Ultra-processed foods are getting more and more attention for a good reason. They are just not good for us, and we still eat them like no tomorrow. They are typically candy, soft drinks, and all types of fast or ready-made foods. To better understand what not to eat, we have collected 14 typical ultra-processed foods that need to be avoided at all costs. We know it is not always possible, but try to avoid these as much as you can. Your body will thank you!
Note: The content of this article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional for advice tailored to your individual circumstances.
What is an Ultra Processessed Food?
Ultra-processed foods have been altered to include fat, starch, sugar, and oil. They have been chemically altered and typically contain artificial ingredients, tons of sugar, refined carbohydrates, and also trans fats. They also have undergone some type of industrial processing like being heated to extreme temperatures or re-formed to have a new appearance or shape.
Why are Ultra Processessed Foods Bad?
Eating a lot of ultra-processed foods has been linked to hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. You can see why you should stay away from ultra-processed foods! So let’s look at the worst ones on the shelves right now so you can stay far, far away.
Soda
There is barely any “real” stuff in a can of soda. It is a very highly processed food that contains lots of artificial sweeteners, food coloring, and even brominated vegetable oil. This chemical has been banned in many countries for causing memory loss and skin lesions. If that isn’t enough to make you stop drinking soda, we don’t know what is!
Bread
Most grocery store bread has a mile-long ingredient list. That loaf of white bread you love is probably full of sugar, corn syrup, or preservatives. You would think that bread would be a nice, natural food, but it really isn’t unless you make it from scratch in your own kitchen or buy it from a reliable bakery!
Breakfast Cereal
Most breakfast cereals are far from natural. Breakfast cereals are made with artificial flavorings, chemically created vitamins and minerals, and tons of sugar. Do not start your day with ultra-processed foods like packaged cereal!
Chicken nuggets
Chicken nuggets are not just chicken breast with breadcrumbs. They are usually made with several different parts of the chicken mixed with binding ingredients and sometimes even sugar added to the mix. The nuggets are typically fried in unhealthy oils as well. They are far from natural.
Candy
You could probably guess that candy bars are not natural. Most are made with lots of chemicals and artificial ingredients. Even the most basic chocolate bars have a good amount of sugar mixed into the chocolate to make it sweeter. Candy is very processed before it gets to your mouth.
Potato Chips
You need to be very careful when buying a bag of potato chips. You may be purchasing processed potato flakes that have been mixed with artificial flavorings and then reformed to look like chips. There are plenty of “real” chips that are simply sliced, fried potatoes that you can buy! Stay away from the bags that have a long list of ingredients.
Energy Drinks
Just like soda, energy drinks are made with lots of fake ingredients. There is almost nothing natural in that bottle of brightly colored drink. You won’t find any of the ingredients on an energy drink label growing in nature!
Ramen Noodles
Eating instant ramen noodles is never a good idea. The noodles are often made from refined white flour, which automatically means they are ultra-processed. The flavor packet contains artificial flavor, gums, and tons of sodium. It may be convenient, but it is very unhealthy.
Fruit Juice
Don’t be fooled! Fruit juice boxes very often contain no fruit at all! Most of the fruit juice sold in stores is sugar, water, and flavorings. It is processed, packaged, and sold to you under the facade of being a fruit.
Non-Dairy Milk
Non-dairy milks are often ultra-processed to the extreme. They have added sweeteners, emulsifiers, and even fake flavors blended into the mix to look and taste similar to dairy milk. Some brands even contain gums just to give them a milk-like texture. They are far from natural!
Processed Cheese
Cheese is typically a healthy food. However, processed cheese is not the best. Filler ingredients are added to the cheese to make it look and taste like classic cheese. Fake cheese often contains none of the natural vitamins and minerals found in regular cheese. While processed cheese is cheaper, it is worth the investment to buy real, high-quality cheese rather than packaged stuff.
Pasta Sauce
Jarred pasta sauce in the grocery store isn’t just a jar of tomatoes and herbs. Firming agents and preservatives are often blended into the sauce to keep it looking fresh and thick. You don’t need to eat those things! Make your own homemade sauce instead.
Flavored Granola Bars
Grocery store granola bars are definitely ultra-processed. Not only are they pressed and formed into straight shapes by a factory machine, but they also have lots of additives and fake flavors added to the mix. Try making your own granola bars instead! They will be way less processed when they come from your own kitchen.
Low Fat Yogurt
Removing the fat from yogurt is actually bad for you. Yogurt should have lots of healthy fats that are beneficial to your diet. However, low-fat yogurt has none of that. Plus, extra sugar is usually added to low-fat yogurt to make up for the lackluster flavor.
This article was first published at Spatula Desserts.
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