The next time you go grocery shopping, study your cart as you stand in the checkout line. How much of your food is fresh and how much is processed? Your future health is sitting there in front of you. So why think about processed or unprocessed food?
The more highly processed your food is, the more likely you are to have difficulty managing your weight and therefore your health. The culprits in processed food basically are sugar, fat, and salt. It seems these ingredients trigger the “reward” system in our brains by increasing the desire for more. Who can eat just one Oreo cookie? The consequence over time is weight gain which triggers risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and other conditions that underly these diseases.
If your grocery cart is 60% or more full of ultra processed food, it would be smart to rethink what you are buying. A study based on data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found the U.S. diet is based on 60% of ultra processed foods. So, what’s in your cart?
Food Processing
In 2009 a Portuguese public health researcher, Carlos Augusto Monteiro, at the Sao Paulo University in Brazil began to study why less affluent people were prone to being to be overweight while more affluent people maintained normal weight. It turns out he found, poorer people were eating more processed foods and had poorer health. Out of this research, the “Nova System” of categorizing the degree of processing was developed. (“Nova” in Portuguese means “new”.)
(1) Unprocessed or minimally processed foods.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, fish, poultry, nuts, eggs, coffee, and milk are minimally processed to prepare for market. Processing includes freezing, canning, pasteurization, or vacuum packing to allow foods to be safely preserved. Nutritional content is not generally altered. No added sugar, fat, or salt
(2) Processed culinary ingredients.
These are minimally processed food ingredients that are not usually eaten alone but are used to prepare, season, and cook foods. Processing includes grinding, milling, pressing, or drying. Ingredients include oils from nuts, seeds, plants, collected honey, ground and milled flour, butter, sugar.
(3) Processed foods.
These foods may be made from a combination of the first two groups of food, but may have added fat, sugar, or salt. Preservation methods include canning, bottling, freezing. Additives to preserve shelf-life, prevent the spread of microorganisms, or to improve flavor, like spices, are often used. Vitamins and minerals may be added for additional nutrition. Examples of processed foods include canned fruits in syrup or vegetables, salted nuts, baked goods, snacks, and cheese.
(4) Ultra processed or highly processed food.
Manufactured foods using sophisticated industrial methods, and technology often consist of preservatives, flavors, artificial coloring, artificial sweeteners, thickeners, emulsifiers. Sugar, salt, and fat make these foods hyperpalatable. Examples include snacks, carbonated beverages, plant-based “milks”, and packaged desserts. Nutritional beverages may contain added vitamins, minerals, and protein. There may be added benefits in some products but usually. It’s best to read your labels.
Note: While the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not categorize foods by degree of processing, the Nova System is helpful for making healthy choices.
Action Steps
Action Steps
- Shop the perimeter of the grocery store where unprocessed or minimally processed foods are found. The aisles are more likely to display processed foods with attractive, enticing packaging.
- Focus on prepping more of your food at home using unprocessed foods and processed culinary ingredients.
- Read labels. Ingredients are listed starting with the largest amount. Some ingredients are minimally processed and will have a parenthesis listing of what is added to that ingredient. The longer the ingredient list the more likely the food is ultra processed.
- Compare food products. Some are more processed than others. For example, compare different brands of peanut butter. One may be minimally processed with just peanuts or the other may be ultra-processed with high fructose corn syrup.
- Avoid fast food meals as these are mostly ultra processed. Think sugar, salt, and fat. When dining out, restaurant meals are more likely to be hand prepared using unprocessed foods and processed culinary ingredients.
Recipe Tip Tuscan Tomato Soup
Except for the fresh onion, this simple quick soup is made of shelf-stable processed culinary ingredients found in your pantry. It can be made ahead and frozen or served chilled as a summer soup.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes with added puree
1 14-ounce can chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried basil or 1-2 tablespoons of fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 – 1/3 cup whipping cream (optional)
In a 2-quart saucepan, heat olive oil, sauté onions until tender on medium low heat. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, fresh basil. Stir to combine. Stir in baking soda to “neutralize” the acidity of the tomatoes which makes the soup “sweeter” Cover. Gently simmer 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally until flavor is blended. If you prefer a less chunky soup, carefully process it in a blender or use an immersion blender. Slowly pour in cream and stir until blended. Reheat to serve but don’t let it boil.
Servings: 4 Calories per serving 185
Written by: Mimi Cunningham, MA, RDN, CDCES
Mimi is a registered dietitian-nutritionist and diabetes care specialist helping people learn to manage their diabetes and achieve good health. She believes food definitely is good culinary medicine.
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