Processed foods

What are considered processed foods?

Processed foods are anything that has been altered during preparation. This just means these foods are not whole, natural foods. Typically, this involves the addition of fats, sugar, and salt to packaged foods. Not all processed foods are unhealthy, but eating whole foods is important for any diet.

What are some facts about eating processed foods?

Heavily processed foods often include unhealthy levels of added sugar, sodium and fat. These ingredients make the food we eat taste better, but too much of them leads to serious health issues like obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Lacking in nutritional value.

What are highly processed foods?

Nearly all foods are processed, at least to some extent. For example, manufacturers process dried beans to make them shelf-stable. This does not make them less healthy.

Ultra-processed, or highly processed, foods typically contain substances you wouldn’t use in food preparation at home, such as:

• hydrolyzed proteins
• modified starches
• hydrogenated oils
• colorants
• flavorings
• high fructose corn syrup
• artificial sweeteners
• bulking agents

Examples of highly processed foods

Now that you have a general idea of what makes a food highly processed, you’re probably wondering which foods and beverages fall into this category.

Here are some common examples of ultra-processed foods:

• sugary beverages such as carbonated soft drinks, sugary coffee drinks, energy drinks, and fruit punch
• sweet or savory packaged snacks such as chips and cookies
• sweetened breakfast cereals such as Froot Loops, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and sweetened oatmeals
• baking mixes such as stuffing, cake, brownie, and cookie mixes
• reconstituted meat products such as hot dogs and fish sticks
• frozen meals such as pizza and TV dinners
• powdered and packaged instant soups
• candies and other confectionery
• packaged breads and buns
• energy and protein bars and shakes
• meal replacement shakes and powders meant for weight loss
• boxed pasta products
• ice cream, sweetened yogurt, and cocoa mixes
• margarine and other ultra-processed spreads such as sweetened cream cheese

Keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive. Many other foods and ingredients are also considered ultra-processed.

It’s not always immediately clear whether a food is highly processed, which could make it difficult for consumers to minimize these products in their diet.

The most reliable way to identify highly processed foods is to read the ingredient labels.

Ultra-processed foods have ingredients like:

• artificial colorings and flavorings
• thickeners and preservatives
• hydrolyzed proteins
• sweeteners such as fructose, high fructose corn syrup, invert sugar, and maltodextrin
• hydrogenated or interesterified oils
• bulking, foaming, and gelling agents
• flavor enhancers such as monosodium glutamate (MSG)

The world of food additives can be overwhelming and confusing, and you might find it difficult to identify everything on ingredient lists.

What are the 5 most processed foods to avoid?

Here is a short list of some unhealthy processed foods to avoid:

• Sugary beverages such as sweetened coffee and tea, energy drinks and soft drinks.
• Deli meats, hot dogs and sausages.
• Frozen pizza and frozen meals.
• Packaged snacks such as chips, cookies, crackers and baked goods.
• Most breakfast cereals.
• Canned or instant soups.

What are considered healthy foods?

In general, fresh vegetables, fruits, pasteurized milk, chicken, fish, beans, and eggs are considered unprocessed or minimally processed.

This is because these foods go through no or minimal processing before you buy them or harvest them yourself.

We commonly refer to these foods as “whole foods” because they are in their original, whole form or very close to it.

Here are some examples of healthy, whole foods:

• vegetables and fruits, including fresh, frozen, or unsweetened dried produce
• grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and buckwheat
• legumes such as beans and lentils
• starchy root vegetables such as potatoes, cassava, and sweet potatoes
• meat, poultry, eggs, and fish
• fresh or pasteurized milk and plain yogurt
• 100% fruit or vegetable juice
• herbs and spices
• tea (specially herbal tea)
• nuts and seeds
• water

Items made from whole foods — such as granola made with oats, dried fruit, and no added sugar, or polenta made with whole cornmeal — are also considered minimally processed and therefore “healthy.”

Additionally, some oils, such as olive oil and avocado oil, are derived from whole foods and are considered a healthy choice.

For example, a homemade soup made with chicken, vegetables, brown rice, and broth is likely much more nutritious than a highly processed canned or boxed soup mix.