When we think of processed food, fast food probably comes to mind.
“Processed food is any kind of food or raw material that has been changed,” Dr. Pauline Jose, a family medicine specialist, told HuffPost.
Anytime you do anything to raw material, it’s processed.” Advertisement Jose said that adding nutrients, like putting vitamin D in milk, falls under the category of “good processed,” but ultraprocessed foods — which are made by adding flavor and chemicals to foods like ice cream and frozen pizza — should be avoided.
“I can’t think of any ultraprocessed foods that can be OK, versus some processed foods, which can be OK.” Many breads, such as white bread, are processed — look for words like “enriched” on the label and you’ll know.
“[Those foods are] not processed at all,” Jose said.
“When my daughter was in high school, I was getting frozen food from Trader Joe’s and she said, ‘Mom, this is processed,’” Jose said.
How People Really Feel When They Eat A Lot Of Processed Foods Jose, who focuses on wellness and functional medicine, has patients who complain of fatigue and gastrointestinal issues.
“We can’t really do much about these companies who sell processed food.
Fast food is usually the first thing that comes to mind when we think of processed foods. However, the majority of the foods we eat have been modified in some way.
Family medicine specialist Dr. Pauline Jose told HuffPost that “processed food is any kind of food or raw material that has been changed.”. All of the following can be categorized as processing: pasteurization, fermentation, salting, washing, cleaning, chopping, heating, and smoking. A raw material is processed whenever it undergoes any kind of manipulation. “.
According to Jose, ultraprocessed foods, which are created by adding flavor and chemicals to foods like ice cream and frozen pizza, should be avoided. However, adding nutrients, such as vitamin D to milk, falls under the category of “good processed” foods. She remarked, “I would just maybe make it a point not to eat anything ultraprocessed.”. “In contrast to some processed foods, which can be OK, I cannot think of any ultraprocessed foods that can be okay. “.
Numerous breads, including white bread, are processed; to identify them, look for terms like “enriched” on the label.
Jose claimed that cooking at home with fresh veggies is the best strategy. According to Jose, “those foods are not processed at all.”. That is presumably the healthiest method of eating. “.
Jose advised reading the labels and avoiding foods you can’t pronounce or recognize if you must purchase packaged food. She added that certain food packaging contains titanium dioxide, which stops bacteria from growing there but may lead to intestinal or colonic lesions.
Furthermore, buying groceries from a “healthier” store like Trader Joe’s isn’t really any better.
“My daughter told me this is processed when she was in high school and I was getting frozen food from Trader Joe’s,” Jose recalled. “Oh my god,” I think to myself. However, I assumed that just because they are Trader Joe’s, they are less processed. It’s not entirely accurate. “.
Let us first avoid demonizing food.
Dietitian and nutritional therapist Kim Shapira approaches nutrition in a different way by avoiding terms like “bad” or “good.”. “.
“This is What You’re Really Hungry For” author Shapira stated, “I think you could end up in a shame spiral when you label foods as ‘good,’ ‘bad,’ healthy, or unhealthily healthy.”. “.
“I would strongly advise people to pay more attention to what medical professionals are telling them and to disregard a lot of what other people are saying.”. Instead of focusing on calling a food item bad or extremely unhealthy for us, I would consider the person’s entire eating pattern. Hopefully, this will only be a one-time occurrence and not have a detrimental overall effect on me. “.
Eating the correct foods—including some that naturally fend off disease—is one way to take care of your body. Foods high in nitric oxide, such as spinach, beets, and bok choy, are produced by our bodies.
According to Shapira, “it produces a gas that makes our cells slippery so disease can’t really stick to it.”. “The foods we eat ought to be enhancing our health, so it makes sense to me if occasionally birthday cake finds its way into our diet. “.
Since regularly consuming cake can be unhealthy, Shapira advised consuming fruits, vegetables, fermented foods, whole grains, probiotics, and fermented foods. She stated, “They really help keep our body really intact and help us prevent chemicals from affecting us.”.
How Consuming a Lot of Processed Food Actually Makes People Feel.
Patients that complain of fatigue and gastrointestinal problems come to Jose, a functional medicine and wellness specialist. Her role is to identify the cause, and a lot of the time it has to do with the food they are or are not eating.
She remarked, “They have no idea how they’re feeling.”. “They say things like, ‘I have a headache, or I’m dizzy.'”. Their bodies are beginning to become inflamed, possibly as a result of additives or preservatives that were added to processed foods and are causing sensitivity in some individuals for which we are unable to identify them. “.
Overconsumption of processed foods can eventually result in obesity, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, and other health problems as well as “brain fog” or other cognitive declines.
Shapira advised consuming four servings or more of fruits and vegetables each day. Canned and frozen vegetables may fall under this category.
According to Shapira, there are numerous beneficial methods to obtain them because they have a higher vitamin content and are, in some respects, healthier. According to research, eating one or two servings of leafy green vegetables per day can reduce your cognitive age by 11 years. “.
Workout is also beneficial. She recommended that we move 10,000 times a day, without necessarily walking 10,000 steps.
However, what about those without access to healthier food due to low income?
“Education is the solution,” stated Jose. Regarding these businesses that sell processed food, there isn’t much we can do. Even though things are becoming worse, some things are still better than others.
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