Prepackaged processed foods make our lives much easier, but it's said to be one of the major causes of many health conditions.
While the foods may taste good, they don't necessarily bring much 'good' to our body, as it's often stripped of their nutrients, and then vitamins are added to the dish, giving it some nutritional value.
Processed foods come in many different shapes and forms. All processed foods aren't harmful to our bodies. They are classified into four groups:
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods.
Processed culinary ingredients.
Processed foods.
Ultra-processed or highly processed foods.
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods
Unprocessed foods are the aspects of the organism, such as a plant, that we can eat without changing the foods' natural form. An example is eating a strawberry from a garden.
Minimally processed food is slightly adjusted to maintain optimal freshness and preservation without changing the nutritional value. An example is putting a strawberry in the freezer to increase its longevity.
Processed culinary ingredients
Processed culinary ingredients are the procedure of pressing, refining, grinding, or milling to prepare and enhance dishes. An example is extracting oil from plants, seeds, nuts, and pasta derived from whole grains.
Processed food
Processed foods have added salt, sugar, or fats that can be eaten without additional preparation. Examples of foods that undergo this process are canned fruits and vegetables, various kinds of cheese, and fresh bread.
Ultra-processed food or highly processed food
This type of food processing increases shelf life and makes foods nearly immortal, adding preservatives, colors, and flavors. But unfortunately, these foods usually have various ingredients that are difficult to pronounce and are often unrecognizable.
Chicken nuggets are often highly processed. But it's a go-to for people when time is of the essence. Here's how one company prepares its nuggets.
Factory workers cut off the breast, rib meat, and tenderloins from a whole chicken. The skin is removed. However, a small portion is added back towards the end of the process for flavor.
The desired chicken pieces are combined with the skin, and all the ingredients, such as riboflavin, a Vitamin B nutrient, and sodium phosphate, that's used to control the food's pH. Finally, the mixture is put in a meat grinder.
The nuggets are cut, the batter is added, and it's breaded and coated.
It is then put in the fryer and partially cooked, flash frozen, bagged, and boxed so it can thoroughly cook onsite.
Ultra-processed food typically contains much more ingredients than a home-cooked meal, yet it is less nutritious for the body.
Food for thought: Knowing the ingredients of your food is just as important as knowing the people around you.
Source: (1) Harvard T.H Chan | School of Public Health | Processed Foods and Health (2) Food Beast: Here’s How 10 of Your Favorite Processed Foods are Made