The facts about processed foods are scary. Studies show that in America, most adults are overweight. Obesity rates are high too, with over 1 in 3 people qualifying as obese. Heart disease still causes the most deaths overall as well.
All these health issues have increased at the same time processed foods have become a bigger part of everyday eating.
So what’s the link?
Research proves that eating too many packaged, artificial foods loaded with additives leads to weight gain, heart problems, diabetes, and other health problems over time. In contrast, sticking to simple whole foods like fruits, veggies, lean protein, and whole grains does the opposite - it brings wellness up!
The good part is, that by focusing on making better choices around real, close-to-nature foods and avoiding the fake stuff, you can turn your health outlook around for the better!
In this article, we’ll share with you some great tips for spotting unhealthy processed items and leaving them on store shelves where they belong.
You’ll learn how to stock up on good-for-you staples, make weekly meal plans, prep food for busy days, and try out tasty new dishes made from scratch.
So let’s get started…
6 Quick Tips for Avoiding Processed Foods:
- Read labels closely and avoid products with long lists of unrecognizable ingredients
- Shop the grocery store perimeter and buy mostly whole, fresh foods like produce, eggs, fish, etc.
- Meal prep! Make big batches of whole food items like grains and roasted veggies on weekends to throw together quick meals during your busy week.
- Swap out soda and sugary drinks for sparkling water with freshly squeezed fruit or herbal tea.
- Trade salty, oily snack foods for fresh veggies and hummus, mixed nuts, or homemade trail mix made from unsalted nuts and dried fruit.
- Gradually reduce processed items in your kitchen by adding in more and more deliciously nourishing whole-food alternatives over time. Focus on the abundance of good stuff rather than restriction!
Table of Contents
- What Are Processed Foods and Why Should They Be Avoided
- Tips for Identifying and Avoiding Processed Items
- Steps for Transitioning to a Whole Food, Unprocessed Diet
- Easy Swaps for Processed Foods
- Incorporate More Whole Food Meal Ideas
- Conclusion
What Are Processed Foods and Why Should They Be Avoided
So what exactly are processed foods? By definition, processed foods are items that have been altered during preparation in some way before they are available for us to eat. This can mean the addition of artificial ingredients, preservatives, sugars, salt, fats, and other substances used to improve taste, texture, shelf life, and appearance.
Some of the most common types of processed items that sneak into many people’s everyday diets include:
- Lunch meats like deli ham, turkey, roast beef or salami
- Frozen meals and ready-to-eat foods like pizza, pot pies, nuggets, TV dinners
- Packaged snacks like chips, cookies, candy, protein/granola bars
- Beverages such as soda, sweetened coffee drinks, fruit juice
The problem with many processed foods is that they tend to be extremely high in added sugar, unhealthy fats, sodium, and chemical preservatives - while being lower in vital nutrients. Frequent consumption has repeatedly been linked to obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, inflammation, and other health issues.
For example, even a seemingly harmless sandwich meat like ham can contain huge amounts of sodium nitrite for preserving color, along with fillers, flavorings and other artificial ingredients you just don’t need.
The benefits of avoiding processed items are significant:
- Increased intake of nutrients vital to health
- Reduced exposure to artificial additives
- Lower risk for obesity, heart disease and diabetes
- Overall reduction of inflammation in the body
- Higher energy levels
- Better gut health and digestion
As you can see, steering clear of processed options and focusing your diet around whole, natural foods instead can create an immense positive impact on your health! Now let’s talk about some actionable tips for identifying and ditching the processed stuff…
Tips for Identifying and Avoiding Processed Items
When it comes to processed foods, appearance can be deceiving. Just because a product is labeled as “healthy” or “natural” on the flashy packaging doesn’t mean it’s actually good for you. Here are some great tips for seeing through the tricks and keeping processed items out of your cart:
Read Nutrition Labels and Ingredient Lists
Flipping a product over and checking out the nutrition label and ingredient list is key. You’ll want to watch out for those long, complicated ingredient lists with words you can’t pronounce. The fewer ingredients, the better.
Also, take a look at the sugar and saturated fat content. Ideally, choose items with no more than 2-3 grams of sugar and 20% DV or less for saturated fat.
Watch Out For Sneaky Ingredients
Keep an eye out for added sugars disguised under names like cane juice or fruit juice concentrate. Unhealthy fats will also commonly hide out in “partially hydrogenated” or “hydrogenated” oils. Look for preservatives like sodium nitrite in lunch meats and sodium benzoate or BHT in packaged goods. Steer clear!
Shop the Perimeter
The walls of refrigerated goods, produce sections, and butcher counters that line the outer edges of most grocery stores are your best bets for finding less processed whole food options—things like fresh fruits and veggies, eggs, fish, poultry, and lean meats. Just be sure to check labels even in these sections.
Learn How to Decode Labels
Don’t take labeling at face value. Terms like “healthy” or “natural” on packaging are often misleading. Even a “whole grain” stamp does not mean whole food. Check the ingredient list for the true whole food factor. And products touting “low-fat” or “light” are often pumped full of extra sugar.
Prep Your Own Food
Ultimately, preparing snacks and meals at home using fresh, whole-food ingredients instead of packaged items gives you the most control over what goes into your food.
Taking a little time on weekends doing meal prep goes a long way! Some easy homemade options are roasted chickpeas, fresh fruit, nuts, hard-boiled eggs, smoothies and veggie platters.
Following these simple guidelines consistently makes identifying and avoiding processed foods much more manageable! Sticking to whole foods prepared yourself as often as possible is truly the way to go.
Steps for Transitioning to a Whole Food, Unprocessed Diet
Switching fully from a processed to a whole-food diet may seem daunting. But with a gradual, step-by-step approach, anyone can transition to clean eating in a manageable way. Here are some great tips to get you started:
Gradually Cut Out Processed Items
First up - avoid going cold turkey! This tends to backfire fast with intense cravings. Ease off instead. You might start by cutting out just sugary snacks or limiting takeout meals to once a week. As this gets easier, you can remove more processed items at your own pace.
Stock Up On Healthy Staples
Let’s talk essentials! Be sure to have wholesome staples on hand for quick meals and snacks. Load up on fresh seasonal fruits and veggies, beans and lentils, whole grains like brown rice and quinoa, nuts, seeds, eggs, olive oil, herbs and spices. Having these items ready prevents you from reaching for less healthy convenient options.
Get Nutritious, Simple Recipe Ideas
Meal ideas to start with include hearty salads with lean protein or beans, stir fries and curries loaded with veggies, sheet pan roasted veggies and fish, veggie omelets and frittatas. The internet has endless whole food recipe ideas out there - find some that sound good and experiment!
Plan Weekly Menus and Grocery Lists
Get organized! Make it routine to spend a little time each week planning healthy menus and an accompanying grocery list to purchase ingredients. This makes pulling together home-cooked meals so much easier. You’ll save money and trips to the store too.
Do Weekend Meal Prep
Batch cook a few versatile whole food items like grains, beans, or roasted veggies on days off so you have ready ingredients waiting to throw together quick meals during your busy work week. Prepped ingredients also make great lunch bases to pair with greens and protein.
Approaching this lifestyle transition in achievable steps will pave the way for lasting success on your journey to healthy whole-food eating! Start small, build sustainable habits over time, and stay motivated knowing the immense benefits for your overall health and wellbeing. You’ve got this!
Easy Swaps for Processed Foods
Small, simple substitutions make a huge difference when it comes to cutting back on processed options. Here are 3 effortless swap ideas for you:
Replace Soda with Seltzer (or Fruit-Infused Water!)
Skip out on all the added sugars, artificial ingredients, and empty calories by swapping in bubbly seltzer or fruit-infused water instead of soda. Squeeze fresh lemon, lime, orange, or all kinds of berries into your water for a sweet kick and you have a refreshing, flavored drink with no added junk.
Trade Chips for Fresh Veggies with Hummus
Veggies paired with protein-packed hummus makes for a filling, wholesome combo packed with fiber, heart-healthy fats, and nutrients. Swap out greasy chips for mini sweet peppers, carrots, celery plus a bowl of homemade or store-bought hummus and reap all the benefits!
Choose Plain Greek Yogurt
Trade sweetened yogurts loaded with sugars and artificial flavors for nutrient-dense plain nonfat Greek yogurt. Top with fresh berries, honey, or cinnamon if you want extra sweetness. The thick, creamy texture plus high protein content keeps you fuller longer too.
Remember, small swaps = big impact!
Applying little tweaks like these gradually shifts your diet away from processed problems towards more wholesome eating. And preparing your own substitutions puts you fully in control of every ingredient. Before you know it, clean eating will feel so much more natural. Give these three easy food trades a try!
Those are just a few ideas to get you going. Keep exploring simple swap options and let the whole food goodness begin!
Incorporate More Whole Food Meal Ideas
Transitioning to an unprocessed diet doesn't mean you have to give up all your favorite comfort foods and only eat salad. There are tons of amazing whole-food meal options that are super tasty!
Here are just a few recipe ideas to add more plant-based, less processed dishes into your weekly rotation:
- Hearty Veggie Chili - Packed with fiber-rich beans, tons of vegetables, and warm spices. Make a big batch and freeze extras.
- Zoodle Bolognese - Swap traditional pasta for spiralized zucchini noodles and whip up a meaty, veggie-loaded Bolognese sauce.
- Baked Falafel Wrap - Bake crispy, protein-rich falafel patties at home, add veggies, hummus and tahini sauce and wrap it all up.
- Veggie Fajita Bowls - Sauté your fave veggies like bell peppers, onion, zucchini—season with cumin, chili powder, oregano, and garlic then serve over brown rice with all the fixings.
The options are endless once you start experimenting with more whole food-based dishes. One new meal a week is all it takes to keep building your repertoire of clean eats. Before long you’ll have a whole arsenal of go-to meals that don’t involve any processed ingredients. Get creative and have fun with it!
Conclusion
As we've discussed, reducing the intake of overly processed items is so important for safeguarding health. But the best approach is always balance - not extreme restriction. Instead, focus on crowding out less healthy options by actively adding in more wholesome foods that nourish your body.
Start with small, manageable steps like the simple swaps suggested. Identify a few areas where you can upgrade your everyday staples, prep some make-ahead options to set yourself up for good choices and experiment with new whole-food recipes. Build on these foundations gradually, at your own pace.
Soon you will reach a tipping point where the good stuff pushes out more and more of the bad until clean eating becomes your new normal! Enjoy how amazing you feel. Then pay it forward - teach others how uncomplicated and uplifting this whole food journey can be.
No one succeeds through sheer willpower alone. We thrive on encouragement, community, and living the wisdom that true health stems from daily self-care. You’ve got this! Here’s to embracing the first steps of your nourishing new lifestyle.
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