Processed Foods

Real vs Processed Food Explained

The word “processed” often causes some confusion, so let me clarify what it means.

There is a difference between mechanical processing and chemical processing.

If it’s a single ingredient food with no added chemicals, then it doesn’t matter if it’s been ground or put into a jar. It’s still real food.

However, foods that have been chemically processed and made solely from refined ingredients and artificial substances, are what is generally known as processed food.

Processing occurs any time you alter a food’s original form. This includes freezing, fortifying, and fermenting. Lightly processed foods such as frozen, unseasoned vegetables don’t pose any health concerns — in fact, freezing produce preserves some of the nutrient content. That said, heavily processed foods laden with fat, salt and sugar — such as deli meats, cheesy crackers and frozen pizza — may cause health problems when consumed regularly. In addition, processing techniques such as canning or dehydrating MAY cause foods to lose vitamin C, B vitamins and other important nutrients.

Sodium Overload

Most Americans consume far more sodium than they need, mainly from processed and restaurant-prepared foods. High-sodium diets are linked to high blood pressure, possibly increasing an risk of heart disease and stroke. Most people should get no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day, and those with higher risk of cardiovascular disease should get no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day.

Weight Worries

Research shows that diets rich in processed meats, refined grains and sugar-sweetened foods are more likely to lead to obesity than diets based on whole grains, fruits and vegetables, according to Harvard School of Public Health. Obesity increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, arthritis, Type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. Therefore, avoiding refined and heavily processed foods may help you maintain a healthy weight and possibly reduce your risk of chronic disease.

Rich in Sugar and/or Fructose Syrup

Excess sugar presents empty calories that don’t offer any nutritional value to the meal. As the sweet taste is very delicious, it is also contributing to addiction. Sugar consumption is often also the main reason behind reduced insulin resistance and diabetes. It can also cause heart diseases and cancer.

Furthermore, there are numerous forms of corn syrup that contain refined fructose. These are added to almost all processed foods to enhance the flavor. They are designed to re-program your body to ‘want more’ which leads to the need for more calories. Your body reacts to this by storing more fats and making you fatter.

Fructose is mainly metabolized by liver and excessive consumption leads to liver damages. This is similar to alcohol consumption, as both alcohol and fructose get filtered by the liver.

Processed foods are usually loaded with added sugar… or its evil twin, High Fructose Corn Syrup.

It is well known that sugar, when consumed in excess, is seriously harmful.

As we all know, added sugar is “empty” calories – it has no essential nutrients, but a large amount of energy.

But empty calories are really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the harmful effects of sugar…

Many studies show that sugar can have devastating effects on metabolism that go way beyond its calorie content.

It can lead to insulin resistance, high triglycerides, increased levels of the harmful cholesterol and increased fat accumulation in the liver and abdominal cavity.

Not surprisingly, sugar consumption is strongly associated with some of the world’s leading killers… including heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer.

Most people aren’t putting massive amounts of sugar in their coffee (some are) or on top of their cereal, they’re getting it from processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Bottom Line: Processed foods and beverages are the biggest sources of added sugar (and HFCS) in the diet. Sugar is very unhealthy and can have serious adverse effects on metabolism when consumed in excess.

Contain Artificial Ingredients

If you look at the ingredients label for a processed, packaged food, chances are that you won’t have a clue what some of the ingredients are.

That’s because many of the ingredients in there aren’t actual food… they are artificial chemicals that are added for various purposes.

Highly processed foods often contain:

• Preservatives: Chemicals that prevent the food from rotting.

• Colorants: Chemicals that are used to give the food a specific color.

• Flavor: Chemicals that give the food a particular flavor.

• Texturants: Chemicals that give a particular texture.

Keep in mind that processed foods can contain dozens of additional chemicals that aren’t even listed on the label.

For example, “artificial flavor” is a proprietary blend. Manufacturers don’t have to disclose exactly what it means and it is usually a combination of chemicals.

For this reason, if you see “artificial flavor” on an ingredients list, it could mean that there are 10 or more additional chemicals that are blended in to give a specific flavor.

Of course, most of these chemicals have allegedly been tested for safety. But given that the regulatory authorities still think that sugar and vegetable oils are safe, you should personally take their “stamp of approval” with a grain of salt.

Bottom Line: Most highly processed foods are loaded with artificial chemicals, including flavorants, texturants, colorants and preservatives.

Watch out, sugar and fructose are not only added to sweet foods. They are also present in savory and sour foods. It is important to understand that the more fructose you consume, the worse your health will get.

Rich in Refined Carbs

Carbs are a great source of energy that can also easily become your worst enemy. Refined or simple carbs, which are often found in processed foods, break down fast once consumed. They turn into sugar which increases your leptin and insulin levels. After a few hours, the sugar levels go down and you become hungry again. This way, the insulin resistance malfunctions and your body becomes more prone to diseases and health conditions such as diabetes. Almost all chronic diseases and conditions, including weight gaining, are linked to reduced insulin resistance.

Make sure that you consume real carbs and avoid simple carbs. Keep in mind all the harmful properties and impacts of processed foods and make changes in your diet. Getting rid of refined carbs is a good start.

Low in Nutrients

Unlike whole (unprocessed) foods, processed foods are very low in essential nutrients. Due to the loss of nutrients during food processing, vitamins and minerals are often artificially added to the food. Replacement such as this, however, is neither healthy nor natural.

Besides minerals and vitamins, there are also numerous other nutrients and antioxidants that processed food lacks. They can’t be replaced artificially which is why it is so important to consume whole foods during every meal.