What are processed foods?
Processed foods tend to contain added sugar and, often, high fructose corn syrup. Added sugar contains no essential nutrients but is high in calories.
Regularly consuming an excess of added sugar can lead to compulsive overeating. It is also linked with health conditions such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory diseases.
Processed foods and beverages are among the major sources of added sugar in the diet. Sweetened beverages are a particularly significant source; people tend to consume much more sugar than they realize in soft drinks.
Cutting down on added sugar — by drinking sparkling water instead of soda, for example — is a quick and effective way to make the diet more healthful.
The ingredients list on the back of processed food packaging is often full of unrecognizable substances. Some are artificial chemicals that the manufacturer has added to make the food more palatable.
Highly processed foods often contain the following types of chemicals:
- preservatives, which keep the food from going bad quickly
- artificial coloring
- chemical flavoring
- texturing agents
Also, processed foods can contain dozens of additional chemicals that are not listed on their labels.
For example, “artificial flavor” is a proprietary blend. Manufacturers do not have to disclose exactly what it means, and it is usually a combination of chemicals.
Official organizations have tested most food additives for safety, though the use of these chemicals
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