What Are Processed Foods?
Author: Victoria Aly
Time for reading: ~1
minutes
Last Updated:
August 08, 2022
In this article, learn more about What Are Processed Foods?. Food processing is all types of cooking, packaging, freezing, etc..
Processed foods have a bad reputation. They are excluded from any healthy and curative diets. They are cited as the main cause of obesity, high blood pressure and type two diabetes.
But what exactly are processed foods? These are all foods that have undergone some kind of cooking, canning, freezing, packaging or a change in nutritional composition through enrichment with additional vitamins and minerals.
Every time we cook food we process it. But then why do processed foods have such a bad reputation? The answer lies in the extent to which the food is processed.
Unprocessed or minimally processed are foods that we eat raw or undergo only heat treatment - fresh vegetables, eggs, meat, milk, nuts, legumes.
Food processing with the addition of spices and sauces. These products usually give a better taste and aroma to food. And such are: various spices, balsamic vinegar, garlic, oil.
Industrially processed foods. Such are the foods to which sugar, spices, oil, etc. are added. and then packaged. Examples of such foods are plain bread, canned fish, canned beans, different types of cheese, etc. These foods are processed, but not in a way that harms our health.
Ultra-processed foods. This is the category that includes almost 50% of the calories we eat. These foods undergo serious processing (high temperatures, molding, etc.), addition of various ingredients - flavors, colors, enhancers. Examples of such foods are: carbonated drinks, chips, chocolate, candy, ice cream, sweetened cereals, packaged soups, chicken nuggets, all kinds of junk food and fried foods.
Are there any benefits to processed foods? Some types of processing include the inclusion of additional vitamins and minerals in the composition of ordinary foods. For example, milk is enriched with vitamin D and calcium, and cereals with fiber.
The negatives of processed foods come mainly from the high content of simple sugars and salt. Daily consumption of such large amounts of salt and sugar inevitably leads to health problems.
The preparation of minced meat and various types of sausages is also accompanied by a high degree of processing, various preservatives and enhancers are added to the meat, which often have a negative effect on our health.