Breads, pasta, and cereal made from refined grains have been stripped of fiber and minerals. Consuming these ultra-processed foods can trigger inflammation and are known culprits for certain diseases including obesity and heart disease. Although some products like nuts are naturally good for you and are most often considered healthy, but flavored nuts can be packed with extra sugar and salt. To avoid all the confusion, you can eat nuts out of the shell.
An unprocessed food product is the editable parts of a plant or animal, where minimally processed foods have been slightly altered in a way that does not substantially change the nutritional content of the food. Foods, such as oils and flour, are processed culinary ingredients that are typically not eaten on their own but are used to prepare minimally-processed products. Highly processed foods, on the other hand, may use several steps and can be low in fiber and nutrients.
Since there are numerous differences between minimally processed and highly processed foods, it is important to be selective. Nutrition facts labels are useful in determining your best food choices, such as:
- Packaged Salads or Vegetables – Processing is often used to make shopping the produce aisle easier and more convenient for you at home. Cleaned and pre-cut, minimally processed veggies are ready to eat raw, add to a soup, or microwave as a tasty side dish.
- Canned Tomatoes – Canned tomatoes provide your body with lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant. This phytochemical has been shown in hundreds of food studies to have a positive impact on breast cancer, heart cancer, inflammation, and prostate cancer.
- Greek Yogurt – In general, Greek yogurts are high in protein and provide high-quality micronutrients like calcium and probiotics. Just like popular breakfast cereals you should choose products that are low fat and zero added sugars.
- Pickles – Although salt is added to the brine to preserve pickles and make them extra tasty, pickles generally offer more vitamins and fiber that a raw cucumber. But, read the food label and select pickled products that contain the least amounts of sugar and sodium.
- Hummus – Depending on your health goals and dietary needs, hummus can be a healthy addition to your menu plan. Hummus is a relatively high protein and moderate fat food. However, always check the product food label as some brands contain much more sodium than others.
- Matcha Powder – Studies have linked green tea to a variety of health benefits, like helping to prevent heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. Matcha is high in a catechin called epigallocatechin gallate, which is believed to lower risks for certain cancers.
- Granola Bars – Granola bars are a processed food product that has proportioned amounts of oats, nuts, seed, and dried fruit. Many granola products can improve heart health and blood sugar control as a healthy food or can be loaded with added sugars and other less healthy ingredients… so read the food label.
The package can say it is low-carb or low-fat but that doesn’t tell you everything you need to know to make a better food selection. Good news is the Nutrition Facts label provides pertinent information on ingredients by weight as well as nutrition highs and lows. Some food experts recommend that you limit your choice of processed food products to one that contains five or fewer ingredients. That may not provide the best information, but it keeps it simple.
Ensuring food safety is shared responsibility and food labels keep the consumer informed about the amount of each ingredient contained in processed food. Reading labels can help you make better processed food choices. Food packaging is often filled with colors, images, catch phrases, and deceptive marketing messages. If you’re trying to choose between two processed food products, you need to look at the information contained on the nutrition facts label.
