Question on processed foods

hickory

Yes, it's me again. The woman of a thousand questions

So, we all know that processed foods are bad for us - but what exactly constitutes processed foods? I mean, does EVERYTHING have to be fresh from the produce section (veggies/fruits)...meat from the butcher...?? We don't have a lot of room to store a lot of fresh stuff...and we live a long ways from the nearest grocery store...so if I use frozen veggies - is that considered processed? If I eat FiberOne yogurt - is that OK? Just trying to get a sense of what is considered "quality" calories and what isn't. Thanks!!!

lotusfromthemud

Here's my rule:

If you can pronounce all the ingredients, it's most likely not overly processed.

The other thing I try to do (less difficult than it sounds) is if I'm not picking something up from the produce section (canned/frozen goods) I aim for one ingredient. So, a can of tomato paste should have the following ingredient list: "tomatoes". or a package of frozen broccoli should say "broccoli."

In a great book called "In Defense of Food". . .the author states (paraphrasing) that if your great grandmother wouldn't recognize it, don't eat it. So, IMHO, that would leave the fiber one yogurt out. Plain, yogurt (which should have 3 ingredients in it, tops) is better for you, if an acquired taste.

:flowerforyou:

PureAndHealthy

I agree. Poo on FiberOne yogurt. Buy lowfat plain yogurt and check the ingredients... you can add some raw sugar or stevia or honey for sweetness, but if the yogurt people add it, they put high fructose corn syrup or aspartame or "artificial flavors", dyes, etc. Yuck. Frozen veggies are fine... they haven't been processed (mushed up, heated, molecules removed...). Just, like the previous poster said, check the ingredients. Frozen corn should have as it's ONLY ingredient "corn".

hickory

Thank you! Sounds so simple...I'll definitely check labels more.