ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — Ultra-processed foods are everywhere. Their convenience and cost are appealing. But health experts say that long list of ingredients should make you think twice. Ivanhoe explains how you can identify ultra-processed foods while shopping.
Rolando Toyos, MD, Founder & CEO, Toyos Clinic says, “We’re eating more processed foods. We’re getting away from vegetables and fruits.”
Ultra-processed foods are designed to be easy to eat, tasty, and have a longer shelf life. But doctors say they are not good for your health.
Ilana Katz Sand, MD, Neurologist, Mount Sinai, New York says, “We really are talking about avoiding things that are, the ultra-processed stuff in the middle of the store. So, the cookies, the chips, you know the stuff that comes in a box.”
One way to tell easily: there is usually a long list of ingredients … many you’ve likely never heard of. If the list includes things you wouldn’t use in your own kitchen, you’ll know it’s ultra-processed.
Doctor Sand says, “When you’re able to prepare meals at home, whenever possible. So, we know that when you prepare meals for yourself, you know exactly what goes in it.”
The Washington Post lists some other red flags of processed foods. Look for: added sweeteners like corn syrup and cane sugar, artificial sweeteners like aspartame, ingredients that end with “…ose” such as fructose or glucose, and foods that are “instant” or available in many flavors.
Leaving these unhealthy, ultra-processed products on the shelf means more room in your cart for the foods that benefit your body.
Experts also warn us to be mindful of clever marketing tactics that can make processed foods look healthy but still include a lot of added ingredients or sugars.
Contributors to this news report include: Lindsay Dailey, Producer; Chuck Bennethum, Editor.
Sources:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2024/01/02/ultra-processed-foods-identification/
HOW TO SPOT ULTRA-PROCESSED FOODS
REPORT #3208
BACKGROUND: Foods become ultra-processed when salt, sugar, fat, preservatives, and dyes are added to food for shelf-stability and flavor. These additions significantly affect the makeup of the original item, changing its calorie count and nutritional value. Eating ultra-processed foods can cause inflammation inside the body, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. The additions that affect flavor also are included to make the food more craveable, increasing purchases. Examples of ultra-processed foods are packaged cookies, salty snacks, frozen meals, hot dogs, soft drinks, cold cuts, sweetened breakfast cereals, and packaged soups.
(Sources: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/ultra-processed-foods
NUTRITION LABELS: Nutrition labels are on most packaged food and beverages to inform the consumer what is inside the item. The nutrition facts are defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Included on the nutrition label are serving size (how much should be eaten in one sitting), calories (how much energy the item can provide), nutrients (how much of the item are fats, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals), and percent daily value (how much the nutrient takes up of what should be eaten every day). The rest of the information on a nutrition label is based on what the FDA has decided a serving is. Some foods have both a serving and total list of nutrition facts since some items know that people usually consume the whole box. However, individual food needs differ, so it’s important to talk to your doctor about what is best for you.
(Source: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-read-a-nutrition-label)
HEALTHY EATING: When looking at food and beverage options, items with high-fructose corn syrup, food dyes, MSG, carrageenan, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), sodium nitrate, and sulfites should be avoided. To begin avoiding ultra-processed foods, start with small substitutions for minimally or non-processed foods, or just adding more minimally or non-processed foods can start to phase out ultra processed foods. Making food at home is another way to cut out ultra processed foods, but modifying recipes to remove sugar and salt and baking/cooking replacements for the ultra-processed item. Instantaneous change often isn’t feasible, so small changes over time can add up and make a difference.
(Source: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/ultra-processed-foods
* For More Information, Contact:
Audra Friis Elizabeth Dowling Steinke
Media Strategist Media Director, Mount Sinai
Audra.Friis@Precisionvh.com Elizabeth.dowling@mountsinai.org
(347) 541-0212
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