Defining Processed Foods

        

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 43% of consumers have a negative view of processed foods.  This coupled with all the negative media attention associated with the word, one would assume anything processed is automatically bad.  Ironically when looking for the definition of processed many people may be shocked to find out there are varying definitions for this word that can apply to a variety of foods.  Often times processing is necessary to preserve the freshness of the product or in the case of freezing, make the most of produce at its peak.  Here is a breakdown of the categories along with some surprising examples of processed foods as defined by the International Food and Information Council.

• Minimally Processed Foods 
• washed, packaged fruits and vegetables
• Foods Processed for Preservation 
• canned/frozen fruits and vegetables
• Mixtures of combined ingredients 
• cake mixes and salad dressings
• Ready-to-Eat Foods 
• breakfast cereals, lunch meats, carbonated beverages
• Convenience 
• frozen meals/pizza

Defining the word processed into these categories hopefully explains the varying degrees of processed but if your still confused on what you should watch out for remember this:
Eat foods with those good for you nutrients such as fiber, protein, and calcium and limit foods that are high in fat, sodium, and added sugars.  In the end this usually means your eating the minimally processed foods or foods processed for preservation. Remember processed doesn't necessarily equal bad!



Source: Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics,  February 2012