Not All Processed Foods Are Bad!
What is a processed food?
Most foods we eat are processed in some way. Fruit is picked from trees, vegetables are sliced and peeled, ground beef ground in a machine, butter has been separated from milk and churned. We call this Mechanical processing. The food is in, or fairly close to, its natural state. It is still a single ingredient and what we call Real Food.
But, there is a difference between mechanical processing and chemical processing.
Chemical processing happens when artificial ingredients or chemicals are either added to a food, or the structure of the food is altered, so even though it looks like food, our body can’t digest it the way it was naturally designed to. This is what we refer to as processed foods. This is the food we want to stop eating.
Additives
Most processed foods contain additives. Additives are substances that are added to food during production. Examples of additives are:
- Preservatives- increase the shelf- life of foods
- Colourants- enhance colour of food
- Flavourants- enhance the flavor of food
Preservatives are always tested for human safety.
However, additives are not always fully digested by our bodies and may cause a buildup of toxins in our bodies.
What is MSG?
Monosodium glutamate(MSG) is a food additive which enhances a food’s flavor. Children with asthma can have reactions to MSG and can experience symptoms such as: itching, sweating, throat irritation, eczema or even chest tightness and difficult breathing. If your child is sensitive to MSG, make sure to read the ingredients of processed foods and opt for foods that are free of MSG.
Hyperactivity and preservatives
Many studies have found a positive correlation between certain colourants and preservatives resulting in hyperactivity in children. Some include tartrazine and sodium benzoate.
In conclusion, NOT ALL PROCESSED FOODS ARE BAD! Chemically processed food is what we want to avoid!