How Processed Food Interfere with our body

What Is Processed Food?

Any food that has been changed from its natural form is processed food. While not all processed foods are harmful, ultra-processed foods are the least nutritious and have been modified the most from their natural form.

The International Food Information Council describes food processing as “any deliberate change in a food that occurs before it’s available for us to eat … as simple as freezing or drying food to preserve nutrients and freshness, or as complex as formulating a frozen meal with the right balance of nutrients and ingredients.”

‘Processed foods’ means foods that have been canned, frozen, cooked, packaged, or altered in their nutritional composition in various forms, fortified, stored, or prepared. We process food every time we cook, bake or prepare food.

Research has shown that Americans eat about 500 more calories per day than they did in 1970. Processed food often has many calorie-dense ingredients such as added sugars and sweeteners, oils and fats, grains, etc.

Implications of socio-cultural shifts on our food habits…

Over the latter half of the past century, many developments in food processing technology have changed the traditional western diet rapidly.

Other socio-cultural changes also contributed to the way we ate in the decades that followed. Women who used to be in charge of the majority of meal preparation in the normal family are increasingly joining the workforce.

As a result, fewer meals were prepared at home, and because convenient foods were often higher in calories than home-cooked meals, the average person’s caloric intake increased considerably.

And the processed food industry saw an opportunity to profit from our need for simple, quick meals.

Development in Food Processing Technology

Following Second World War, breakthroughs in food production resulted in a new era marked by an abundance of low-cost food and little physical activity.

After the invention of fructose enrichment technology, vast amounts of high fructose corn syrup started to be developed and added to several basic foods.

Usage of Highly Refined Grain Flours

As part of food processing, they started milling grains that strips of the fiber coating and much of the nutrients from whole wheat and resulted in the widespread use of highly processed grain flowers that are lower in nutritional quality and have higher calories.

Usage of Refined Oils & Salt

Industrial processing has allowed vegetable oils to be refined in greater amounts than ever before and more salt into our diet, resulting in the majority of the salt we now intake from salt added to processed foods.

Low Nutritional Value – High Calories

The traditional American diet has increasingly shifted to refined foods that make up about 62 percent of our calories. We eat more calories but get fewer nutrients.

Usage of Sugar in low-fat food

In the second half of the twentieth century, there was a lot of emphasis on lowering saturated and total fat in our diets. As a result, the processed food industry changed its methods to match what we wanted. However, they still wanted to sell their products, so they came up with additional ways to make low-fat food taste delicious. One way they achieved this was by putting a lot more sugar, as well as other sugars like corn syrup, in practically everything we ate.

This not only improved the appeal of the low-fat foods but also extended their shelf life. As a result, the food industry was compelled to include corn syrup and other sweeteners in packaged meals.

Implications of processed food on our body

Changes in our Appetite and Metabolism

Processed food impacts the normal functioning of brain cells and causes to raise set point, also overstimulate reward from food. Sweeteners and saturated fats increase the reward we get from food and it raises the set point. This will interfere with our body to resist weight loss.

They cause modifications in our metabolism and hormones that increase our set point.

To decide when you’re hungry or full, your “metabolic brain” senses and reacts to the amount and quality of nutrients in your gut. We eat until our stomach’s stretch receptors hit a certain volume of food rather than a set number of calories. Since processed foods are often low in fiber it makes them high in volume, so we ended up consuming more calories before we feel full.

Processed Food – Over Stimulating the Reward Center

The cognitive and emotional brain can override the signal from the metabolic brain that you are full. Processed foods are now made to offer a lot of satisfaction and reward that is much beyond that found in natural food. Processed foods override your appetite hormones and drive you to eat beyond the point of feeling full.

Food scientists combine the optimal proportion of salt, sugar, and fat to create high satisfaction. The point where the highest amount of dopamine is released by a product with the maximum taste, texture, and feel. It is irresistible because of this consistency, for example, you feel like eating more cookies and chips and can’t stop.

Read More about: HOW FOOD INTAKE AND APPETITE ARE CONTROLLED

Is All Processed Food Same?

Processed food is blamed for many diseases such as high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetics, obesity rates, etc. However, is all processed food the same? Isn’t canned soup, legumes, whole-wheat bread are also processed foods? Even fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains have been cleaned, trimmed, husked, wrapped, etc are processed in some form before available in the grocery store. Generally when people talk about “processed foods” they are referring to heavily processed foods such as sweets, frozen prepared foods, packaged snacks, chips, etc with minimal nutritional value.

Processed food fall under a different category, some are minimally processed and others heavily processed:

Heavily Processed | Ultra processed Food:

Foods described as ultra-processed usually include additives, preservatives, and other ingredients. These foods also include high levels of saturated fats, processed carbohydrates, added sugar, sodium, and low dietary fiber. Be sure to check the ingredients labels on these packages.

The most processed foods are like most ready-to-eat, frozen or pre-packaged foods, blends, soups, and other foods. The more complex the food the more likely had to be heavily processed so that it stays edible and tasty. This means microwavable TV dinners, frozen pizza, boxed desserts with frosting such as pop-tarts are ultra-processed.

In order to avoid the growth of bacteria, most store-bought bacon, hot dogs, and pre-packaged deli meats are often highly processed and filled with nitrates. Ultra Processed foods are not considered nutrient-dense, examples include food like:

• Pop tart, Hamburger, French fries, Mac & Cheese, Pizza, Chips, Cookies, Crackers, hot dog, deli meat, sausage, etc. are ready to eat foods and they’re heavily processed
• Pre-made meals such as microwaveable dinners, frozen pizza, are also heavily processed.

Why Are Highly Processed Foods Less Healthy in General?

Food manufacturers remove essential minerals including fiber, iron, and B vitamins during the refining process for two reasons. First, to give the finished product a softer texture, and second, to increase the shelf life of the finished product. Pests, such as mold, are less attracted to foods that are lacking in nutrition, therefore a fully processed product will remain longer on the shop shelf. A highly processed meatball will degrade considerably more slowly than a meatball produced from scratch.

One of the reasons why highly processed foods are generally higher in calories is that considerable amounts of fat, sugar and salt are added to make the nutrient-depleted foods taste pleasant in order to make them sell.

Artificial flavors, colorants, stabilizers, and other preservatives are also used to improve packaged items and provide the impression that we, as consumers, have a lot of options when we stroll through supermarket aisles.

Another thing that we need to be concerned about is highly processed foods masquerading as nutritious foods. These are goods that have had synthetic nutrients put back into them after they have been refined, and this is generally done to make the product appear healthy to the nutrition-conscious consumer.

Minimally Processed:

Some minimally processed foods are cleaned, cut, cooked for convenience.

• Roasted Nuts, Cut Vegetables, Bagged Salads, bagged vegetables, fresh fruits, seeds, roasted coffee beans, etc. are often minimally processed foods and it is prepared for convenience without adding any additional things.
• Sometimes food is processed to lock freshness and nutritional quality at their peak such as frozen fruits, vegetables, canned fish

What Types of Processed Food is OK?

It is just as vital to know which foods you should eat as to knowing what to avoid. To keep your body healthy and the weight off, you need a dietary routine that you can follow your entire life. Try to eat food that gives you all the necessary nutrients without leaving you hungry, gives you more energy and strength.

If fresh fruits or vegetables are not available then minimally processed food such as bagged spinach, pre-cut vegetables and fruits, frozen fruits, and vegetables are great options. For people who are looking to prepare more homemade meals but need a little extra support to make cooking dinner practical for their schedule, these foods can also be big-time savers.

There are plenty of minimally processed foods that, even though they contain more than a handful of ingredients, are nutrient-dense and acceptable replacements for less nutritious food. If buying a store-bought cereal with added fiber, with less sugar helps you or your kids eat a healthy breakfast then that is a good alternative. Make sure to read the label carefully, check ingredients and look for added sugar and sodium so you can make an informed decision.

Here are some of the prepared foods that can help add variety to your diet and make it more manageable to prepare fresh meals.

Frozen Vegetables and Fruits

Frozen food, such as frozen berries or frozen vegetables, is just as nutritious as fresh, and there is less waste because you can use just what you need and hang onto the rest for another meal. I often keep frozen fruits and vegetables on hand as an alternative.

Packaged Nuts and Nut Butters

If you have a jar of plain peanut butter, almond butter, and a loaf of whole-grain bread stocked in the kitchen, you still have a quick meal at your disposal. Make sure to read the ingredient list to make sure there is no added sugar and sodium.

Canned Beans

Canned legumes are easy, ready-to-eat protein, fully cooked, and they are also the key ingredient to making more meatless meals. You can mix them with brown rice or quinoa and vegetables, or add them to a salad instead of chicken.

Hummus

If you’re not keen on making your own hummus at home then it is available with minimal ingredients for eating with vegetables or on sandwiches.

Whole Grain Pasta

Whole Grain Pasta comes in many varieties and is a good option for a quick dinner as it takes less than 20 minutes to prepare. While your pasta is getting cooked sauté some sliced skinless chicken and veggies in olive oil, and toss all together just before serving.

Other minimally processed foods such as milk fortified with Calcium and Vitamin D,

What is to Avoid in Processed Food?

Many processed foods contain high amounts of added sodium and sugar. Food marketing is a huge business in many countries nowadays. Hundreds of billions of dollars are spent each year in the United States alone to build brand loyalty and to place highly processed products at eye level, where consumers can readily reach them.

The amount of ingredients mentioned on the package is one way to tell if a food is hyper-processed. Food with fewer ingredients has almost probably been processed less. Furthermore, if we identify the ingredients listed, the food is usually always less processed than foods with ingredients that the average person has never heard of.

Transfat

Fats contained in processed foods are often less nutritious than fats found in plant foods such as avocados or nuts. Trans fats, which are more often found in processed foods, should also be avoided as much as possible. In fact, in 2015, legislation was passed in the United States requiring food producers to stop using trans fats due to the increased risk of heart disease.

Added Salt

As salt is widely applied to preserve foods and prolong shelf life, processed foods are major contributors of sodium in our diets. Salt has been added to most canned fruits, soups, and sauces. To minimize the amount of salt you eat from processed foods, select foods labeled with no salt added, low-sodium, or decreased-sodium.

Added Sugar

Added sugars are any sugar that does not exist naturally in the food and has been added manually.

Unfortunately, sugar is added to the food we often consider healthy, for instance, extra sugar is added to bread, cereal, pasta, salad dressings etc for improving the color, taste, and texture. The updated Nutrition facts label should specify how many added sugars are in the product. When you check the ingredient list if it includes, corn syrup, maltose, brown sugar, cane sugar, honey, fruit juice concentrate then those are added sugar.

The amount of sugar consumed in the typical western diet has increased considerably during the last 60 years. In most countries where heavily processed food is easily available, significant increases in sugar intake have been reported.

Many people are becoming aware of the importance of reducing sugar consumption in order to maintain a healthy weight. However, many people are still unaware that sugar is added to a wide range of meals that we don’t expect to include sugar under various pseudonyms. The increased consumption of simple carbohydrates fueled the modern obesity and diabetes epidemics.

In Summary:

Avoiding process foods is one of the most essential steps you can take toward maintaining healthy body weight. If you want to reduce your consumption of packaged food, strive to do more food preparation and cooking at home.

Processed foods, compared to volume, are high in calories and lack many vitamins and nutrients. Unhealthy fats and sugars that interfere with our brain to induce overeating are also present.

If your health is a priority, the first and most important step is to switch from processed to whole foods. I’m referring to plants and animal food that are in their most natural state or items that have been extremely minimally processed, such as pasta or flour.

When you shop when hungry, you’re more likely to buy processed foods on impulse. Highly processed foods are often displayed at eye level in grocery shops to attract customers to buy them.

Reference:

Changes To the Nutrition Labels by U.S.Food and Drug Administration(FDA)