What You Should Know About Processed Foods
Are processed foods as bad as they say?
There’s a lot of confusion and mixed messages about processed foods.
I see how mainstream media and diet culture demonize these foods, using terms such as “ultra processed food” or “highly processed food” to scare us into starting cleanses as a way to detox. We’re made to believe food manufacturers are pumping chemicals into our food causing us harm and to develop diseases.
It’s no wonder these messages create fear and shame around food for the general public. I hope this blog post will shine light on what exactly processed foods are, how the safety of food is regulated by our government and hopefully reduce fear around your favorite foods.
What is Processed Food?
When you hear the term processed food, what do you usually think about? Do you think about fast food? All the foods in the snack aisles? Or do you picture industrial factories pumping unregulated chemicals into our food chain supply?
It might come as a surprise to hear, most of the foods we eat are processed to some degree. Processed simply means the food was handled by a manufacturer in some way.
Whether the food is minimally processed or highly processed, the degree a food is processed is not an indicator of nutritional value. For example, protein bars are highly processed foods that often provide important nutrients like protein, fiber and other vitamins and minerals.
All foods have chemicals, either naturally or added. Naturally occurring chemicals such as ascorbic acid, another word for Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits like oranges. Some manufacturers will add chemicals to increase nutritional value or shelf life of a food product. For example, most cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals to enhance nutritional value.
Why Do People Eat Processed Foods?
There are many reasons why people opt to consume processed foods.
One of the biggest reasons is convenience, especially to the working class. Popping a frozen meal in the microwave or eating packaged snacks are much quicker and easier for those with short lunch breaks, long working hours or juggling multiple jobs, including parenting.
Processed foods are also affordable and more accessible. Food insecurity in America is on the rise, not everyone has the ability to consume whole foods on a daily basis. Those in rural areas could be miles away from a grocery store and families in poverty may not be able to afford grocery store prices. Without the needed policy changes, processed foods and convenient stores are the current solution.
People living with disabilities also benefit from processed foods. There are 61 million adults in the U.S who have a disability - that’s 1 in 4 people. Some may not be able to peel or cut fruits and vegetables as easily, so having pre-sliced options available can help increase their intake of nutrient rich foods. Others may have trouble chewing or swallowing foods and benefit from textured modified foods, like oatmeal and applesauce.
Food preferences matters. Processed foods are often preferred simply because of the taste value. Dietary restrictions also play a role in why people eat processed foods. For people who are sensitive to fiber, whole foods aren’t always the best option.
There are many reasons one may choose to consume processed foods, all are valid, despite the stigma society has created around them.
How Does the U.S. Regulate the Safety of Ingredients?
For over 100 years, the U.S. government has been working to secure the safety of our food supply chain.
Currently, the Food & Drug Administration, or FDA, has primary responsibility for ensuring the safety of food additives and GRAS ingredients. Food additives are any substances added to food to improve nutritional value, extend shelf life, or add texture and/or flavor. GRAS stands for ‘generally recognized as safe’ by experts. When determining whether or not a substance should be approved, the FDA considers the following three things before determining safety.
The composition and properties of a substance
The amount of the substance that would typically be consumed
Immediate and long term effects
Substances approved by the FDA have been evaluated extensively. The determination of food safety is not permanent as science is always evolving. For example, in 2015 partially hydrogenated oils were removed from the GRAS list after evidence revealed the existence of health consequences within the population consuming large amounts throughout their lifespan.
Extensive safety information is required before anything is added to our food. Food manufactures are required to show evidence that food ingredients pose “reasonable certainty of no harm”.
Why is Stigma Around Processed Foods Problematic?
This stigma of danger around processed food often causes unnecessary fear and normalizes disordered eating behaviors such as compulsively checking ingredient labels, limiting nutrient rich foods, and experiencing high levels of distress when a ‘safe’ or ‘healthy’ food is not available.
The ‘clean eating’ mentality can create a false sense of superiority over those who chose to consume processed foods. Clean eating is a term invented by diet culture that makes us believe there are ‘clean’ whole foods we should consume and ‘dirty’ processed foods to avoid. So when we say something is “healthy” or “unhealthy” this contributes to distorted black and white thinking, and like most things in life, there’s always nuances to consider when it comes to our food choices.
Someone’s own food choices should not be shamed. A person’s diet is personal and based on a variety of different factors such as preference, culture, finances, accessibility, and lifestyle.
The U.S. highly regulates and protects the safety of foods purchased in our grocery stores. Food safety experts continue to determine the safety of food as science and evidence evolves.
In science (and food safety regulators), we trust!
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