Skip to main content

Does Processed = bad? Not Always

Processed food tends to be viewed in a negative light, but the bad press isn’t always deserved. While some processed foods contain items that we should be limiting for better health, some are actually very good choices.

What does processed mean?
According to recent survey, many of us have different views on what processed means. Processing is a huge category that includes everything from washing to canning. Basically anything done to a raw food before it gets to us is considered processing. Washing and bagging spinach leaves, drying lentils and roasting coffee beans are all forms of processing. With the exception of the very small number of us who live on farms that produce a variety of foods year round, we all need some processed foods.

When is processing good?
It isn’t always so easy to get enough fruits, vegetables and whole grains into our days. Choosing minimally processed foods in this category can help. Buying frozen vegetables in the winter can help when fresh is harder to find. Dried fruit is often easier to pack for a quick snack than fresh that may need peeling or chopping. Quick-cooking whole grains can make balanced weeknight dinners easier to fit into a busy night. Milling allows us to bake delicious breads with whole grain flour. So, while many of us could use more fresh foods in our day, that doesn’t mean we need to eliminate all processed foods.

How to Choose?
Which processed foods we choose makes a big difference in our nutrient balance. Some processed foods are high in sodium making them a less healthful choice than their fresh counterparts. For example, a cup of canned carrots can have over 400% of the sodium found in a cup of fresh carrots. When it comes to choosing processed foods, the nutrition facts panel can help. Sodium and sugar are two to pay attention to as they can be higher in processed foods. Some examples of processed foods that can make good additions to your day include peanut butter, dried or canned beans, whole grain crackers, hummus and yogurt.

RESOURCES:

  1. 2017 Food and Health Survey: “A Healthy Perspective: Understanding American Food Values” May 2017. http://www.foodinsight.org/2017-food-and-health-survey.
  2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at http://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/.

Written by Jennifer M. Roberts, MS, RD.
August 2017

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Eat Right Live Well - December 2014

Fish For Your Heart?

Cutting back on red meat is a common recommendation for both health and sustainability. What’s less clear is what we should replace the meat with. A recent study looked at this and the results may surprise you. If not red meat, what? Red meat appears on many lists of foods to eat less of due mostly to its saturated fat and cholesterol content, and the fact that we tend to eat too much of it. A recent study looked at what we should consider substituting for red meat when we follow the advice to cut back. Of all of the substitutions the study looked at, one stood out as the best choice – fish high in omega-3s. The fatty fish showed more benefits for heart health than poultry, unprocessed meat and even lean fish. Is fish safe to eat? Fish, especially the kind that gives us omega-3s, has long been considered a healthy choice. Warnings related to contamination by mercury and other toxins has left many people wondering if fish is safe to eat. For most people, the benefits of eating fish far ...

National Nutrition Month 2017: Plant Power

If you follow food trends, you’ve surely noticed that plant-based foods, recipes and restaurants have been getting a larger share of the spotlight lately. Does this mean that more of us are becoming vegetarians? Should we be? Why more plants? Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, peas, nuts and seeds are key features of some of the healthiest diets in the world. Plant based foods are a common theme in the Mediterranean Diet, the DASH Diet and most dietary guidelines. The balance of health promoting nutrients with moderate calories and less of the stuff we should be limiting make plant based foods an easy fit for most people. Looking beyond personal health, to the health of our planet, plant based foods tend to more sustainable and less taxing on the environment. What is a flexitarian? Or a pescatarian? With the expansion of plant foods on our plates has come an expansion of how we refer to the way we eat. Vegetarian still refers to people who don’t eat meat, fish or poultry, but the...