More than half of Americans' calorie intake is from ultra-processed foods, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Not surprising. Want an example of an ultra-processed food?
Bread. Pasta.
Not just Wonderbread or whatever crap from the American grocery store…but any kind of bread, tortilla, etc.
Bread, lots of kinds of meats that aren’t just a piece of meat (sausages and ground meats are processed. Not sure about “ultra” processed). All kinds of “basic” stuff.
It does depend on the definition (some sources bring things like bread down into the minimally-processed or some middle category), but if you want unprocessed foods, you’re looking at raw fruits and veggies. Cooking counts as processing by some definitions.
If you allow cooking, you can add whole meats, natural herbs and spices, eggs, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, fish, milk, honey…but no frying them, and nothing canned or frozen. And no, you can’t turn the milk into cheese.
If you can eat a diet without any processed foods, or even primarily unprocessed foods, that’s great! It sounds difficult (and expensive) though, at least if you’re eating meat.
Not to mention this says 55% of their calories. If you eat salad for lunch four days a week, and the fifth day you eat a hot dog, you just got 55%+ of your calories from ultra processed foods.
And that’s salad without dressing. So not even realistic.
I’m sure it’s worth it to try to do better, but honestly 55% doesn’t sound that bad to me.
Not surprising. Want an example of an ultra-processed food?
Bread. Pasta.
Not just Wonderbread or whatever crap from the American grocery store…but any kind of bread, tortilla, etc.
Bread, lots of kinds of meats that aren’t just a piece of meat (sausages and ground meats are processed. Not sure about “ultra” processed). All kinds of “basic” stuff.
It does depend on the definition (some sources bring things like bread down into the minimally-processed or some middle category), but if you want unprocessed foods, you’re looking at raw fruits and veggies. Cooking counts as processing by some definitions.
If you allow cooking, you can add whole meats, natural herbs and spices, eggs, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, fish, milk, honey…but no frying them, and nothing canned or frozen. And no, you can’t turn the milk into cheese.
If you can eat a diet without any processed foods, or even primarily unprocessed foods, that’s great! It sounds difficult (and expensive) though, at least if you’re eating meat.
Not to mention this says 55% of their calories. If you eat salad for lunch four days a week, and the fifth day you eat a hot dog, you just got 55%+ of your calories from ultra processed foods.
And that’s salad without dressing. So not even realistic.
I’m sure it’s worth it to try to do better, but honestly 55% doesn’t sound that bad to me.