Food processing was originally designed to make foods last longer (and in some cases it's still used for that). Think of pickling, canning, salting, smoking, and pasteurizing for example. These processes allowed people to eat foods even when they were out of season and kept them from spoiling. However, it seems that processing continues, but we also have access to food every time we turn around!
In her book Go UnDiet, Gloria Tsang (Registered Dietitian, HealthCastle.com) advises people to UN-LOW. When foods are labelled as low-fat or low-sugar they often contain other ingredients to simulate those that have been removed; they undergo more processing and become further from the original natural state. The only "low" claim Gloria says is a positive one is low-sodium (salt).
Gloria talks about highly processed foods that have had artificial ingredients added and/or have had fibre and nutrients removed. Her tips to avoid some of the worst offenders include:
- avoid products with cartoon characters on the box
- avoid fat-free products
- read ingredient lists; generally a shorter list is better than a longer list
- choose fresh over convenient
- consider if you could make it at home
Seek out a Dietitian if you need more specific information to help get you started on the road to a healthy future!
Steph Wheler
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com
