You Are What You Eat They Say
And Why Ultra-Processed Foods Can Make You Feel a Bit Degraded
There’s a fascinating article in the Washington Post about ultra-processed foods. These are goods that are produced by taking fresh ingredients like fruits and vegetables and breaking them down through several steps. These steps may include baking, compressing, adding spices, and then going through those processes again. The article does not list many specific examples of such foods, but does expound on some of the results of such foods identified as essentially “pre-digested.” Consider the end result of ultra-processed corn chips that may have been baked, coddled, fileted, spiced, and ironed so that the core nutrients of the vegetable itself have broken apart(as compared to still intact like you see with canned corn)
Obviously, we all understand such foods that are prevalent in our daily lives. They may include snacks like chips and crackers or even cereals, frozen foods, or perishable items. One point the Post article makes is that these items are engineered for addictiveness so that the old saying “one is never enough” rings all too true. Such ultra-processed foods may be key items in our daily fast-paced 21st century lives, but they have also been key factors in the rise of obesity. Also, they are highly correlated to catastrophic health conditions prevalent in multiple countries like heart and cardiovascular disorders or diabetes.
All To Common Culprits
We all are aware of these ultra-processed foods lining the shelves of our grocery stores and crowding or personal and communal pantries and refrigerators.
Just consider how loaded some of the most popular ultra-processed foods are. Take Doritos as manufactured in the U.S., for instance. Just twelve chips of cooler ranch Doritos contains 150 Kcal. That’s three times as much as a cup of carrot sticks!
And half of those calories are from fat. And just take a look at those ingredients — corn syrup solids, monosodium glutamate, dextrose, buttermilk. . .uh, wow! Honestly, how many people are going to resist just eating 12?
The thing is if you munch on Doritos or related foods all day you are not going to get any ingredients either. Compare this with natural, minimally process, holistic foods like those carrot sticks.
A cup of carrot sticks (probably about 5–7 pieces) is going to only contain 50 Kcal while also having large servings of fiber and vitamins and minerals like Potassium. Eating more of those natural foods, including fruits and vegetables, is common sense.
But those ultra-processed foods are super-convenient and accessible, many experts attest. It’s hard to break away from them, many told the Post, not only due to addictiveness but also because the healthier foods take extra work. We all experience the struggle to eat more healthy. You collect items in the store produce aisle, taking extra care to select key fruits and vegetables and tying them up in a plastic bag. You then bring them home and place them in the refrigerator or in the basket on the counter. But then a few days or weeks go by. Items like tomatoes, avocadoes, bananas, or peaches start to spoil and rot. Greens like lettuce and spinach start to wilt and brown, berries start to decay. These items go in the trash and you are back to pouring yourself a bowl of chips or munching on the box of crackers. So, the old adage becomes literal here — you can lead yourself to healthier foods yet still never get around to making yourself eat them.
So make eating healthier foods a lifestyle change! What are a couple of ways to make this easier? One is to perhaps plan ahead what you will eat for meals and snacks. Mix it up from the multitudes of various fruits, vegetables, meats, beans, and other types of foods available to get the best of nutrients and essential ingredients. Also, who says that healthy foods have to be plain, boring, and bland? The sky is the limit for meals, snacks, and dishes to prepare — many of which you store the leftovers for long-term reuse without worrying about waste. If you crave spicy snacks try preparing something like black bean dip with veggies. Why not prepare your own homemade soups like creamy corn soup to get all your nutrients plus top level taste, for which you can freeze for later use? We have not even mentioned chili!
Of course, you don’t have to completely give up those addictive ultra-processed chips, cookies, frozen foods, baked goods, or countless other foods. But moderation is key, and maybe with training just one, a few, or a dozen can actually be a stopping point.
