The Problem With Processed Food

Processed Food.It’s getting a bad rap. It’s almost becoming a bad word. And yet Americans spend more grocery money on it than any other food item (source). So what gives? Everybody seems to be concerned about health these days, so why are processed foods still filling our cupboards and making up 70% of our diet (source)?

A Backstory

I studied Nutritional Science in college and part of my degree focused on food science, and specifically the components of food processing. The major take away from these classes was this:
Money doesn’t grow on trees, it grows in packaging and boxes.

What do I mean?

Well, take an apple, for instance. An apple can only yield so much money when sold to a consumer. Any ol’ apple farmer can sell his apple crop. Some apples may be more expensive than others due to type or how it was grown (i.e. conventional v. organic, etc.), but other than that, there isn’t much difference. An apple can’t be branded and it isn’t really marketable. Farmer Bob can’t patent the apple and make way more money than farmer Joe.
But, let’s say Industry Fred purchases Farmer Joe’s apples…all of them. Farmer Joe sells them at a lower price because Industry Fred is buying them all. Industry Fred then uses some wheat, corn and soy (subsidized by the government so it’s extra cheap!) to make an apple and grain snack bar. He puts it in fancy packaging and creates really catchy commercials about them on TV. He’s able to sell this product for way more than it cost him to make.
It’s capitalism. It isn’t wrong, but it gets to be a problem for our health when our food system is market driven. (BTW, I am not an economist and how no solutions for this.)

Do Processed Foods Have Any Benefit?

One could argue foods have been processed for a really long time. Fermentation is one example of an ancient and beneficial type of food processing. The act of fermentation increases enzymes and probiotics in food. It’s super great for our bodies and it’s tasty too!
After WWII and the space race, highly processed foods as we know them today (canned, frozen, dehydrated, packaged foods full of chemicals and additives) skyrocketed in popularity. These foods have enabled people to get out of the kitchen. With more free time, women have been able to pursue other interests outside of the home and positively contribute to society in new ways. Processed foods are inexpensive and often filling. These foods have given extra time to a lot of people, jobs to a lot of people and fed mouths with a lot of bang for the buck. They’ve also made the food industry wealthy and uber powerful in our country (I wouldn’t say that’s a benefit, though).
These benefits have come at great cost.

How Are Processed Foods Detrimental To Our Health?

Let’s be clear. I am not talking about minimally processed foods like wine, fermented foods ,etc. I am talking about highly processed foods–foods that you can’t make in your kitchen at home. These processed foods are usually a bunch of extremely inexpensive ingredients with lots of additives thrown together to make an appetizing, marketable and memorable food. This is great for business, but what about the one who eats it? Vitamins and enzymes are destroyed in the processing of foods. These foods are lacking in the nutrients our bodies need to thrive and they are often full of toxic ingredients. I believe processed foods are extremely harmful to our health and are the cause of MANY illnesses.
Highly processed foods are full of:
Coloring Agents (for more on why food coloring is bad, go here)
Preservatives
Pesticides
Trans-fats
Sodium-chloride (Is salt really bad for you? Here is the difference between sea salt and commercial salt)
GMOs (go here and here)
Unhealthy Vegetable Oils (check out the ugly truth about vegetable oils here )
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (go here to read about PUFAs)

How To Avoid Unhealthy Processed Foods

• Avoid the packed foods high in sodium
• Stay away from canned foods high in fat and sodium
• Stick to real foods (check out my post here on “What Are Real Foods?”)
• Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. That’s where you will find the freshest, most whole foods available
• Make time to plan your meals and prepare them
• Eat foods with ingredients you can pronounce
• Choose whole grains instead of refined flour ingredients
• Eat more foods that don’t come with labels, packages, or advertising
• Avoid fast food…avoid it like the plague
• Say no to sugar breakfast cereals
• Packaged cakes and cookies are a no-no
• Frozen veggies and fruits are ok. Be sure to read the ingredients and purchase the ones with no added sugars, fats or flavorings. 

So, why are processed foods filling our cupboards?

I hate to reduce it to this, but it comes down to money. The food industry has tons of money, therefore they have a lot of power. This power speaks through advertising, government policies, what is on the shelf at the grocery store. All of this influences our purchases. (Example, McDonald’s advertising to kids, therefore kids want cheeseburgers) It also comes down to time. People are super busy these days and don’t have the time to cook. Processed foods are inexpensive, convenient and filling. And finally, it boils down to taste. Processed foods are full of fat, sugar and salt and gosh darnit they are tasty and addicting. Money may be tight in a household and the tempation to buy processed foods alluring, however, with some planning and commitment processed foods can be avoided.
For healthy snacks and real food resources, go here.
For an interesting talk on how processed foods took over the American diet, check out Diane Rehm’s interview on NPR. I just love her!
PAID ENDORSEMENT DISCLOSURE: In order for me to support my blogging activities, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog.

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