CRAP:The Illusion & Delusion of Healthy Packagedd/Processed FoodsJeff Novick, MS, RDN
We hear a lot about the evils of processed foods but not all processed foods are harmful and in fact, many are highly beneficial. Many people tout that they eat only "unprocessed" foods but that is not only impossible, even if it was, it is not necessary. Realize that the majority of all the food we eat, unless you grow it in your backyard and eat it immediately after picking it without washing it, slicing it, cutting it or cooking it, is processed. Processing is anything we do to the food.
This is why in my thread, "The Five Pillars of Healthy Eating - A Common Sense Approach To Nutrition"
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=37450 I say for principle #2) - Minimally Processed - Enjoy foods as close to "as grown in nature" with
minimal processing that does not detract from the nutritional value &/or add in any harmful components. This is what we want and pretty much sums it up. The issue is not processing, per see, but the type and extent of the processing. And whether or not it "detracts from the nutritional value and/or add in any harmful components."
I also don't use the term "whole" as it is confusing and has little meaning. It has no standard definition and is used in the promotion of highly processed foods and supplements. To me, it can be as confusing and misused as the word natural.
In addition, if you are familiar with my teachings then you will know that, in order to help clarify this issue, I have a list of the 10 Healthiest Packaged Foods, which, are all foods I highly recommend.
http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Articles/E ... Foods.htmlI also have a label reading system that teaches how to find the other healthiest foods outside of the above 10, amongst the more processed foods. I do recommend that these foods, outside the 10 above, make up a small part of your diet, as they will have some added salt, sugar, and/or fat etc.
https://www.facebook.com/notes/jeff-nov ... 3112881818So, while we are on the topic, lets take it further.
In looking at processed foods, there are several approaches to differentiating the type of processing.
The US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Health and Human Services, Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee 2010 report defines processed foods as:
"Any food other than a raw agricultural commodity, including any raw agricultural commodity that has been subject to washing, cleaning, milling, cutting, chopping, heating, pasteurizing, blanching, cooking, canning, freezing, drying, dehydrating, mixing, packaging, or other procedures that alter the food from its natural state. Processing also may include the addition of other ingredients to the food, such as preservatives, flavors, nutrients, and other food additives or substances approved for use in food products, such as salt, sugars, and fats. Processing of foods, including the addition of ingredients, may reduce, increase, or leave unaffected the nutritional characteristics of raw agricultural commodities."This is the International Food Information Council Foundation's "Continuum of Processed Foods: Categories and Examples."
http://old.foodinsight.org/LinkClick.as ... tabid=1398● Minimally processed foods
- Washed, packaged fruits and vegetables
● Foods processed for preservation
- Canned/frozen fruits and vegetables
● Mixtures of combined ingredients
- Cake mixes, salad dressings
● Ready-to-eat foods
- Breakfast cereals, lunch meats, carbonated beverages
● Convenience
- Frozen meals/pizzas
I found the work of Dr Carlos Monteiro, a professor at the University of São Paulo, Brazil and Head of the University’s Centre for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition, much better, and am incorporating and applying many of his ideas to the WFPB world.
http://www.euro.who.int/en/media-centre ... .-monteiroBasically, he divides food into 4 categories.
1) Unprocessed/Minimally Processed Foods - Does not change the nutritional properties of the food or add in any harmful components. This is what should be the majority of our diet and, for many years, was.
An example is an apple or applesauce made from just apples.
2) Ingredients, Extracts, Powders, etc - These are extracted, refined or purified substance such as oils, solid fats, proteins, sugars, syrups, juices, flours and salt etc that come from minimally processed foods. These are often depleted of nutrients and provide little beyond calories. These do not normally exist in nature as "food" and so in the old days, we rarely ate these, as is but added small amounts of these to unprocessed/minimally processed foods. They are not health promoting but in small amounts are not harmful. They can be vegan, raw, organic, GMO free.
An example is salt or sugar and if we added some of either or both of these ourselves to the same apple or applesauce (or if a food company did).
3) Ultra (Overly) Processed Foods Food "products" made from ingredients, extracts, substances, cheap parts or remnants of animal food with little or no whole foods. These also do not exist in nature and are not health promoting. Minimal amounts are harmless. They are also often known as Fast Food or Convenience Food and they can be vegan, raw, organic, or GMO free.
An example would be convenient store apple pie like this one.
http://www.amazon.com/Tastykake-pack-6- ... B0023UVT7I4) Premium Ultra (Overly) Processed FoodsThese are Ultra Processed foods that have been minimally modified to give the illusion and delusion of being healthy/healthier when compared with ‘regular’ Ultra Processed Foods. Often they will contain less fat, or no trans fats, or less sugar, less salt, more added micronutrients, or sometimes a little more whole foods such as fruits and nuts but are not any healthier. These are being marketed to be as healthy as minimally processed foods and are the most harmful because of this marketing illusion and delusion of being healthy
An example is the above apple pie but slightly modified so it can be sold as vegan, organic, GMO-free, that is also lower in fat (or carb, or sugar) with added bits of acai berry, flax seed, etc and sold to be as *healthy* with *as much vitamin c and antioxidants as eating 2 real apples and a bowl of blueberries.*
The main problems with Ultra Processed Foods and Premium Ultra Processed foods are
Nutrition
- Calorie Dense
- High in fat, saturated fat, trans-fats, sugar & sodium
- Low in nutrients, fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytochemical, fiber, water
Cost
- Cheaper to manufacture
- Cheaper to buy
Packaging
- Come in super-sized packages and portions
Ubiquitous
- Late night & 24/7 outlets
- Vending Machines
- - streets, gas stations, hospitals, schools, etc
Impact
- They now make up about 2/3's to 3/4's (or more) of the average Americans intake.
Highly processed foods dominate US grocers
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=47577As Carlos Monteiro said,
“Their high energy density, hyper-palatability, their marketing in large and super-sizes, and aggressive and sophisticated advertising, all undermine the normal processes of appetite control, cause over-consumption, and therefore cause obesity, and diseases associated with obesity.” Increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods and likely impact on human health: evidence from Brazil. Public Health Nutrition: 14(1), 5–13 doi:10.1017/S1368980010003241xt
So, the majority of our food should come from unprocessed/minimally processed foods. Like with my 10 Healthiest Packaged Foods, these foods may even be frozen or in a box or a can and have nothing in them but the food itself. To that, most of us can add some of the ingredients, extracts (i.e., salt, sugar, etc) etc in small amounts without harming ourselves. We should greatly limit any of the Ultra processed foods and those are the ones that I give my label reading guidelines for. Premium ultra processed foods products are just the same junk as ultra processed food products, that are made to look healthier and cost more. Caveat Emptor.
As Carlos Monteiro also said,
"The most important factor now, when considering food, nutrition and public health, is not nutrients, and is not foods, so much as what is done to foodstuffs and the nutrients originally contained in them, before they are purchased and consumed. That is to say, the big issue is food processing—or, to be more precise, the nature, extent and purpose of processing, and what happens to food and to us as a result of processing."I agree as these ultra and premium ultra processed foods have invaded the WFPB and Vegan world and are becoming more and more prevalent and are being marketed and being seen as healthy.
Remember,
"Cut The CRAP: Calorie Rich and Processed Foods"In Health
Jeff