Normally when we think of processed foods, we think of them being bad for us and something that we should avoid in our diet. While this is true a lot of the time, there are some processed foods that have a place in a balanced diet. However, there are still things to look for when eating any sort of processed food.
Different types of processed foods include:
- Minimally processed foods: cut up fruits and vegetables
- Canned foods or packaged produce: processed and packaged at the peak of nutritional value to maintain the nutrients before it is consumed.
- Added Ingredients: items such as jarred sauce, salad dressing, yogurt and cake mix have added ingredients for flavor and texture that make them processed and more unhealthy.
- Heavily processed foods: ready-to-eat foods that include things like chips, crackers and other packaged snacks and treats.
- Most heavily processed: frozen and pre-made meals such as pizza and TV dinners are the most heavily processed foods and are filled with additional sodium, sugar and fat for flavor and texture. These are the foods
The most important things to remember when trying to monitor the addition of salt, sugar and fats in our diets is to read nutrition labels and be able to recognize ingredients that have been added for flavor and texture. Also being able to notice the amount of sugar, sodium and fat on a nutrition label is very important in making your diet healthier and staying within the recommended amounts of these components.
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