What is processed food?

Ngolden1

I have a general sense - if it comes frozen, in an artificial shape, with preservatives or chemicals, if it doesn't go bad... But there are some things I am unsure of. For instance, frozen vegetables? What about the Steamfresh veggies you can cook in the microwave? (As a subset of that question - do these veggies have the same nutritional value as fresh veggies?). Also, what about veggie burgers (my guess is yes?). What about instant oatmeal? Pre-packaged turkey slices? These are foods I eat all the time. How do I know if it is a "real food"?

SyreetaJayne1

One thing i keep hearing is that if you shop on the outskirts of the grocery store (fruits, vegetables, refrigerator section, freezer section, etc), you're doing good. it's everything in the middle aisles (yep, you're right, the stuff that doesn't go bad) that is not really good for you.

amycal

There are several books out about this subject including Ultrametabolism by Dr. Hyman and the Schwarzbein Principle by Diane Schwazrbein.

I don't think frozen veggies count as a processed food but microwaving anything in plastic is not good so I would stay away from steamfresh and buy cheaper frozen veggies and cook in pan or glass bowl with wax paper on top in microwave.

Turkey - definitely processed. Instand oatmeal - proably too. You can buy Quaker Oats old fashioned oats that cook in 2 minutes in the microwave. We do that all the time.

stormieweather

Basically, I view anything that has been altered from it's original form (as it came from the ground or a mother), as processed. Canned, frozen, blanched, preserved, enriched, bleached, dehydrated, pasturized, fortified, refined, or packaged. Raw veggies, fruits and meats and dairy (without preservatives) are basic 'real' foods.

kayemme

in the general sense, everything is processed, so what you look for are things that are the least amount processed.

for example, oatmeal isn't necessarily processed, but quick oats (i believe) are parboiled, so they come to you partially cooked and dry. is it the end of the world? nah.. but those instant oatmeals with things added, those are too processed for me (because they add all the other stuff in, the oats are probably the same).

many frozen vegetables are flash frozen and actually retain more nutrients than some of the trucked in "fresh" ones. it really depends on > where < you get your food... like from a local farm or a box grocer.

veggie burgers are processed, yes. so then you need to look at the ingredients: processed with what? i make black bean burgers at home, they're processed, too, but i process them. all meat is processed (obviously) for safety reasons.

yours is such a good question because it has such a long list of possible answers. there's not really a cut-and-dry answer because it's a matter of degrees. not all processed food is bad for you, but it's a matter of percentages and degrees to which a thing is processed.

i hope that helps. i recognize it might be a little vague.

bbygrl5

You ask a good question. There are definitely different levels of processed foods. Bottom line, the more natural the food is.. meaning without the interference of mankinds processes, the better. Frozen blueberries aren't going to be quite as good as the fresh thing, but it's a heck of a lot better than a McRib, lol.

The more natural you can eat, the better, but we all have to find out where that line is for us individually. I commented because it's something I'm struggling with now. I eat very healthy the majority of the time. I would love to commit to whole eating even more, so I can achieve a lean, runner's body, but I have to decide where the convenience factor is for me.

I stay away from prepackaged meals the majority of the time, but dang it, I'm human and sometimes I have to have a little Taco Bell, lol. For me it's been an ongoing process, one that no one can do perfectly and every time you make a more natural food selection, you are winning.

stormieweather

Just to add, I do eat processed foods to a small degree - but I make sure there are no preservatives, msg, chemicals, artificial sweeteners, bleaching or enriching involved.

kayemme

Basically, I view anything that has been altered from it's original form (as it came from the ground or a mother), as processed. Canned, frozen, blanched, preserved, enriched, bleached, dehydrated, pasturized, fortified, refined, or packaged. Raw veggies, fruits and meats and dairy (without preservatives) are basic 'real' foods.

this is a great response! when you look for the words or ideas that stormie listed, these are good indicators of processing. also if you see HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) in ANY of the ingredients list, that is a fine indicator of heavily processed food. that's not to say HFCS is necessarily bad for you in its own right (the argument is still open, but i avoid it), but it's a perfect example of heavy processing.

SaraTonin

Veggie burgers yes. Turkey slices HELL YES. I hate processed meats!! It's worth it to buy an organic turkey, freeze it in pieces, and microwave it for sandwiches. The nitrites in processed meats are a known carcinogen, meaning they cause cancer. Plus real turkey tastes better!

Frozen veggies, it depends. If it comes pre-seasoned or with butter, it likely has some preservatives and added salts that aren't good for you. If you get just regular veggies without seasonings, they are more healthful than canned veggies. However, fresh is always the best bet.

If you COOK your fresh vegetables, this is about the same as buying frozen and steaming them. It's the act of cooking that takes away nutritional value. Not very much is lost in the flash freezing.

Instant oatmeal is fine, I would say. Sure it's processed, but it's not much different from the real deal nutritionally.

rmkorama

Frozen vegetables are generally not processed except in the sense of someone else being involved in cutting and packaging, but be wary of things with added flavorings, sauces, or "seasoned" because generally that means added calories, fat, and sodium. The steamfresh, again if they are plain veggies, are fine, and frozen veggies are very healthy. Vegetables in the produce section are not necessarily all that fresh if they were transported 1000 miles in order to get to your grocery store. Frozen vegetables and fruits are generally frozen at the peak of ripeness. They will have a different texture, though, and will exude much more water, so keep that in mind.

As for pre-packaged turkey slices, generally yes, they are processed. Check the label, but lunchmeat is notorious for being filled with salt and preservatives. Same is true for prepackaged veggie burgers and such, though I'm not a expert on that area.

I kind of used the following guidelines when considering whether or not something is a "real" food. How many ingredients does it have, and how many of them can I not pronounce? If the answer to the second question is more than 0, then it's processed.

tameka1220

Basically, I view anything that has been altered from it's original form (as it came from the ground or a mother), as processed. Canned, frozen, blanched, preserved, enriched, bleached, dehydrated, pasturized, fortified, refined, or packaged. Raw veggies, fruits and meats and dairy (without preservatives) are basic 'real' foods.

I AGREE!!!

MardellD

I tend to agree with alot of what has been said, that vast majority of foods are processed. If it comes pre-packaged or pre-made in almost any form then there is some processing and alot of the times chemicals that go in to the foods.
Frozen veggies really arn't that bad, but if you are concerned and can do it grow your own and can/freeze for the winter months.
I try to stay away from processed things in any form, aswell as anything that has MSG, preservatives and food dyes/additives. It's scary what even the dyes can do to your system. A good resource to check in to is the Feingold diet it talks alot about processed foods and the consequences.

JennaM222

if it comes in a box or a can, it is probably processed.

kayemme

also, even "fresh" produce has been processed > apples are waxed, as are cucumbers and sometimes peppers. tomatoes are picked unripe and then kept cold to ripen "on the way" to market... these count as processing, too!

as stated, it's a matter of degrees. i'll gladly take the apple over the apple sauce with the "fabulous new and improved" label.

Ngolden1

These comments are very helpful. I think they reflect the complexity pretty well. I do generally eat healthy, and as someone else said, would like to take the next step in committing to "real foods." When people speak of doing this, they make it sound like a simple choice. But the reality is that, as pointed out, nearly everything is processed. There is also the convenience factor. In today's world, we are on the go a lot and have to prepare meals at work in the microwave. I know I need things I can grab quickly that don't need a lot of prep, and these are often processed. Then there's the issue of what was used to grow the food, what were the animals fed etc...I think I agree that looking to minimize processed foods, if they can't be avoided all together, is probably the way to go.

tlp8rb

If there's anything on the ingredients label that I can't pronounce, I don't eat it.

dobergfell

I tend to think of processed as more of an ingredient issue than a storage issue. Whether a food is frozen, canned, bagged, fully-cooked, partially-cooked, etc. doesn't really matter in my opinion. What matters is what ingredients are added, or what nutrients are taken away. In particular I try to stay away from items that contain chemicals, corn syrup, preservatives, excess sodium, or have words like "bleached, enriched, refined". The simpler the ingredient list the better.

Now personally, I am not always good about staying away from processed foods, but I do my best.

Small steps add up to a long journey.