The best way to eat: what you see is what you get
Eating processed foods isn’t great for health. You’ve probably heard that before.
But it’s not just because foods with ingredients manufactured in labs tend to be overly sweet and salty and promote overeating. Some additives in highly processed foods may disrupt digestion.
In my opinion, the biggest issue with eating a lot of processed foods, such as cookies, chips, hot dogs, lunch meats, bacon, ready-made meals, etc., isn’t the damage they may do. It’s their opportunity cost: We miss out on the healing and energizing power of real, whole, natural foods when we fill up on the other stuff.
Put it all together, and the result of a diet high in processed foods are health risks, from obesity to high blood pressure, diabetes and even dementia.
I think about this every day as I try desperately to overcome my 3-year-old’s desire to eat only junk food. It feels like an unfair battle. Of course, he only wants snacks, or as he calls it, “food from the pantry.” All that stuff is so darn tasty!
But real and minimally processed foods (which contain only two or three ingredients, typically a whole food + salt, oil or sugar) do our bodies a world of good. They promote balanced energy, they’re healing, they help us feel well and look well as we grow and age. They’re the best source of preventative medicine. I’m talking about foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole-grain products, eggs, nuts, milk and yogurt. Also: fish, meat and poultry that has been grilled, baked, roasted, or broiled.
For most of us, it’s not possible to eliminate processed foods, and that’s not necessarily what we need to do. Treats are an important part of life. Also, some processed foods have redeeming value. A lot of whole-grain products, like packaged whole-wheat bread, for example, can be good sources of fiber.
I try to look for packaged products with ingredients I’ve heard of and avoid ones where the ingredients contain items I wouldn’t use in food prep at home. Things like modified starches, hydrogenated oils, flavorings and long words I don’t know how to say.
I also like to prepare home-cooked meals that are as nutrient-rich, made of whole foods and minimally processed as possible. The general idea is: What you see is what you get. There may be some oil, salt or spices in the recipe, but there aren’t many hidden, extra ingredients like dressings and sauces with stabilizers and preservatives, processed meats and cheeses, or anything containing white flour. The food is simple and straightforward, but it can still be really tasty.
These two recipes are examples. They’re quick and easy, too … my favorite.
But look, I’ll be honest. While I love the chicken mixture and often eat it with a spoon, I also use store-bought tortillas (processed) with this meal. For the chopped salad, I like to serve it with a crusty baguette (store-bought, processed).
The point truly is not to avoid all processed foods all the time. It’s to eat mostly healthy and wholesome stuff with intentionally selected processed items sprinkled in. It’s easy to get that backward, but we’re working on it in our house.
I hope this inspires you, too.