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What is processed food? Well it's basically any food that isn't in its whole, original form. Nowadays, almost every thing we eat has gone through some kind of processing. For example, wheat is processed into flour, and then into bread. Meat is processed into sausage- along with some other ingredients.
Processing can serve a useful and necessary function in the food industry, but unfortunately it can also take away nutrients from the food you eat.
Every added step of processing removes the original beneficial nutrients from food. For example, when wheat is hulled and then ground up and bleached to make white bread, it loses all of it's nutrients in the process. To make up for that, manufacturers add synthetic vitamins back into the dough before it is cooked. Unfortunately, they can't replace the fiber or the other nutrients that were taken out during processing, so we are left with a less nutritious product.
Another problem with processed foods is not what they take out, but also what they put in. Processing tends to add much more sodium to food, as well as fat, and chemical preservatives like BHT. Check out the sodium and fat content of your favorite chips, hot dogs, or frozen dinners, and you'll know what we mean.
So how can you reduce the amount of processed foods in your diet? First of all, eat more home cooked meals. The food you get at the grocery store is less likely to be processed than the quick meals you get at fast food restaurants. But there are also some foods at the grocery store that are more wholesome than others. The term "wholesome" tells you what you should be looking for: whole foods, as close to their natural state as possible. Here are some hints to help you get the most nutrients as possible from your grocery purchases.
Whole grain bread and brown rice have more fiber and more nutrients than the bleached white alternatives.
Frozen dinners and dehydrated foods are quick to prepare, but they are usually high in fat and sodium with very few beneficial nutrients. It's worth the extra time it takes to make a fresh meal yourself.
Always read the labels! The fewer ingredients on the ingredient list, the better. Avoid words like refined and hydrogenated, as well as colors and preservatives
You're always safe with fresh fruits and vegetables-they're as wholesome as you can get!
Prepare your own meals when you can, it's the only way to know exactly what you're eating.
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