Processed Food

Question: What is your definition of processed food? My buddy Steve doesnt like to eat at the Old Country Buffet because he whines that it is processed food. To me everything is processed food. We grow tomatoes in a garden at home which goes through a process. We have to raise cattle for beef that goes through a process. What do you think?

Answer: Your buddy Steve is talking about food that is excessively put through a process that preserves it and gives it a longer shelf life. Food that is heated to high temperatures, has chemical additives (or even excess salt), and sealed is highly processed food. The tomatoes that are grown in your garden, pretty much get that way through nature. You put the seeds in the ground, (depends on the natural state of your dirt, you might have to process or prepare that to be a good medium for growing). You water, give it light, and hopefully don't have to do pesticides. Then when the tomatoes are ripe, you just pick and eat. That's about as natural as you can get. Processed foods go through that process and then some so that there's time to get the foods trucked to the supermarket and wait on the shelf for you or I to pick up buy, store in our pantry for who knows how much longer, and finally eat. If you did nothing to your tomatoes after picking them, they'd last about a week at the most. Some of the processed foods that we can buy can last for years.

Question: How to tell if you are eating processed food? I'm trying to eat healthier and I know processed foods aren't good for me. I'm completely food illiterate so what are some good ways to tell if I'm eating processed foods or not? I know raw foods are good but is it that simple? I'm feeling there is a lot more to it than that.

Answer: Processed foods are just that processed. They are no longer in their natural state for safety reasons and for convenience. The methods used for processing foods include canning, freezing, refrigeration, and dehydration. Not all are extremely bad but avoiding processed foods and keeping fresh is the better way to go. That said there are also processed foods that have been almost altered from their original state. Many processed foods are made with trans fats, saturated fats, and large amounts of sodium and sugar. These types of foods should be avoided, or at least eaten sparingly. Processed foods that may not be as healthy as fresh foods include: * canned foods with lots of sodium * white breads and pastas made with refined white flour, which are not as healthy as those made with whole grains * packaged high-calorie snack foods, like chips and cheese snacks * high-fat convenience foods, like cans of ravioli * frozen fish sticks and frozen dinners * packaged cakes and cookies * boxed meal mixes * sugary breakfast cereals * processed meats Processed meats might be some of the worst of these foods. Eating these meats may increase your risk of colorectal, kidney and stomach cancer. Processed meats include hot dogs, bologna, sausage, ham and other packaged lunch meats.

Question: How many people eat processed food every day in Canada? I know there's some people who eat processed food once in a while for a treat, but how many people actually eat it every day? Things like Hamburger Helper and stuff like that. With all the preservatives and all that stuff which is unhealthy for us? I know in the US, up to 30% eat it, but not sure about Canada. We don't have the obesity problems like the US does.

Answer: What you have to realize is that just about everything you buy at the grocery store is processed food. I think what you're asking about is pre-packaged, prepared foods. I stopped using those about 2 years ago and my kids like my cooking better and my grocery bill is WAY lower! I'll bet Canadians don't eat fast food as often as Americans. Just a guess!

Question: Can we escape the processed food syndrome? Everything we eat is processed dyes, carcinogens, etc... We are killing ourselves our family our children. Is there anyway to be able to stop this process with out actually living on a farm and growing and raising our own food? Eating healthy they say is good for you. How good can it be when the actual vegetables that you buy at a store are processed for transportation?

Answer: I don't think anyone can really avoid it, unless you stop eating altogether. It's sad, but it's life. They put dyes in food to help preserve them.

Question: How can you tell if food is processed? I hear all this hooplah about not eating processed foods. But how can you tell if a certain food is processed or not?

Answer: Processed foods have been altered from their natural state for safety reasons and for convenience. The methods used for processing foods include canning, freezing, refrigeration, dehydration and aseptic processing. We tend to think of processed foods as bad, but it turns out that many processed foods are not unhealthy. For example, milk would be considered a processed food because it is pasteurized to kill bacteria and homogenized to keep fats from separating. While some people prefer to drink raw milk, most of us should consume the "processed" version we find in our grocery stores. Another healthy example of food processing is frozen vegetables. While fresh may be best, freezing vegetables preserves vitamins and minerals and makes them convenient to cook and eat all year around. Fruit and vegetable juice is also an example of a healthy processed food. In fact, some orange juice is fortified with calcium to make it even more nutritious. Of course, there are a lot of processed foods that aren't good for you. Many processed foods are made with trans fats, saturated fats, and large amounts of sodium and sugar. These types of foods should be avoided, or at least eaten sparingly. Processed foods that may not be as healthy as fresh foods include: canned foods with lots of sodium white breads and pastas made with refined white flour, which are not as healthy as those made with whole grains packaged high-calorie snack foods, like chips and cheese snacks high-fat convenience foods, like cans of ravioli frozen fish sticks and frozen dinners packaged cakes and cookies boxed meal mixes sugary breakfast cereals processed meats Processed meats might be some of the worst of these foods. Eating these meats may increase your risk of colorectal, kidney and stomach cancer. Processed meats include hot dogs, bologna, sausage, ham and other packaged lunch meats. These processed foods and prepackaged meals are very convenient and popular. If you do shop for these foods, be sure to look for products that are made with whole grains, low in sodium and calories, and free of trans fats. Make sure you pay attention to serving size, too, and balance out the processed foods you eat with a delicious fresh salad and some whole grain bread.

Question: How hard is it to cut out all processed food from your diet and what are the benefits of doing this? Are chopped tinned tomatoes a processed food? What about a weight watchers ready meal or supermarket healthy meals, are they processed?

Answer: It is challenging to avoid processed foods. Let's face it, they are convenient. Some people are more religious than others at being able to avoid them. I certainly haven't gotten close, but I definitely avoid many of the pitfalls. I would say tinned tomatoes are probably not processed foods, unless they have perservatives added to them. Generally they contain all the fiber / nutrients that make up tomatoes. Weight watcher pre-packaged meals are definitely processed. If there's an ingredeint that doesn't come from nature, it's been processed. Generally unprocessed foods have less salt, more nutrients and more fiber than processed foods. Basically you are going to have to set limits on what you think is acceptable for yourself and how you feel about eating processed vs. unprocessed foods. Good luck.

Question: What should I research about processed food for my science project? The topic is would processed food create more gas than regular nonprocessed food?

Answer: Well, you could research about whether canned string beans (processed) create more gas than organic/ fresh string beans (non processed) Just to let you know, processed foods do create more gas, but the effects are only shown in a handful of people. A more interesting or unique topic would be whether processed meat create more gas than non processed.

Question: what processed dog food in petstores are closest to raw meat? i already know about the arguements about raw meat and processed food. im gonna go with raw meat but i dont have the time or knowledge or room to store raw meat to do it though. so i wanna know what dog food is closest to raw meat? if you know of one, do i need to add anything to it or just feed it straight from the bag? oh yea, he's a male border collie. 9 weeks old. if the food is for adult, when should i start him on it?

Answer: The only closest thing to raw food is raw food. Nature's Variety, Primal, Urban Carnivore, Stella and Chewy's, Steve's all make a pre made, complete, and raw diet. That is find for adult and puppies. Feeding puppies a raw diet is fantastic, and there is no need to supplement. We've fed fosters raw for quite a while puppies included. Just meat, bones, and organs no supplements, they aren't needed. No kibble not Orjien, EVO, Wellness etc... can be compared to raw. They are over processed and kibble. They are great foods in the kibble world but can not be compared to a natural diet.

Question: What are the benefits of having salt in processed food? What are the benefits of having salt in processed food? Are there any benefits?

Answer: For taste and to give it a longer shelf life.

Question: What do you consider to be processed food? I'm dieting right now and I'm trying to not eat processed foods. Which of these would you consider processed food? bread peanut butter smucker's jelly chicken burger tater tots pasta enchiladas sweetened cereal nestle cocoa mix If you guys have had successful dieting, please give me some tips and advices for my diet and exercise routine.

Answer: they are all processed. whole foods are foods you find in their natural state with no additives. my sister diets this way and her whole family has lost weight. fresh fruits and vegetables with grilled meat is pretty much what it sums to. limit your sugar intake, but feel free to season your food with herbs/salt.

Question: do you prefer to feed your child food that has been processed rather than home cooked meals? processed food such as food in jars, tins rather than home cooked and natural meals. Need to have a few mothers that have young children willing to answer this as part of a survey as to which is the more preferred :) Thankyou.

Answer: I prefer home cooked meals because I don't like all the stuff they put in processed foods. Of course she does have happy meals and doritos every once in a while, but for the most part I do try to keep her diet fresh and organic. When she was younger I loved making baby food for her too.

Question: How to not eat processed food? After watching the documentary "No Impact Man" we want to change our eating habits to not eat processed food. Does anyone know any good sites on information about this? I don't need the first sites in a google search, I can find that myself. But if you already know of a good site, please let me know!

Answer: Don't buy it. Fresh veg, fresh fruit, fresh meat etc. You don't need a site for that. You just need good sight when you're at the market.

Question: Should I tell my pregnant friend her regular diet of processed food is bad for her growing fetus? Processed here means food with lots of additives. She eats on a regular basis (daily almost) Asian instant noodles (MSG, chemical preservatives), soup made from powder or granules, and fast food burgers (the big M). When I was pregnant, those things were a big no-no, not only did it provide no nutrition to myself or the baby, they made me feel horrible afterwards. So I find it strange why she chooses such a diet. And no, she is not poor.

Answer: sure! tell her! shes ur friend isnt she?? i c no harm....

Question: Why does organic food cost more than processed? You would think the process of the processing would make the processed food cost more but why is it the other way around?

Answer: Organics cost more because they are more labor intensive.... Also in order to make sure that it stays organic is not to use insecticides or chemical fertilizers. Most of the organic farms are small compared to some of the larger super market farms. supply and demand controls the price as well. As more and more farms enter the organic market place we'll see prices become more competitive.

Question: How Can We Get More Non-Processed Food In Our Diet? The food sold at the grocery stores is primarily processed food. How are people supposed to get more non-processed food in their diet? Any stores? What about eggs and milk though? I think Trader Joes is a pretty healthy grocery store.

Answer: buy chicken steaks actual turkeys not coal cuts tho coal cuts are more convienyent they are processed it's tough tho i mean im pretty sure any food in a package is process unless it's organic..so id say u gotta go organic if u dont want the processed or as much processed stores Whole foods. and stop and shop has a organic section idk what trader joe's is but i guess

Question: What is a processed food that seemed nutritious but lost its nutritional value because of processing? What is the specific nutritional losses resulting from the processing compared to the original whole food.

Answer: milk while high in vitamin D and calcium, hormones and preservatives are added, making it not-so-healthy anymore