchup, and artificially flavored soda.
Dietitian Lindsey Wohlford, on the other hand, describes processed food as any food that has been altered from its original form. “The majority of people refer to anything that has been processed as ‘processed foods,'” she says.
With such a broad definition, it can be challenging to determine which processed foods are safe to eat in moderation and which should be avoided.
Learn the difference between processed and ultra-processed foods
When thinking about processed food, visualize it as a spectrum. At one end of the spectrum are foods like whole grain oats or apples that have been minimally or not at all processed.
In the middle of the spectrum are processed foods with a few extra ingredients that still have some similarities to the ingredients of whole foods. Examples of processed foods include pasteurized milk, canned vegetables, and freshly baked bread.
Distinctively processed foods represent the opposite end of the spectrum. Because these conventional junk foods are so disassociated with whole foods, Wohlford refers to them as “food-based products.” She claims that most of the ingredients used in these food-based products are either extracted from food ingredients or synthesized in laboratories.
Salt, sugar, starch, oil, and fat are just a few of the additives that are abundant in these highly processed foods. During the production process, they lose the nutrients that keep our bodies feeling good and healthy. In addition to weight gain, these highly processed foods have been linked to health issues like dementia, cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
Wohlford states that “avoidance of all processed foods is very challenging.” “It’s crucial to make the majority of your food choices whole, unprocessed, or minimally processed.”
These are seven highly processed foods, accompanied by tips on how to measure processed foods.
Examples of ultra-processed food
Packaged snacks
Convenient prepackaged snacks like chips, cookies, and crackers may not always be the healthiest option, even though they can be very helpful when you’re pressed for time.
Life gets busy sometimes, and the easiest thing to do is grab something from the snack aisle. Wohlford suggests checking the ingredients label on the side of the snack’s packaging in this case to make sure everything is identifiable. Select dishes with ingredient lists. According to Wohlford, either the food is primarily present in its natural state or specific ingredients are.
She uses crackers as an example, pointing out that a three-ingredient cracker made with whole wheat, oil, and salt is processed less than one made with ultra-refined flour and extra chemicals, even though they are still processed.
One more broad guideline? Using fewer ingredients is the better option.
Wohlford claims, “If you’re getting up to 10, 15, or 20 ingredients, it will be much more processed than something with three or five ingredients.”
Wohlford suggests avoiding this and stocking your refrigerator and pantry with foods you can grab on the run, such as fruits, vegetables, and hard-boiled eggs.
Packaged bread
The “best if used by” date is another clue, in addition to the ingredients list, that a food item might be highly processed.
To maintain their freshness for up to a week or more after baking, preservatives and additives are used in a lot of packaged sliced bread, buns, and baked goods that are stocked on grocery store shelves. On the other hand, unpreserved fresh bread usually goes bad after three or five days.
Wohlford asserts that “bread and other products that are added with preservatives to increase their shelf life are probably ultra-processed.”
Cereal
Many people are exposed to highly processed food for the first time when they eat their first meal of the day.
Many breakfast cereals are highly processed due to the use of ultra-refined grains and added sugar.
Wohlford recommends a nutritious way to start the day with oats or a bowl of whole-grain cereal made with identifiable ingredients.
Processed meat
Wohlford says it can be challenging to gauge how much processing goes into meat products because some processing is required merely to make them edible.
While ultra-processed meats are made from meat that has been processed to change its texture, flavor, or freshness, such as lunch meats, hotdogs, bacon, sausage, and jerky, minimally processed meats are made from fresh animal protein and products like pre-cut steak or fish.
These highly processed meats contain preservatives like nitrites and nitrates, which have been linked to colorectal cancer.
Fresh, unprocessed meat is recommended over processed meat by MD Anderson and the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Condiments
Furthermore, ultra-processed foods might unintentionally enter your diet through salad dressings, sauces, and condiments like ketchup.
If you find a shelf-stable option, make a note of the ingredients list and the “best if used by” date. Consider creating your own vinaigrette for your salad at home if the product has a lot of ingredients you are unfamiliar with or a “best if used by” date that is many years away.
Sweetened and alcoholic beverages
Juice, soda, and sports drinks are all considered to be highly processed since they frequently contain added sugars, artificial coloring, and flavoring.
Another category of ultra-processed beverages that you might find surprising? drinks with alcohol. While it is possible for alcohol to naturally occur, most alcoholic beverages go through a lengthy manufacturing process before being served cold or opened on a steamy summer’s day.
Wohlford states that “some alcohols can form naturally from rotten fruits and things like that.” “However, it’s mostly something that’s produced in a factory and processed.”
Remember that alcohol consumption, in any form or quantity, raises the risk of a number of cancers, including those of the mouth, throat, colorectal, esophageal, liver, and breast. Avoiding alcohol is the best way to prevent cancer.
Although abstaining from alcohol is ideal, men and women who choose to drink should limit their intake to two drinks per day and one drink per day, respectively.
Candy and desserts
It may come as a bit of a shock to those with a sweet tooth to hear that candy is regarded as ultra-processed, as are many store-bought desserts like ice cream, cakes, and cookies.
Aside from examining the ingredients list and the “best if used by” date, take note of whether the confection you’ve got your eye on is pre-packaged or comes from a manufacturer. If so, it’s probably been overly processed.
Wohlford recommends a piece of fruit or a homemade fruit crisp made with cinnamon and whole grain oats as a healthier dessert substitute.
A simple sweet treat can be made with whole foods or minimally processed foods. This will turn your dessert into a healthful treat for your body, according to Wohlford.
