Processed foods.

You hear a lot about them in health news these days, but what exactly are they?

As it turns out, nearly every food we eat can be considered processed to some degree.

The USDA defines “processed foods” as any food that has been changed from its natural state.

“Any raw agricultural commodity subjected to washing, cleaning, milling, cutting, chopping, heating, pasteurizing, blanching, cooking, canning, freezing, drying, dehydrating, mixing, packaging, or other procedures that alter the food from its natural state. The food may include the addition of other ingredients such as preservatives, flavors, nutrients and other food additives or substances approved for use in food products, such as salt, sugars, and fats.”

As you can see, this covers almost every food you might find in the grocery store.

That is why, like with most things concerning nutrition, processed to unprocessed (or whole) foods aren’t defined in black and white terms, but exist on a continuum of minimally processed to highly processed.

In nature, foods that tend to be high in sugar are not high in fat and vice versa. In laboratories, highly processed foods are made to be high in both. This is not by accident.

“This is because they’re designed to elicit maximal levels of pleasure and consumption,” says Brian St. Pierre of Precision Nutrition.

Concentrated doses of things like sugar, salt, caffeine and fat activate the brain in many of the same ways certain hardcore, addictive drugs do. These processed foods light up the pleasure center of your brain, keeping you craving more and more.

Highly processed foods add sugar, salt, low quality fats, refined carbohydrates and other additives to make them taste irresistibly delicious. But that’s not all.

Highly processed foods are calorically dense while being nutrient scarce, so they don’t keep you feeling satiated (full and satisfied), keeping you coming back for more and more.

Why foods are processed:

-To increase shelf life

-Improve taste

-Make foods look better and more proportional

-To increase/decrease certain nutritional values (e.g. low fat)

-Easier to package

-Quicker to prepare and eat

This is a major problem for the obesity epidemic we have today.

According to a study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the average American gets 61% of their calories from highly processed foods. When you consider the highly addictive nature of these foods, the high calorie to low nutrient ratio of these foods, the lack of satiety (fullness) they provide and the ease at which they “melt in your mouth” without the need for much chewing, you can see why so many people are overeating calories, gaining lots of body fat and walking around still feeling hungry, sapped of energy and even sick from the foods they eat.

The shift to minimally processed and whole foods is about more than just feeling full and losing weight, even though that may be enough for most people.

Shifting to more whole foods is also about what we are missing out on when we eat too many ultra processed foods. Here are 5 important nutrients that will change your life when you eat more whole/minimally processed foods:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Why we need it:

These essential, healthy fats are rarely, if ever, found in ultra processed foods.

They are key to building and maintaining every cell wall in your body. They also fuel proper function of your lungs, heart, blood vessels and immune system, so you can see why deficiency can lead to a wide array of illnesses and disease. Omega-3 also lowers Cortisol, which is known as the “stress hormone” for those who are chronically stressed out. Additionally, they help fight high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and joint pain,

Where to get more:

Raw Walnuts

Chia Seeds

Flax Seeds

Salmon

Mackerel

Tuna

Lake Trout

Halibut

Cod Liver Oil

Herring

Anchovies

Oysters and other shellfish

Sardines

Caviar

Soybeans

Fish Oil Supplements

Recommended Daily Intake:

While there is no official recommended daily allowance, most health organizations agree that 250-500mg per day is sufficient for adults.

Magnesium

Why we need it:

Magnesium is essential for supplying energy to nearly every chemical reaction necessary to sustain life. Without it, inflammation increases to a destructive level, opening the door for aging, chronic disease, cancer, stroke and even type 2 diabetes.

Where to get more:

Seeds - Pumpkin, Flax, Chia

Legumes

Whole Grains - Brown Rice, Quinoa, Buckwheat, Oats, Barley

Dark Leafy Greens - Spinach, Kale, Collard Greens, Turnip Greens, Mustard Greens

Raw Cashews

Raw Peanuts

Nut Butters

Dark Chocolate

Avocados

Tofu

Bananas

Recommended Daily Intake:

400-420mg per day for men and 310-320 for women

Vitamin E

Why we need it:

Vitamin E is extremely important in keeping us healthy and youthful. Not only does it fight bacterial and viral infections, but it neutralizes free radicals in the body - chemical compounds that speed up the aging process and help diseases progress by damaging our cells.

Where to get more:

Wheat Germ Oil

Sunflower Seeds and Sunflower Oil

Raw Almonds

Hazelnuts and Hazelnut Oil

Pine Nuts

Brazil Nuts

Atlantic Salmon

Rainbow Trout

Cod

Lobster

Raw Red Sweet Pepper

Cooked Butternut Squash

Cooked Broccoli

Cooked Mustard Greens

Cooked Asparagus

Raw Turnip Greens

Kiwifruit

Blackberries

Recommended Daily Intake:

15mg per day

Iron

Why we need it:

Iron is essential for transporting oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body through red blood cells. Iron has a dramatic effect on our energy levels, brain functions such as memory, attention and learning ability, and is very important for a healthy pregnancy.

Where to get more:

Eggs

Red Meats

Turkey

Liver and other organ meats

Fish

Shellfish

Tofu

Spinach

Broccoli

Legumes

Pumpkin Seeds

Quinoa

Dark Chocolate

Fortified Breakfast Cereals

Recommended Daily Intake:

Needs depend on age and gender:

Non-Pregnant Women 19-50: 18mg

Pregnant Women: 27mg

Women 51 and older: 8mg

Men 19 and older: 8mg

Infants and Children: 7 to 16mg

Vitamin D

Why we need it:

Vitamin D has long been associated with fighting a wide array of diseases - diabetes, depression, cancer, multiple sclerosis, heart disease and chronic fatigue. It is also needed for building and maintaining healthy bones. It protects us from inflammation, supports immune function, muscle function and brain cell activity.

Where to get more:

Fish, particularly Salmon

Pork

Beef Liver

Eggs

Mushrooms

Fortified Milk and Milk Alternatives (Soy, Almond, Coconut, etc.)

Fortified Tofu

Fortified Yogurt

Swiss Cheese

Recommended Daily Intake:

Needs depend on age:

Children up to 12 months: 400 IU per day

1-70 years old: 600 IU per day

70-up: 800 IU per day

So now that we know why the overconsumption of ultra processed foods is so harmful to our health and our waistlines, and why we need more whole, minimally processed foods to nourish us, we have some questions to ask yourself:

-How many junk foods marketed as “health foods” can you find in your pantry? Look for marketing buzzwords such as “organic”, “vegan” and “gluten-free” that also contain a large ingredient list with words that you don’t recognize.

-What things trigger your consumption of ultra processed foods? Write down your mood, time of day, social setting, and mental state (“I deserve this, etc.)

-What ultra processed foods would you put on your “Red Light Foods” list? These are foods you cannot control your consumption of when they are available.