By the strictest definition of the term, practically everything we eat is a processed food.

• If you cut the leafy part off a stalk of celery, you have processed it.
• Any food that comes in a can has been processed.
• Any bag of frozen fruit or vegetables has been processed.
• That milk that you pour on your processed corn flakes has been processed.
• Any loaf of organic, non-GMO, gluten-free bread that you buy in a store has been processed.
• Any loaf of bread that you bake in your own oven has been processed.
• Any food that you cook in any way has been processed.

The fact of the matter is that people have been processing their food as long as there have been people. It’s not possible to avoid processed food. However, it is both possible and desirable to avoid foods that have been so heavily processed that they present a significant health risk.

Food processors are in the business of processing food and selling the resulting product to us. Their primary concern is to make a profit, which is the reason they are in the food business. Food consumers, on the other hand, should be most concerned with eating foods that will maintain and enhance their health, and provide them with the energy they need to go about their lives. The primary goal of the food processors is not exactly congruent with the primary goal of the consumers.

Food processors want to make their products as appealing as possible to their target market. They can do this with various strategies and tactics.

• They can advertise heavily in places where their target customers are likely to see the ad.
• They can add sugar to their products to make them taste better.
• They can add salt to their products to make them taste better.
• They can add dyes to make their products look more appealing.
• They can add chemicals and fats to make their products feel smoother in the mouth.
• They can add other chemicals to increase the shelf life of their products.

The substances added to processed foods to make them taste, look, feel, or even smell better are not necessarily things that our bodies need. In fact, some may be downright harmful if we consume too much of them.

There’s a major difference between minimally processed meats such as steak and ground beef, and more heavily processed meats such as bacon, hot dogs, pepperoni, and salami. All of these are high in saturated fat, which is a risk factor for heart disease, but only the heavily processed meats are loaded with large amounts of sodium, nitrites, and possibly other preservatives. Consumption of nitrites has been linked to cancer. It’s best to avoid red meat for several reasons, but if you can’t do without it, sticking to lean meats, unprocessed except for butchering and cooking, is the next best thing you could do.

Aside from processed meats, most of the other heavily processed foods on grocery store shelves are a problem because of the hidden sugar, salt, and preservatives that they contain. You could be loading up on these ingredients of questionable value, without ever realizing it. Of the negative health outcomes that result from these substances, weight gain might be the least harmful. More concerning are heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

The best way to avoid processed foods is to fill your shopping cart in the produce section, the meat section, and the seafood section. Try to avoid going down the cookie aisle or the prepared meal aisle in the freezer section. Eating healthier will help you to feel better, and it just may stave off a serious disease that would otherwise make you feel a lot worse.

Bio:

Allen G. Taylor is a 30-year veteran of the computer industry and the author of over 30 books, including Develop Microsoft HoloLens Apps Now, Get Fit with Apple Watch, Cruise for Free, SQL For Dummies, 8th Edition, Crystal Reports 2008 For Dummies, Database Development For Dummies, Access Power Programming with VBA, and SQL All-In-One For Dummies, Second Edition. He lectures internationally on astronomy, databases, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He also teaches database development and Crystal Reports through a leading online education provider. For the latest news on Allen’s activities, check out his blog at www.allengtaylor.com or contact him at allen.taylor@ieee.org.