Why Do People Continue to Eat Processed Food?
Most people know that it is bad for them. So why do people eat processed food, knowing it is bad for them?
Why can’t everyone just stop eating processed food?
Well, likely the biggest reasons people eat processed food (and feed it to their children), knowing that it’s bad for them, is that it is convenient, and usually less expensive than healthy food. It is also addictive, due to it’s usually containing a lot of sugar (or, more likely high fructose corn syrup).
Should High Fructose Corn Syrup Be Banned?
It really is not fair. You’ve done your homework. Read all the literature. Maybe even consulted a nutritionist. Made a solemn pact with yourself that from here on in you are going to give your body and mind the care that they so richly deserve after a lifetime of abuse. New leaf. Body is a temple and all that. But just what is bad about processed food, anyway? Why are processed foods unhealthy?
And why is it that all the healthy, nourishing edibles taste, well, not very edible?
And, conversely, why are all the delicious foods now and forever off limits?
Well, to fall back on standard parent answer number one:
Nobody ever said life is always fair.
The bottom line is pretty straight forward. In order to enjoy a healthy, disease free life, it is imperative to eat healthy foods in their natural state, when possible, and avoid nasty artificial, additive laden substitutes.
And the very worst culprit is……..
Heavily Processed Foods.
The good news is your brain can be trained to actually learn to enjoy fresh, nutritious meals and snacks.
If a Child Is Overweight Whose Fault Is It? | High Fructose Foods List
Why Are Processed Foods Unhealthy?
You can make your own jokes here…Since they have been blamed for obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, brain fog, and much more we really should know what constitutes these bad dudes.
According to the “pros”, processed food is defined as any raw agricultural commodity that has been subject to milling, heating, pasteurizing, blanching, canning, drying, dehydrating, or other procedures that alter the food from its natural state.
This also includes the addition of preservatives, flavours, natural or otherwise, or substances approved for use in food products such as salt, sugars, and fats.
The Not-So-Bad
Minimally processed foods that are pre-washed, cut up, and bagged for convenience are not harmful as an occasional purchase. Foods processed to lock in freshness and nutritional quality such as canned tomatoes, frozen fruit and vegetables, and canned tuna are also usually not entirely unsafe.
The Pretty-Bad
However foods with added ingredients to add flavor and texture such as sweeteners, spices, oils, colors, and preservatives such as jarred pasta sauce, salad dressings, yogurt, and cake mixes are getting to the really “iffy” spectrum. Crackers, chips, and deli meat are even further down the spectrum.
The Just Plain BAAAAD.
The most heavily processed foods list would include frozen or pre-made meals, which include (please don’t shoot the messenger) frozen pizza and microwaveable dinners.
Heavily processed foods should be avoided when possible. However I would list minimally processed foods or ones having a small but useful place in healthful diets, thusly:
- Low fat milk
- Some whole grain breads
- Pre-cut vegetables
- Fresh cut greens
- Frozen fruit
- Jarred fruit (canned? Hmmm…)
21 Diseases Caused by Eating Junk Food | Stop Eating It!!
Everyone has heard this thousands of times, but it rings true:
Examine the Ingredient List
and Analyze the Nutritional Facts List.
It is vital to look for hidden sugar, fat, and salt. Products labeled “natural” or “organic” does not always mean what it is supposed to. Sneaky devils.
We’re Not Going to Argue About the Salt Thing.
I believe that salt has been seriously demonized!
Salt is made up of two minerals that are very important for health:
Sodium and chloride.
Watch this video to learn some things they likely didn’t teach you in school about salt.
For anybody who won’t be swayed, or has a condition which they have been told would worsen with the use of salt, look for low sodium or reduced sodium on the labels, and rinse canned goods with water to remove at least some of the salt.
As for fat, beware of products containing large amounts of trans fat or any amount of saturated fat.
Refined grains, or those that have had the bran (which contains most of the fiber) and germ (which contains protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals) removed, leaving nothing but white flour or rice, are definitely way down on our spectrum.
And, by the way, labels stating that these items have been fortified should also be avoided.
How To Stop Bad Food Cravings and Why You Have Them
Let Us Not Forget SUGAR, That Bad Boy.
And that includes caloric sweeteners, and especially high fructose corn syrup. Very bad except in tiny amounts, and keep in mind that most processed foods contain added sugar.
So here is the worst of the worst processed foods list. But do not lose hope.
There are delicious alternatives coming up after this bad news.
BAD Processed Foods List:
- bacon (I know…right at the top of the list. I feel your pain.)
granola bars- flavored nuts
- microwave popcorn
- dried fruit (who knew?)
- “fruit” snacks
- margarine
- sugary drinks
- most pizzas (heavy sigh)
- white bread
- sweetened breakfast cereals
- pastries, cookies, and cakes
- french fries and potato chips
OK, that is your bad processed foods list out of the way. I must say it was difficult throwing some of those under the bus…
What Foods Contain Red Dye 40? | Red Dye and Autism, ADHD
So… Where’s the Healthy Processed Foods List??
Now for the light at the end of the tunnel. Yes, we actually do have for you a healthy processed foods list, as well (it’s a little shorter…)!
No, not all processed foods are unhealthy. Advice from Stacey Nelson, registered dietitian and manager of clinical nutrition at Massachusetts General Hospital, is as follows:
“Ignore the marketing claims on the front of the package, flip it over, and go right to the list of ingredients.”
As Promised: A Healthy Processed Foods List You Might Actually Like:
- Canned beans – rinse off the salty canning liquids and toss into salads.
- Canned salmon, tuna, and other fish – flake onto salads or mix with extra-virgin olive oil and chopped celery for a delightful sandwich spread.
- Frozen fruits and veggies – buy only the ones that do not have added sauces and seasonings.
- Peanut butter – perfectly acceptable on whole grain crackers or bread
- Yogurt – only plain, please, and top it with fresh fruit.
What Is Worse – Sugar or Fat? | Hint: One Is Way Worse
Again, Here Is the Bad and the Not So Bad:
Sugary drinks are particularly harmful. When consumed in large amounts, especially, they can drive insulin resistance, thereby being linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. So…drink water, soda water (I find it delightfully refreshing with a bloop of lime), or herbal tea.
Pizza – choose homemade. Not as handy but much healthier.
Is White Bread Healthy?
The question, “Is white bread healthy?” always makes me think back to elementary school.
My GOD they pounded a lot of lies into me!
Although there is a lot of debate about whether or not wheat bread these days is any better, white bread is horrendous and may lead to rapid spikes in blood sugar, among other things.
Read more about white bread being horrible here, if you want to know all about it.
For those who can tolerate gluten, try Ezekiel bread or whole grain bread.
Fruit Juice Is Assumed to be Healthy, But No.
Again, some healthy ingredients but high amounts of liquid sugar. Wait for it…sometimes as much as Coke or Pepsi. Check your labels, make your own juice, or try pomegranate and blueberry juices.
Here is another one that is going to hurt –
Fried, grilled, or broiled food.
Goodbye barbecue, but these methods are among the unhealthiest cooking methods.
Many chemicals formed during high heat cooking have been linked to an increased risk of cancer and heart disease. Choose milder cooking methods such as boiling, stewing, blanching, and steaming.
Chips. Bad.
French fries and potato chips are very high in calories and may also contain large amounts of carcinogenic substances.
Potatoes are best consumed boiled (I know, right) and if you are craving something crunchy, try baby carrots, crisp celery, radishes, or nuts.
Fresh out of the garden vegetables are more than tolerable, I think. Obviously if you grow your own vegetables, they don’t have poisons added to them.
Does Advertising Affect Body Image? | Is Binge Eating a Disorder?
Low Fat Yogurt Is Not As Healthy As You Might Think.
Yogurt can be incredibly healthy, but most grocery store yogurts are bad for you.
Often loaded with sugar to compensate for the loss of fat to make them “low fat and healthier”, they don’t provide the much touted probiotic bacteria.
News flash: when pasteurized, most of the good bacteria is killed.
Better to use plain yogurt and add fresh fruit, nuts, or a wee bit of granola.
Ice Cream Is Loaded with Sugar.
It is one of my very favorites but I have learned to make my own with fresh fruit and much less sugar.
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things
(besides brown paper packages tied up with strings, and wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings, and stuff of that nature…)
Now on to processed meats, and yes this includes bacon, processed ham, and sausages.
These are such great things! However, people who consume these products have a higher risk of many serious ailments, such as colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
Try and try again to really seriously cut down on these, but when you just can’t resist one more day, try to buy from local butchers who refrain from adding so many unhealthy ingredients.
Or cozy up to a farmer.
Reading Food Nutrition Labels 101 and How to Decode Them
Cheese Is Another of My Go-To Foods.
And it is healthy in moderation.
Loaded with nutrients, one slice packs all the nutrients of a glass of milk (low fat of course).
Do not confuse processed cheese with real cheese. No comparison.
Read labels and look for dairy only and very few artificial ingredients.
Now let us cut to the chase.
You can believe this or not as you choose, but I honestly found this method to help me make the changeover.
Picture a chocolate chip cookie in your mind. Only think of how dry it is with no drink to dip it in. How overly sweet your mouth feels afterwards, not to mention how the sweetness is chomping away at your teeth enamel.
Then visualize a smooth, round, succulent peach. The aroma that rises to assault your senses from the very first bite. The juicy, robust flavor. Your liver and other organs rejoicing with glee. A little off the top maybe but try it before you poo-poo it.
Why Canola Oil Is Unhealthy | Canola Oil Health Facts
Bottom line:
So, why do people eat processed food, and why can’t everyone just stop eating processed food, when they know it’s bad for them?
Cost, convenience and addiction (and other psychological issues, in some cases).
What is bad about processed food, and is there good processed food? Most would probably agree the simple answer to the first question would be, “lots“.
And to the second question- I reckon if you define the term “good processed food” as, “any food that contains less poison than nutrients”, then yes, there is good processed food. Most foods are “processed”, in some way or another. Cutting a cow into steaks is a process.
And though our good list was shorter than our bad list, there may be some readers who were pleasantly surprised that there was a healthy processed foods list at all.
The key to healthy eating starts with you.
- Read labels.
- Buy fresh and unprocessed.
- Be aware of how much and what you eat.
- Focus on whole foods.
Soon your heart, liver, digestive system and more will be thanking you profusely, while you have more spring in your step, are more alert mentally,
and watch the excess pounds melt away before your eyes!
Happy not-eating of many delicious things,
Larke and Craig
How Your Diet Affects Your Mental Health | Health and Happiness
Back to Top: Why Do People Eat Processed Food?
Thank you, Tamara. Your words mean a lot!
Hi Craig,
I enjoyed perusing your website tonight–you’ve got a great sense of humor and writing style. Loved “favorite things” and chocolate chip cookie vs. juicy peach. Your sight is easy to navigate and chock full of excellent advice. And I found the topics you’ve discussed (thus far) on Un-Pharma to be interesting, enlightening, and very useful. I say thus far, because I can sense you’ve got a lot more to say. I’m looking forward to your words of wisdom.
So what food is most difficult for you to remove from your diet?
Cheers,
Tamara
Greetings! This article is very educative and I thank you for sharing it. I will be sharing it further too. I fully agree that all the foods that we most times enjoy seem to be unhealthy. And you may find that we eat this food than the ones we should actually eat, and this affects our health. Whole grains and fruits and vegetables are the foods considered healthy but seem hard to get to them.
Thanks for shaing once again.
Yes, the processed foods are addictive. Especially the ones with lots of sugar.
Ha, those processed foods are the yummy ones compared to the healthy foods, and that’s why children always prefer french fries over mash potatoes 🙂 Really hard to stop them from eating but i always make sure she has a proper healthy meal before i offer her favorite processed food as a treat sometimes. Before i have any kid, i was never bother about reading the label but once i have my own kid, everything i buy i will read the list of ingredients to ensure no extra additives. Once we start to grow our family, only realize the importance of eating healthy to stay healthy. 🙂
Thanks for the interesting article.
Haha, I wonder how many people ever look at it in this way.
I suppose when you think about it, for years the slaughter and butchery of a carcass has always been done on a ‘Class’ method. The Fillet stakes for those with a well lined Pocked. Thern we’ll get the other fine cuts, sirlions, silverside and so on.
Then when you get nearly to the bottom, theres all the cuttings thrown into a mincer, and thats for the poor folk. Used to be called mince. But the stamdards have dropped to a newer level where they just throw in any old crap and add loadsa fat and call it food.
Shocking
I think most people do know that processed food is bad for them, but you would never know it by their daily actions. I include myself in that, I have to admit. I find myself justifying it way too often, even though I can feel what it does to me every time. I have gotten better, the more I have discovered just how truly bad it is. And it is pretty hard to find clean food, anyway. I often wonder how truthful the labels even are, anymore…
I think it is very common knowledge that processed food is bad for your health. For those that do enjoy a pizza or bacon, it does not mean that you can never eat it again, just limit it to once a week or once a month as a treat.
Food labelling has helped to make the consumer more aware of what is actually put in the food. Artificial colours, preservatives, unnecessary sugar, MSG etc, are all terrible. So important at the end of the day is to read the label.The problem is when you go to the deli counter and ask for sliced ham and salami, that it comes without labels that you can read. So be aware just how bad processed meat is for your health, and rather tuck into a piece of cheese.
This is a great post.
Thanks Paolo. I don’t know what “pandemic” you are referring to, but it sounds terrible!
During this pandemic I have enjoyed playing Among us. And the concept is really entertaining. Not, process food is just that, it’s killing us and we still have them onboard on our spaceship. I wish more and more people could become sensite to how bad processed food really is. Thanks for doing your part of spreading the word.
Yes, fore sure, Max. Although I have begun to wonder about even the labels, at this point… I will be hitting the Farmer’s Markets regularly this year, for sure!
Pizza being unhealthy is obvious but it never fails to make me feel sad! Frozen veggies and fruits have been a lifesaver for me though. Labels for junk like fruit juices and granola bars try very hard to trick shoppers but it never hurts to take 15 seconds to read the back of the label for the nutrition information. It can be the key to staying healthy and living a longer life.