What exactly is "Processed Food"?

Options
emstgm
emstgm Posts: 117 Member
in Food and Nutrition
It seems like a stupid question, but it's not that clear. OK, some things are clear. Twinkies are processed food. Raw carrots are not. I've got that part down.

But what about bread? Would you call that processed? I am talking about the hearty, healthy, whole grain goodness kind of bread. Not wonder bread.

What about canned veggies? I don't care for them, but sometimes eat them. Like beans, black beans and kidney beans. I usually eat those from a can. Is that processed?

What about peanut butter? I could buy a bunch of peanuts and smash them up myself, but it's a lot easier for me to buy it already made. I get the "Adams" kind with no sugar. Do you consider that processed?

I'm trying to eat healthier and eliminate processed foods from my diet, but I do still eat some (yes, I eat frozen entrees for lunch 3 x a week! Don't judge me!) So yes, I know those are processed. But there are lots of gray areas. Your thoughts?
«1345

Replies

  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
    Options
    there are different degrees of processing so it depends on the person and how much they want to cut out.

    technically, anything that is not in its original form is processed, so that would include wheat bread, peanut butter etc.

    I would define processed as ready meals / convenince food / some canned foods (veggies are not as bad as they are just plain veggies with water / salt, but meat in a can like Spam is just so wrong :sick: ) / bread that stays fresh for weeks / things that take some thinking about to work out what it is actually made out of!
  • Hananiah
    Hananiah Posts: 128 Member
    Options
    I agree with em9371.

    Also, when you get canned veggies: look for no added salt, low salt or similar.
  • Meggles63
    Meggles63 Posts: 916 Member
    Options
    Frozen veggies are awesome...not as mushy as canned and just like fresh ones, IMO.
  • nml2011
    nml2011 Posts: 156 Member
    Options
    All bread, pasta, cereals etc

    Some would even say rice.

    Most canned / frozen veg is fine.

    I wouldn't worry too much about nut butters, but the organic ones that have had the peanuts dried in the sun would be preferable, such as Whole Earth (not sure if thats available in the US but must be similar ones).
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
    Options
    If you're trying to stay away from processed food, shop the outer walls of the grocery store and avoid the aisles.
  • andforpoise
    andforpoise Posts: 185
    Options
    check out the eat clean diet and eating clean magazine... both resources have sort of cleared it up for me! And give good recipes :)
  • Lolli1986
    Lolli1986 Posts: 500 Member
    Options
    I tend to consider processed food as anything that has multiple ingredients crushed up and mushed together into a whole new item by someone who is not you, or things that have been altered in some way - pre-cooked, frozen, etc.

    If you spend most of your eating-time in the meat and veg section, you're probably eating well. If you have to eat something processed, like bread, or pasta, choose the least-processed whomeal/wholegrain option.

    The idea is to avoid highly processed and simplified carbs like white flour and sugar. These have come a long way from squeezing cane juice and grinding up wheat. The more that you allow your body to do the processing, the better (that includes chopping things up and in terms of digestion).
  • thesuperchunk
    thesuperchunk Posts: 33
    Options
    I go by "5 ingredients or less" principle. Bread should have 5 or less, yogurt 5 or less etc... Beyond that I've never really seen the point of frozen or canned vegetables.
  • emstgm
    emstgm Posts: 117 Member
    Options
    I don't really like to eat canned veggies, but sometimes we run out of fresh stuff before we get a chance to go shopping, but they are terribly high in sodium! I know that now!

    And Spam!! LOL!! That is so wrong! :sick:
  • emstgm
    emstgm Posts: 117 Member
    Options
    Oh, I also wanted to mention that a friend suggested I try Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem. WHY?? Aren't those diets almost completely processed foods? I cannot believe they are so popular.
  • junyr
    junyr Posts: 416 Member
    Options
    "Just add water". I steer clear of these. Hamburger helper also if at all possible, things like that.
  • junyr
    junyr Posts: 416 Member
    Options
    Oh, I also wanted to mention that a friend suggested I try Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem. WHY?? Aren't those diets almost completely processed foods? I cannot believe they are so popular.

    Some people are more concerned with losing weight more so than being healthy.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    Options
    they are popular because you don't have to think. they do the 'cooking' for you.

    my opinion is to shop on the edges of the grocery store (like mentioned above). You might have to go back every other day but you buy less at a time so the cost is the same. This way you can keep fresh foods in stock more readily.

    The only issue I see with the canned / frozen stuff is the sodium. I have eaten tons of 'processed' foods and haven't had any issue. Just know what you are buying - read the nutrition label in the store :)
  • kristelpoole
    kristelpoole Posts: 440 Member
    Options
    Some people might consider bread processed, but I buy mine from the bakery and have every ingredient in my pantry. Just because it's baked, I don't consider it processed, but if you want to get into the origin of the flour yadda yadda, then I stop there! haha If I buy bread from the bread aisle of a normal grocery, I'd consider it processed though because those "commercial" breads contain a lot of preservatives and things.

    All-natural peanut butter I don't consider processed.

    My rule is to look at the ingredients. If there are chemicals, preservatives, or other things to enhance shelf life, then I know it's processed.

    If it didn't exist 100 years ago, it's probably processed. :)
  • SaSSyhasCurls
    SaSSyhasCurls Posts: 93
    Options
    In all honesty everything you buy from the supermarket that isn't in it's raw (straight from the ground) form is processed. Especially everything that is located in the middle of the supermarket is processed.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Options
    A lot of what we eat is processed to some degree or another, but I'd call it processed if the cooking directions are "Open box, heat food."
  • Crimson21
    Crimson21 Posts: 148 Member
    Options
    check out the eat clean diet and eating clean magazine... both resources have sort of cleared it up for me! And give good recipes :)

    I analyzed this book for my nutrition class (I'm a Human Kinetics student...go figure), and it's actually a very good book. One problem with the book, you don't need that many servings of protein in your diet. Everything else is great. If you buy a book, try to avoid books that include "steps" and "phases", because these books are rarely successful, and it's very difficult to stay in each step.
  • cygnetpro
    cygnetpro Posts: 419 Member
    Options
    there are different degrees of processing so it depends on the person and how much they want to cut out.

    technically, anything that is not in its original form is processed, so that would include wheat bread, peanut butter etc.

    I would define processed as ready meals / convenince food / some canned foods (veggies are not as bad as they are just plain veggies with water / salt, but meat in a can like Spam is just so wrong :sick: ) / bread that stays fresh for weeks / things that take some thinking about to work out what it is actually made out of!


    What this person said, in my opinion. There was a commercial a few years ago that said, "If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it." Not a bad rule of thumb. I do eat a little packaged bread, but I also got a bread machine, and make my own for pennies. I am not a fanatic-- I eat English muffins, and have no idea how to make them. I eat real butter instead of margarine or things like that. I store a few frozen lean cuisines in the work fridge for those days I'm running late. But as often as I can, I make a batch or two of soup over the weekend to bring to work for lunch. I eat "real" cheese, and avoid "cheese-type food products". I try to buy eggs from chickens who were allowed to occasionally walk around (I'm not rabid on "free range", but there are some from happy mediums), and I buy only "gate to plate" meat from local farms. The bummer is that it is almost always more expensive to eat "real food".
  • Mynue_Jeens
    Mynue_Jeens Posts: 98 Member
    Options
    Frozen veggies keep longer and are just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts. Canned however aren't as good if there is no salt added. Keep in mind that they are cooked inside of the can which means much of the nutritional content is leached into the liquid. Keep that in mind. The one canned item I don't have a problem with is beans, they are pretty safe bets but anything else (for me) I'd get fresh or frozen. But even now, since I eat so many beans, I've decided to start buying them dry. It takes much more time to prepare but I 'll get a lot more for my money.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Options
    Think of how close the end product is to the way the food grew. Peanut butter is minimally processed if it's natural (not a lot of added ingredients). Breads vary. 100% whole grain bread is less processed than white bread, which has had the bran removed and is bleached. Sausage, bacon and deli meats are processed because they have added ingredients.

Categories