The grocery store is filled with processed foods. In fact, the majority (71-83%) of the foods are considered ultra-processed. But what does it mean to be processed? And how does that factor into whether a food is nourishing to your body?

WHAT IS A PROCESSED FOOD?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a processed food is “a food that has undergone any change to its natural state.” As such, processing can include: washing, cleaning, milling, cutting, chopping, heating, pasteurizing, blanching, cooking, canning, freezing, drying, dehydrating, mixing, packaging, or adding ingredients such as preservatives, flavors, nutrients or food additives. From this list, you can see there is a wide range of what “processing” can mean and in turn, how it affects the nutrition of the food. 

THE FOUR LEVELS OF PROCESSING

Now that we know what a processed food is, let’s break it down one step further. Every food we eat can be categorized into one of four levels of processing. Here are those levels, along with an example of each. 

UNPROCESSED (“Real”) Whole Apple

MINIMALLY PROCESSED Apple Slices

PROCESSED Applesauce

ULTRA-PROCESSED (“Fake”) Apple Pie

Think of this as a continuum. Unprocessed foods are the most real. They contain the most nutrients because they’ve had the least done to them (e.g. whole apple). As we move further to minimally processed, processed and ultra-processed, the nutrients degrade with each level. Ultra-processed foods are fake. They contain the least nutrition because they’ve had the most done to them (e.g. apple pie). 

SO … ARE ALL PROCESSED FOODS “BAD?“

The short answer is, no. All processed foods are not bad. However, in general, the more processed a food is, the less nutritious it is for your body. Let’s return to the example of an apple. 

• Whole apple (unprocessed): This is a real food. If it’s an unwashed whole apple, it’s 100% unprocessed. All of the nutrition is left intact. 

• Apple slices (minimally processed): This is also a real food. It’s only been washed and sliced, which means all of the nutrition is left intact. 

• Applesauce (processed): This level can get tricky. Depending on how the applesauce was made, it can be a real or fake food. If it’s a real food, it was made with apples and spices. That’s it. However, if it’s a fake food, it was made with added ingredients such as sugar or even high fructose corn syrup. Same food, different recipe. Always check the ingredients list! 

• Apple pie (ultra-processed): This is a fake food. It’s been processed to such a degree that it no longer resembles its original state. The food manufacturers have added sugar, artificial fillers and colorings, inflammatory oils, along with many other unpronounceable ingredients.

Bottom line: The only way to determine whether a processed food is real or fake, nourishing or not, is to read the ingredients list.

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE (SIMPLY!)

And now you know; not all processed foods are bad. But you may be new at this and in need of a simple strategy for navigating the grocery store. When you pick up a product, read the ingredients list and ask yourself: Could I make this in my kitchen with the ingredients listed? If the answer is no, it’s a fake food. So whether you’re shopping for salad dressing or canned beans, crackers or ketchup, asking yourself this simple question will guide your shopping toward real foods without writing off processed foods entirely. After all, there’s plenty of great options in the middle aisles too!

Looking for some extra help in the grocery aisle? Check out my Grocery Store Tour Package, where I come with you to the store to help you shop the real food way!