Skip to main content

Focus on Whole, Minimally Processed Foods


With assistance from Northeastern graduate student Crystal (Sopher) Richardson

What’s the WHOLE story on Processed Foods?
Nutritionists and dietitians are often asked why processed foods are bad.  It’s not an easy question to answer.  Many refer to the fact that the “Diseases of Civilization” – heart disease, hypertension, tooth decay, diabetes and some cancers did not exist before the increased popularity of processed foods. Whole and minimally processed foods are prepared without copious amounts of added fat, salt or sugar, therefore maximizing the consumption of cancer-fighting nutrients and phytochemicals, that protect your body’s cells from damage. A 2017 study of 249 adolescents showed that the consumption of minimally processed foods was inversely associated with excess weight.1 Another study in 2016, published by Anthony Fardet showed a link between minimally processed foods and satiety versus ultra-processed foods.2

While most people know that eating a whole apple is much healthier than drinking apple juice or snacking on a fruit snack with apple juice added, can we really answer the question of why?  Processed foods are higher in sodium in most cases, leading to issues such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.   However, although the science can sometimes be confusing, highly processed foods can also have other effects on the body.

What we do know is that a healthy diet concentrates on consuming more whole and minimally processed foods.  The best rule of thumb? The closer the food is to its form found in nature, the healthier it will be.  These whole foods contain less fat, oil, salt and sugar and more fiber.    When choosing foods, refer to the following tips:
  • Don’t be fooled by your taste buds.  Although some processed foods may not taste salty, the majority of American’s daily sodium intake comes from grains and meat.  Beware of commercially made baked goods and breakfast cereals.
  • Use alternative seasonings such as vinegar, lemon juice and fresh herbs.
  • Avoid processed meat products such as ground beef, deli meats and sausages – as over-consumption has been linked to colon cancer.
  • Read nutrition labels on packaged foods to compare sodium and sugar.
  • Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.  Although canned and frozen alternatives are not bad, look for those with no added salt or sugar.
  • Limit your intake of fast food.
  • Buy your bread from a local bakery.
  • In addition to your bread choice, when selecting foods like pastas, cereals, rice, and crackers always go for the whole-grain option.
  • Fresh produce is less expensive and easier to find if you “eat seasonally”.  Visit your local farmers markets to buy your fruits and vegetables.
  • Remember, meats and dairy are processed to increase shelf life.  Find a store or vendor that offers fresh local meats and dairy.
References:
  1. Melo ISV, Costa CACB, Santos JVLD, Santos AFD, Florêncio TMMT, Bueno NB. Consumption of minimally processed food is inversely associated with excess weight in adolescents living in an underdeveloped city. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(11):e0188401.
  2. Fardet A. Minimally processed foods are more satiating and less hyperglycemic than ultra-processed foods: a preliminary study with 98 ready-to-eat foods. Food & Function. 2016;7(5):2338-2346. doi:10.1039/c6fo00107f.

Labels

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

4 Tips To Avoid Stress Eating During Finals

It's the week of finals and suddenly there's so much to do and not enough time to do it. With projects, papers, studying, all-nighters, and early wake-ups, indulging in your favorite (and maybe not so good for you) foods seems like the perfect way to relieve some of that finals stress. When we turn to food to relive stress, it tends to be food that comforts us and makes us feel good, which a lot of times is a carton of ice cream, a slice of pizza, or your favorite piece (or bag) of candy. The truth is, finals may not only be a stressful time of the semester but a time where weight gain occurs in stressed out students. The combination of a large amount of sedentary time studying and test taking, little to no exercise, and stressful or late-night eating is a recipe for weight gain. Another truth is that we may not even recognize that we are in fact stress eating due to being completely preoccupied. So how do we avoid this stress eating before it takes place? Here are four tips to...
Post a Comment
Read more

To Juice or Not To Juice?

Depending on who you talk to, juice is either part of the latest health trend or on the list of things to avoid. Understanding what juice does and doesn’t offer can help you decide if it is right for you. The Up Side: Fruits and vegetables offer a variety of health-promoting nutrients, many of which are still available in the juice squeezed from them. Juices can be a convenient and tasty way to get those nutrients. Juices also offer a way to get fruits and vegetables that you may not usually eat in the whole form. For example, cranberry juice is a popular alternative to whole cranberries and a great way to get some important antioxidants. People who don’t normally eat spinach may find that when juiced with other vegetables and fruit, they enjoy it. The Down Side: With about 50-115 calories per cup, fruit and vegetable juices are not low calorie drinks. For that reason, drinking a lot of juice could potentially make weight management more difficult. Research suggests that people who dri...
Post a Comment
Read more

Plant Forward

A New Way of Eating There’s a relatively new term buzzing around the food world that you may or may not have heard of, plant forward. What does that mean you ask? Plant forward focuses on more vegetable centric dishes with meat playing more of a supporting role. Think blended burgers, stir-fry’s or grain bowls where meat is almost like a condiment. Flavors are bold and it’s all about the dish’s deliciousness whether it happens to be vegan or vegetarian, or not. Diners aren’t interested in completely removing meat from their diets so embracing a diet that is mostly plants with some meat here and there provides a comfortable middle ground. The Challenge with Red Meat Conventional animal agriculture is resource intense and less than stellar for the environment. Ruminant animals release methane gas into the atmosphere which is about twenty five times more intense than carbon dioxide. Let’s face it, our country’s enormous appetite for beef is not so great for our health and the heal...
Post a Comment
Read more