Processed food has been gaining notoriety for years. It has been blamed for many ailments, including obesity, gastrointestinal problems, and nutritional deficits.
But does processed food deserve the bad press it receives? And what counts as processed exactly? Pass me another donut while we take a look at this tricky minefield!
The first thing that springs to mind when thinking of processed food is fast food, a quick stop in the drive-thru. If we don’t eat fast food, we’re doing ok, right?
Well no, actually processed food extends far beyond fast food. In fact processed food is all around us, to the point where it’s difficult to avoid!
Why Do Manufacturers Process Food?
Natural foods don’t stay fresh for very long so the food industry has found ‘clever’ ways to extend their shelf-life, such as:
- Applying extreme heat and/or pressure
- Applying solvents and enzymes
- Adding chemicals
- Artificial colors
- Preservatives
- Artificial flavors
- Stabilizers
Longer shelf-life means bigger profits for the big food food companies.
In the process the manufacturers also carefully tweak the levels of salt, fat and sugar until the ‘bliss point’ is reached, where the food is so tasty that it becomes addictive.
The result is a nasty hodge-podge of chemicals, many of which are harmful to the body, which is then wrapped in brightly-coloured packaging and presented to us as ‘food’. These food manufacturers only care about their profit margins, not about our health!
Hugely Popular Processed Food
All of the following count as ‘processed’ or ‘ultra-processed’ (a new description that has recently come into use):
- Fast food, including burgers, fries, shakes, fried chicken, kebabs
- Ready meals
- Breakfast cereal
- Pastries, biscuits, donuts, crackers, breads
- Sweets, candies, jams,
- Condiments such as mayonnaise and ketchup
- Canned food
- Processed meat such as salami, hot dogs, corned beef
7 Reasons To Avoid It
This stuff is convenient and tasty, so what’s the problem? Well, if you’re serious about getting your gut into tip-top health, you’re best off minimising the amount of processed crap that you eat!
Here are some reasons processed food is bad news (this is not an exhaustive list and truly only touches the tip of the iceberg):
1. Processed foods damage our microbiome. There is a delicate balance of beneficial bacteria inside our gut which is vital for digesting food and fighting off pathogens. Processed foods can throw off this balance by boosting the bad bacteria.
Chronic consumption of processed foods is linked to diarrhea, cramping and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
As well as gastrointestinal upset, the body then suffers from a weakened immune system, leading to infections, systemic inflammation and autoimmune conditions.
2. Most processed foods are very low in nutrient value. The methods to increase shelf life tend to decrease the vitamins available to us. Sometimes the vitamins are added back in or the food is “fortified” at the end of the process.
However, these vitamins are synthetic and not as valuable to the human body as those in the natural state of whole, unprocessed foods.
The blend of vitamins and phytochemicals are not understood enough by science to mimic nature in this way, as much as scientists have tried.
3. Eating processed foods is addictive. Whole foods contain a mixture of fats, proteins, nutrients, vitamins, and carbohydrates, which combine to help the body feel satiated and satisfied for longer periods of time.
Processed foods overstimulate the dopamine-receptors, the “feel-good” receptors in the brain, causing the body to crave more and more. Yeah, pass me another donut! (we’ve all been there!)
4. Processed foods have a vanishing calorie density. What does that mean? It means that processed foods have less fiber and complexity than their whole food counterparts.
Processed foods tend to be easier to digest, which drives up blood-sugar levels and leaves the body hungry for more sooner than with whole foods.
It takes more processed food for us to feel full which causes us to eat more frequently. This leads to increased calorie intake, which in turn leads to obesity and other related health problems.
5. Processed foods contain a chemical goo of artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. Although the food industry claims these are safe, many studies show a link between these ingredients and diseases like cancer. Hyperactivity in children has also been linked to artificial colors in particular.
6. Eating processed foods leads to chronic diseases. Refined flour and sugars over-stimulate the body’s insulin release, which leads to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance has been linked to many chronic diseases including Type 2 Diabetes.
Chronic inflammation, another “side effect” of processed foods has been linked to many chronic diseases as well, including heart disease and dementia.
A 2018 study of 105,000 people published in the British Medical Journal found a link between eating processed food and cancer.¹ Hands up, who’s not surprised?!
7. Processed food is more expensive than whole food. Wait, what? For a long time, people have used the excuse that fresh fruits and vegetables are too expensive to eat regularly and that processed food is much cheaper. However, when broken down meal-by-meal, whole food is cheaper per serving.
These are just a quick few examples of the detrimental effects of processed food. When you also bear in mind that processed food contains more genetically-modified ingredients, more pesticides, and more artificial hormones than whole foods, the idea of processed foods becomes less and less appetizing!
The One Thing That Unites Nutrition Experts?
Debates rage continually in the world of nutrition and health over what should we eat and what we should avoid.
For example, experts on one side swear that we’re not built to eat meat, that it’s making us sick and killing the planet, and that drinking the milk of another animal is perverse.
At the same time experts on the other side swear that we’re not built to eat plants such as grains and legumes because they’re difficult to digest and cause inflammation in our body.
I’m not a trained nutritionist, I’m just a ordinary person like you, trying to make sense of this baffling world of nutrition advice. Looking over the historical and current evidence, it seems that humans can actually do just fine at both end of that particular spectrum. Two conclusions leap out at us:
- It’s possible to heal our gut with both a plant-based diet or a carnivorous diet. We may need to experiment to find which is best for us!
- The one thing all the experts agree one is that processed food is terrible for our health!
It boils down to this: processed foods can be considered as a kind of “poison” to the body. We need to avoid them like the plague!
References:
- Consumption of ultra-processed foods and cancer risk: results from NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort BMJ 2018;360:k322
49 thoughts on “7 Huge Reasons to Avoid Processed Food”
I processed food is for sure addictive. I know I find myself wanting certain processed foods way more than I want natural grown foods.
I am trying to avoid processed food for more than a year and I love the outcome!
This blog post was super enlightening!! I wanted to start eating more organic food, but that also means that i gotta start cooking more myself right? Will definitely be lessening my consumption tho!
I avoid processed food as much as possible because of these reasons. 2022 will be a healthier year for me
I’m all over this gut health thing and am like a sponge with every article on the topic. This is nicely articulated!
We recently cut out most processed food and feel so much better!
I 100% prefer fresh fruits and veggies over the stuff in cans/jars (unless home canned), it tastes so much better. Plus it is crazy to think of some of the stuff they add to food to keep it fresh.
I tried to avoid it as much as possible, but occasionally I partake for a little cheat day. I need a balance of it.
I try really hard to limit our intake of processed foods. I manage to get it right about 80% of the time. But some days convenience wins or I havent planned properly.
I am still shocked that processed food is actually more expensive than whole foods, because until now I’ve always believed the opposite!!
I don’t like to eat a lot because actually processed foods at places like restaurants come with a lot of MSG, which isn’t too nice for my tummy. I try to make homemade meals all the time.
Very good points and very well explained. I always try my best to stick to fresh food.
Yes! you are so right here! As I very rarely eat processed food I feel a huge difference when I do eat it
I agree fresh food won’t last long/ Good thing they found a way to keep it at least good longer. Even though, there is an option to get fresh food as well,
Always passionate about wellness and notions related to health, I like to learn more about it through food!
thanks for sharing these 7 big WHYs to confirm my efforts of lessen my consume of processed foods over for 2 years now, however from my personal experience, it’s not easy to avoid completely at times, am trying my very best to reduce as much as I can 😀 cheers,
Very well explained. Heavily processed foods often include unhealthy levels of added sugar, sodium, and fat. These ingredients make the food we eat taste better, but too much of them leads to serious health issues like obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Lacking in nutritional value.
I agree! Everything I snack, I feel cranky and groggy. Preservatives and long shelf lives simply imply that this food is altered and is NOT going to help you!
Very important information in this post. I am recently diagnosed with diabetes and I am trying to cut down on processed food items.
I can’t eat processed foods because I get really bad stomach aches. It has been something I had since I was little. I can’t eat a lot of MSG or processed food or I go to the toilet often and it is bad. I like making my own food as I can add more veggies and control what is in my food.
Great article. I learned a lot from what you wrote. Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait for the next one.
I try to avoid processed food as much as possible. It’s hard sometimes but I try.
i’m trying to avoid processed food as well but it’s so hard because they are so convenient!
Great, great, great post!!! My doctors has had me off of processed foods since last year and I feel amazing.
Great post! Growing up we ate a lot of canned veggies (cheaper, easier), but now that I have a family of my own I make and buy just fresh veggies and my mom does the same now too.
I’ve been looking to ear healthier, and this has definitely convinced me.
These are all great reminders. I’m working to cut back on processed food this year. Shopping the perimeter of the store helps.
Processed food is so bad for you! I try as much as possible to cook from scratch. If I want tomato sauce, I will just blend a few tomatoes for example. Easy.
Since I went on a KETO diet last September, and now I am on a modified Keto diet I have definitely removed 90% of the processes food and I am so happy about that. It really made a difference! So glad you have this post to explain all the benefits!
I have always wanted to lose weight ,and now I know why I couldn’t lose a single pound even after so much effort ,valuable points . I’ll try and cut down on these processed foods . yes ,and I have noticed that I cant seem to live without certain chips ,risk of cancer info was new to me . I’m going to be careful about these foods hereafter ..
I have always wanted to lose weight ,and now I know why I couldn’t lose a single pound even after so much effort ,good post ,valuable points . I’ll try and cut down on these processed foods .
This is very interesting and informative! Thanks for sharing!
Oh, I can’t agree more with everything you say here! Eating “real”, unprocessed food was one of the major things I did to heal my hormonal acne and it improved my life in so many other ways as well.
Articles like yours are so important to raise awareness for what we eat and educate people on how they can live better. Because it really is about life quality, I speak from experience!
Thank you for this post!
These are some great reasons. I never knew most of these things before. You have me really thinking of trying to find ways to minimize how many processed foods my family and I eat.
Awesome! Let me know how you get on! 🙂
Great points! I always try and stay away from the middle isles which are processed food hot zones.
Agnes, that’s a great strategy to avoid temptation!
Love your breakdown on this. For so many people they have no idea what they are putting into their bodies. This is a simple way to read and understand it.
Glad you found it helpful Renee!
I agree, we try to steer very clear of processed foods in my home. The motto is if it can go bag then its good for us and if it can’t then it isn’t. It’s funny how eating processed foods has become so normal that when people eat only non processed foods they are said to be eating “clean” or healthy.
Well played Trish! I agree it’s a shame processed food has become so normal
Yuck! I don’t want any of that in my body. Going out to grab some fast food for lunch is an easy option but by the time it takes to drive to said fast food place or, wait, then come back you could have made a delicious salad & sunflower seeds.
Yeah that’s a very good point Leslie! Preparing a quick natural lunch doesn’t take as long as people think, but we get cravings for junky fast food!
I agree with you! It is so easy to get addicted to processed foods! Once you start you don’t want to stop. It is better overall to cook from scratch! It tastes so much better once you get passed the struggle and time of creating it! lol!!
I agree Jen, sometimes we need to get past the mental block of having to prepare something from scratch, but it’s SO worth it!
So glad to see this, Adrian. Processed foods really are poison to the body! I’ve pretty much eliminated them from my world 🙂
Well done Susan, go to the top of the class! 😀
clean eating is the way to go…plant-based/vegan
Clean eating all the way Sharon! 🙂