Are Processed Foods really so Terrible?

There are a lot of people starving in the world, and not because they do not have food. Rather, they are making every effort to maintain a clean diet which leaves them feeling hungrier than ever.

Most such people shun processed food items with a ridiculous amount of fervor, chastising themselves every time they succumb to their needs and consume even the smallest of chocolate bars.

First of all, if your diet is causing you to starve, leaving you to struggle with unending hunger, then you are doing something wrong. Secondly, this idea of categorizing processed foods as inherently bad is wrong and should be avoided.

It should be noted that almost all food is processed food. The simple act of cooking your food places it firmly within the ‘processed’ category. For the most part, food must be processed in order to turn into a tasty, healthy meal you enjoy.

Of course, the level of processing will vary. Items like fish, vegetables, and frozen foods are only minimally processed and usually as soon as they are harvested or picked. There are also processed culinary ingredients like table salt and sugar.

When people speak of processed foods, they are typically referring to items that amalgamate processed culinary ingredients with minimally processed foods, this including canned foods, cheese, and bread.

Ultra-processed foods are especially popular today, constituting additives like coloring, sweeteners, and flavoring.

Simply put, do not beat yourself up over every single processed food item you unintentionally consume, especially if you realize that almost all foods undergo processing at some point.

That doesn’t mean that you should binge on desserts and soft drinks. Almost all foods are acceptable so long as they are taken in moderation. The key to a healthy mind and body isn’t a restrictive diet rich in fruits, vegetables and nothing else.

In fact, restrictive diets could do more harm to your body than you think because they tend to cause a deficiency in nutrients you need but which are absent in those food items that most diets advocate.

The key to a healthy mind and body is balance. Every competent nutritionist you speak to will encourage you to relax when it comes to eating. Do not fret unnecessarily over every slice of pizza you eat or bottle of soda you drink.

While processed foods are not exactly healthy, eating processed foods in moderation will not kill you or make you sick. In fact, the healthiest people are not the strictest dieters but, rather, those persons who eat processed foods whenever it suits them, remembering to complement their meals with fruits and vegetables and applying moderation in everything.