By Patrice Powers-Barker, OSU Extension, Lucas County
The Truth Contributor
While there is not a single definition for “processed foods” the term is used in scientific as well as cultural and political settings. What do we even mean by “processed” foods?
To better understand types of modern foods, a group of Brazilian public health researchers developed a classification system called NOVA. These four categories were not designed to classify individual foods but to use as a tool for researchers to understand the health impact of different eating patterns.
- Unprocessed or minimally processed foods (group 1) – in basic terms, to process a food means to change it from when it was harvested or raised. For this category it means they mostly maintain their nutritional make up. Processing can be as simple as peeling, slicing, and packaging fruits and vegetables. It also includes whole grains, nuts, meat, and milk.
- Processed culinary ingredients (group 2) – these foods like salt, oils, and grains are not meant to be eaten alone but are processed through milling, pressing, refining, etc. and will be added as ingredients to processed foods.
- Processed foods (group 3) – include foods from the other two groups and might be canned, or “ready-to-eat” foods that require no further preparation.
- Ultra-processed food and drink products (UPFs) (group 4) – these have been changed through the addition of artificial colors or flavors, and preservatives. Examples are soft drinks, packaged snacks that are sweet or high in salt, pre-prepared frozen dishes. These products are many steps (or processes) away from the group 1 food.
One of the reasons that processed foods are so widespread is because of convenience. Food additives are added to food to enhance flavor or appearance, or to preserve it. The concern for health is when we eat too much ultra-processed food every day, over time. These are often calorie-dense but nutrient-poor foods that do not provide healthy nutrients and can cause health problems.
Scientists recognize that we enjoy eating all types of food. They assume that there are few, (if any), health implications if someone eats a snack-sized bag of chips once a month. In reality, many people eat more potato chips than that each month. At the other end of the spectrum, it is assumed that eating a one-pound bag of chips every day, twice a day could expose someone to a potentially serious dose of preservatives that could negatively affect health. The recommendation is to limit ultra-processed foods.
Decrease ultra-processed foods from the daily diet:
- Buy more unprocessed or minimally processed whole grains to make your own meals with brown rice, quinoa or oatmeal. This might take a little more time than microwaving a prepackage meal, but your recipe will be much closer to minimally processed food verses ultra-processed. This will often save money in the grocery budget also.
- Buy or grow your own vegetables and fruits. As always, we recommend purchasing from local farm stands and farmers markets when the produce is in season. It often tastes better!
- Continue to buy some processed foods but look for lower-sodium and/or lower sugar options. This would include canned foods like low-sodium vegetables and fruits packed in their own juice. There is nothing wrong with having canned and frozen foods for convenience but check the nutrition label to check for a limited amount of additional ingredients.
- Add some fresh food to moderately processed foods like spaghetti sauce. Buy a jar of sauce and add some shredded fresh vegetables or fresh greens to cook wilt in the warm sauce.
- Look at what ultra-processed foods you currently buy. Could you purchase less of the ultra-processed food and replace some of it with other options?
If you are interested in learning more about gardening, there is a free horticulture hotline available for all Lucas County. If you have any questions about plants, trees, insects, or gardens, please contact the Hotline on Mondays and Wednesdays between 10:00am -1:00pm (April through October) at 419-578-6783. You can also stop at the OSU Extension office located at the Toledo Botanical Garden (next to the Rose Garden) at 5403 Elmer Drive, Toledo, OH 45615. If you would like to email any questions or photos with your question, use lucascountymastergardener@gmail.com. We will also be growing some demonstration gardens in raised beds in the “village” of the little houses on the grounds of the Toledo Botanical Garden. Information from UC Davis, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, and The Ohio State University.