Processed foods have grown to become the bane of the dietary world. In an age where everything is “organic,” processed foods have suffered a crisis of reputation. It’s not entirely unfounded, however. Many processed foods are laden with sugar, devoid of any nutritional benefits, packed with unrecognisable ingredients, and endure solely as a caloric ride to kilo-ville. But in spite of the numerous problematic processed foods that exist to tempt us with their delicious empty calories, there are beneficial processed foods out there, some of which we’re already familiar with.
Firstly, determining what is processed and isn’t, is really the key to properly incorporating healthy processed foods into your diet. White bread and other refined starches tend to have the nutrition stripped out of them during processing, but most processed foods fall on a spectrum of minimally to heavily processed. Obviously, heavily processed foods such as crackers, frozen pizza and microwave meals should be restricted if not avoided, but there are healthy processed options.
Some foods are processed at their peak, meaning their nutritional benefits are optimum, and are wonderful additions to any diet. Snap-frozen fruits and vegetables tend to hold more nutrients than their fresh counterparts. Foods such as canned beans, canned tuna, roasted nuts, and bagged salads are processed but also offer convenience while not skimping on their nutritional power punch.
There are even some processed foods that can be beneficial to your diet, as many are now vitamin fortified or present viable options when the “real” thing is not available. Paying attention to the nutritional panel as well as the ingredients listed is a way to stay in control of the type of processed foods you consider to incorporate into your diet. While cooking from scratch and eating fresh is the ideal, utilising the convenience of processed foods to supplement or even boost your diet can be a smart way to achieve and maintain your health goals.
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