Processed Food: The Good, Bad & Ugly

What is processed food?

 Wikipedia describes “processed food” as any food that is changed from its natural, raw state. Under that definition, a lot of food we eat is processed. However, most of us tend to define processed food in a much narrower sense. 
For us, “processed food” is food which has been chemically altered through additives such as flavors, flavor enhancers, binders, colors, fillers, preservatives, stabilizers, etc., or which has been manufactured through a combination of other methods. Generally speaking, if the ingredients aren’t “natural,” we consider it to be processed.
The truth is, processing has made the world’s food supply much safer to eat and has made the storage of food a much healthier and more viable option. Processing kills pathogens and extends the shelf-life of food. Processing has made it possible to transport food to famine stricken areas, helping to relieve suffering worldwide.
Despite these benefits, I wouldn’t classify processed foods as a healthy food option. A diet exclusive in processed foods will almost certainly lead to disease. Our bodies are designed to eat natural, raw foods.
If you must grab that slice of pizza or that chocolate chip cookie, consider looking at Herbalife’s targeted nutrition product line, which is designed to minimize the impact of these unhealthy choices.
Think back to when we were hunter-gatherers. Before we invented agriculture, we ate over 200 different plants, fruits and nuts and as many as a hundred different game animals, snakes, worms and insects. There was precious little starch or sugar in any of them. Grains like wheat and root vegetables, which are phenomenally high in starch are the creations of agriculture introduced 10,000 years ago. That feels like a long time to us, but it’s a moment in the evolution of our digestive tracts. For a long time, we could barely harvest enough of the stuff to survive. But now we have a vast excess and in combination with sedentary living and saturated fat, it’s killing us.

Foods are processed to make them taste better

Most people who have eaten processed food won’t deny that processing food makes it taste better. That’s intentional. Foods have added sugar, salt, flavoring and coloring to make them more appealing to consumers. Why? So people buy them. Most people prefer to eat food that tastes good and the food manufacturers know that. Processed foods have been carefully designed to taste good. Processed food purchased at the supermarket is no different.
Processed foods are made for consumers’ convenience and taste buds. However, most people would agree that their health is worth a little more effort and a little less processing. I think of fast-food places as factory farms for people. We go there by the millions and consume more calories than we can possibly burn off, while not getting the nutrition we need to feed our body properly. Stop getting in your own way. We should eat as many raw foods as we can daily. Adding fresh fruits and vegetables to our meals and snacks is an easy way to accomplish this.
Let’s face it, eliminating all processed foods is probably not going to happen for most of us. But we can make better food choices and supplement our diets with missing components.
Herbalife’s supplements can help. Whether you are trying to lose weight or are looking for processed food alternatives, Herbalife has an array of healthy food options.
Opt for an apple over apple juice, a baked potato or salad over french fries. Choose whole grain bread over white bread. Take time to read food labels. Chances are, if you can’t pronounce it, you shouldn’t be eating it. We chose processed foods with a very short list of ingredients; the longer the list, the more processing involved and the more nutrients lost. Start eating healthier foods and less processed foods. Herbalife has helped millions lose weight and create a healthy lifestyle.
Where does your food come from? Is it made in a plant or grown on a plant? There is no such thing as junk food. It’s either junk or it’s food.
Our bodies are amazing organisms, capable of extraordinary things. They are designed to filter out toxins at an astounding rate. They have a highly sophisticated defense system. They have an amazing ability to recover from serious damage. The key lies in providing our bodies with the necessary building blocks to accomplish what they were designed to do – keep us alive.

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