Technically speaking, much of the food available at grocery stores falls under the category of ultra-processed, meaning the food source has been altered during preparation to make it more convenient, and cheaper, or add more flavor, sugar, salt, fats, preservatives, and fillers. Not to confuse the word processed, such as a bag of pre-cut salad which would technically count as processed; however, it’s minimally processed because its natural state hasn’t been changed. On the flip side, a box of macaroni and cheese would count as ultra-processed because it’s been chemically altered with artificial flavors, additives, and other ingredients. So minimally other processed foods such as canned tomatoes or tuna are less of a health concern than ultra-processed foods such as crackers, chips, cakes, hot dogs, microwavable dinners, or any prepackaged meal for that matter along with mass-produced breads, confections, sodas, and so forth.
A good way to determine if a food item is heavily processed is to read the nutrition label. The longer the ingredient list, the more processed the food is. And, if many of the ingredients comprise difficult-to-pronounce chemicals rather than real food, you’re looking at ultra-processed, low-nutrition quality, high-calorie garbage. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive in most Western countries, cities or towns. There are exceptions to affordability and access, but that is not the rule.
The Problem With Ultra-Processed Foods
Let’s briefly review the destructive nature and potential health risks of ultra-processed food consumption. For starters, we eat too much of it. In the US, over half the calories in the average person’s diet come from ultra-processed foods. Additionally, there are several downsides to maintaining a diet that is heavy on ultra-processed foods.
A Lack of Nutritional Value
Heavy processing strips many foods of their basic nutrients, which means you’re eating empty calories. This is food that is highly caloric but doesn’t offer your body any of the minerals or vitamins it needs to be healthy.
Increased Cancer Risk
A five-year study of more than 100,000 people found a 12 percent higher risk for cancer for every 10 percent increase in the consumption of ultra-processed food. While the study didn’t find that ultra-processed foods cause cancer, it does seem to hint at their potential adverse effects on our bodies.
Highly Caloric and Addicting
It’s easy to overindulge in ultra-processed foods because they’re so high in calories. For example, you could indulge in one Oreo cookie for 50 calories or enjoy an entire cup of green beans for only 44 calories. Additionally, research has shown that sugar can give us a short-term “high” by stimulating our brain’s dopamine center, which makes us crave that food more and more.
High in Sugar, Fat, And Sodium
Ultra-processed foods often include unhealthy amounts of added sodium, fat, and sugar to improve flavor, but too much of these ingredients can lead to serious health issues like obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Directly Linked to Excessive Body Fat Increases
Processed foods are easier for our bodies to digest, which means it expends less energy (read: calories) doing so. It’s estimated we burn half as many calories digesting processed foods compared to unprocessed foods. This, combined with the high caloric nature of ultra-processed foods, means it’s easy for us to put on weight when munching on them.
How To Avoid Eating Processed Foods
Now that we have a basic understanding of the harm processed foods pose, let’s look at a few strategies to avoid and replace them. While eliminating processed foods for the average person’s diet would be quite challenging, we can all minimize your consumption. It will be hard for anyone looking to eat perfectly clean unless you were to maintain and harvest your own livestock, garden and avoid dining in restaurants. But here are a few ideas to clean up your diet.
Cook More Meals at Home
You have more control over what goes into your meals when you’re the chef, which means you can make healthier choices at home. Consider making large batches of meals to freeze and eat later if you’re short of time and can’t cook every day.
Read Nutrition Labels
We mentioned earlier that examining the ingredient list of a food product can be a telltale sign of whether it’s ultra-processed or not. Get into the habit of reading food labels rather than relying on marketing, which can often be misleading.
Start Cleaning Out your House Slowly if Needed
It’s okay to replace a few highly processed foods at a time with more minimally processed choices if it feels more manageable and sustainable. In fact, going slow, rather than completely changing your diet all at once, may help you stick with those changes long-term. However, set a time frame for cleaning your diet of processed foods otherwise, you will be likely to keep moving the goal post. Commit to it and follow through.
Stick To Certain Aisles at The Store
In many grocery stores, the interior aisles are the ones packed with ultra-processed foods, while the exterior ones tend to be where the fresh food, dairy, and produce are. Try to avoid the interior aisles to minimize temptation and discover all the fresher options that are available.
Processed Foods Are Not Part of a Balanced Diet
When it comes to eating healthy, steering clear of highly processed foods is always a smart choice. From increased health risks to a lack of nutritional value to being highly caloric and addictive, ultra-processed foods can have a negative impact on your health and body. Fortunately, by leveraging strategies such as reading ingredient labels and cooking more meals at home, you can find ways to minimize the consumption of processed food.
If you’d like professional guidance on minimizing processed foods in your diet and pursuing an overall healthier lifestyle, schedule a time to chat with us. Our certified nutrition coaches are ready to create a customized plan to help you achieve your goals
Michael S. Parker
