We hear over and over that we should cut back on processed foods to have a more healthful diet. On the surface that sounds good but is that really accurate? When you review a time line of How America Grew related to food trends over the last 50 years in America, it is easy to see that processed foods were a central part of the growth. The FDA terms processed food as "any food other than a raw agricultural commodity and includes any raw agricultural commodity that has been subject to processing, such as canning, cooking, freezing, dehydration, or milling." The last time I checked, staples like bread and soy milk are processed foods since I can't really make a sandwich out of a pile of grain or drink soy beans. The process of turning wheat into bread is about an eight step process while turning soy beans into soy milk takes about 12 steps. So are these the types of processed foods I should be limiting? Traditional food processing has been around for generations and served two basic functions. The first was to make food more digestible and the second was to preserve food when it is available for times when it would be scarce. Traditional processing was done by farmers and artisans such as bread makers, cheese makers, distillers and millers. This process produced food and profits for not only a farmer but also the community. Food processing of this type took the best of a main ingredient like wheat and turned it into a nutritious and easily consumed and digested product, such as bread. Most of the processed food we know today has come from industrial processing practices that took the process out of the hands of local artisans. Many times nutrients are destroyed or altered during processing, and additional additives are included to increase shelf life, alter color, texture or taste. Today's industrial processing typically uses refined sugars, white flour, processed and hydrogenated oils, and additives of synthetic vitamins as much as it uses key ingredients like wheat or beans. Your overall goal should be to try and decrease the negatively processed foods in favor of the healthy, nutrient-rich options. Here are a few ways you can decrease your negatively processed food choices for your family.
We will most likely always have to select some processed foods as we make meal choices each day. However, we can limit the pre packaged convenience foods and processed and preserved meats we select. We can pick whole grains, low-sodium and trans fat-free choices as much as possible and get back to making what we can for ourselves. I live a busy life full of work, running kids and volunteering and don't really enjoy cooking. I have found that with a little planning related to menu ideas and making sure I have all the ingredients I will need on hand, my family can have a well-balanced, less-processed meal many nights each week. Have you been able to decrease your negatively processed foods in favor of more positively processed foods?
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Just FYI, I lost 35+ lbs eating this way and we really enjoy it! Report
Original state? The organic feed I buy converts into eggs and poultry. The veggies come from seeds that I plant myself and the sprouts are from the organic seeds that I buy. Avocados have a brown wrapper that I just peel off.
I think that the biggest processed food that I buy is organic cold pressed extra extra virgin olive oil.
I do buy snacks and outside food rarely. Report
cooking with new whole grains like barley and quinoa has been fun. I like to cook ahead and potion out what I need for the week or freeze some of it.
Adding nuts, seeds and nut butters to my diet has been great! I just love knowing the proper portions and working them into my diet. In the past when I dieted they were always off limits, now I get to enjoy them on a dail basis.
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I am really a fresh vegetable freak and came home today with butternut squash, acorn squash, brussel sprouts, kale, red peppers, cucumbers, cabbage, and a bag of shredded cabbage to make my husband's coleslaw. Vegetable drawer already contains romaine, spring mix, celery and lots of other salad makings. And lots of fruits. But I still keep canned ones on hand.
All of my cooking is done from scratch and has been for the 54 years I've been married. And yes, I worked full time, raised 3 kids, canned and froze foods, and led a very busy life and still do today. Report
I've decided to do as much as I can to see to it that they get less of mine!
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When we have an abundance of veges I make all our sauces, relishes, chutneys & jams. We sell a lot of these through our small shop where we sell our veges & herbs, and I always have a supply at home for us & friends to enjoy.
I would absolutely hate to rely on buying all our produce to eat as I would be in the dark as to how much spray etc had been used on the product.
We have just brought 2 beautiful hens who lay our eggs 6 out of 7 days,
and wander around our very large garden giving us fertalizer as well.
I am saving to buy a pasta maker so I can produce our healthy pastas as well. I do have a bread maker but cheat by going to the supermarket to purchase a 7 grain bread which is delicious, healthy & takes no time to cook.
I believe we all do the best we can, it is only knowledge about foods that change the way we do things, we all strive to make healthy choices for us & our families. Report
I've never heard the term used to mean not to eat any bread. In fact, almost every time I've heard the term used, it has context included in to explain that it means foods that have been processed to the point that they are unhealthy. Whole grain is processed, but I've never heard the term used to refer to not eating whole grain and I doubt anybody could make that mistake because in the next sentence people usually give examples of whole grain bread versus white bread.
Canned fruits and vegetables are bad for you not just because of sodium by the way.
I mean, some of them are loaded with high fructose corn syrup, but they'd be bad for you even if that wasn't the case.
What most people don't know about canned foods is that many companies that can fruits and vegetables REMOVE VITAMINS from these canned foods to sell seperately.
Go pick up a can of mandarin oranges next time you're in the grocery store. Check to see if you get more than 4% of your daily allowance of vitamin C. Too often, the answer is that you don't. Take out the vitamins and you are left with filler. Calorie rich, nutrient poor foods.
Other processed foods like prepared meals just take whatever price saving shortcuts that they can.
What's really important is to actually understand for yourself the underlying reasons behind any diet or nutrition advice and think for yourself instead of relying on others. Report
I love to cook, but I don't want to cook every single night -I hate doing dishes -so I do some form of batch preparation a few nights a week.... Report