What the heck are processed foods, and why are they so bad for us?
Well, processed foods have simply been altered from their original state for safety reasons and/or for consumer convenience. For example, some of the ways that our food is being processed include freezing, refrigeration, canning, dehydration and aseptic processing.
When we hear “processed,” we automatically assume that it is “bad.” But some foods that are processed are actually okay—like pasteurized products: milk, orange juice, and apple juice (although I would recommend organic whenever possible). Frozen fruits and vegetables are also an example of processed foods.
So what are the processed foods that we should watch out for? Anything with saturated fats, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, sugar—you get the point…
A basic list of process foods to avoid when possible:
sodium filled canned foods
processed meats
chips and processed cheese snacks
packaged sweets/goodies
foods made with refined white flour
sugary breakfast cereals
processed meats
It is difficult to remove all processed foods from your diet, so start out slow. One important step is to stop frequenting fast food restaurants—Americans are addicted, and if you don’t believe me, read Fast Food Nation. Another step is to start reading labels. I am appalled by how much high-fructose corn syrup is in the foods that we think are healthy. Almost all the whole wheat breads you find in your supermarket have added this sugar as a preservative… Another recommendation is to bake your own sweets. It takes just minutes to whip up a batch of cookies, and you control what goes into them! Your on your way to a healthier you!
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