Foods are categorized by Harvard Health into: Unprocessed and minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients, processed foods and ultra-processed foods.
We should try to eat whole foods, which are minimally processed, instead of eating foods that have more than five ingredients listed or with items that we would never use in cooking.
Unprocessed foods include fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, meat and grains.
So why do we have ultra-processed foods anyway? It is because they are highly profitable to the producer, often because it has a long shelf life due to all the preservatives. Unfortunately there is a rise in their consumption as well as a rise in obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and certain cancers. The reason is because these convenience foods often have high levels of sugars, fat and salt, with low dietary fiber, all contributing to the increase in health issues.
Additionally, most ultra-processed foods have very little nutritional value.
A study in JAMA Neurology linked ultra-processed foods to an increased risk of dementia.
This study followed 10,775 people for 10 years. At the end of the study, the participants were assessed on changes in cognitive performance over time with specialized tests. They found that people who consumed 28% or more of their calories (or 400 calories in a 2,000 calorie diet) from ultra-processed foods had a higher risk of dementia.
I have often thought about that, wondering why I don’t remember when I was growing up, knowing people with dementia. Perhaps the word Alzheimer’s wasn’t used much, but, perhaps we ate more whole foods then. We never had lunchables and frozen meals. Food was cooked from whole fresh vegetables and from scratch.
Another study in The British Medical Journal studied 46,000 men and 160,000 women and found that men who ate the most ultra-processed foods had a 29% higher risk of developing colorectal cancer.
A 14-year study of 22,000 people in Italy, also published in The British Medical Journal, found that those whose diets were heavy in ultra-processed foods had a higher risk of developing chronic disease or dying prematurely, especially from cardiovascular disease. That study surprised me because if I lived in Italy, I would not be eating ultra-processed foods with all the wonderful foods that I would have available there!
A good guide to ultra-processed foods is reading the ingredient list. It should be less than 5 items. Here is the list from a box of pop tarts:
Enriched flour, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, soybean and palm oil, sugar, bleached wheat flour. Contains 2% or less of wheat starch, salt, dried strawberries, dried pears, dried apples, leavening, sodium acid, pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate, citric acid, gelatin,modified wheat starch, yellow corn flour, caramel color, xanthan gum, cornstarch, turmeric extract color, soy lecithin, red 40, yellow 6, blue 1 color added.
I realize that many parents are busy and are working long hours, so when it comes to returning home to prepare meals, it probably seems easier to open a can or jar to create a quick dinner.
When I think of convenience, I think of the small appliances now available with all their bells and whistles. A slow cooker is a great way to cook a meal while at soccer practice or ballet class, and the meal is ready when you get home.
Cranberry-Orange Chicken
Serves 4
1 (14 ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
Pinch cayenne pepper
4 (6 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Combine cranberry sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, thyme, orange zest and juice, and cayenne in the slow cooker. Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into a slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 1 to 2 hours on low.
Transfer chicken to a serving platter and tent loosely with foil. Transfer sauce to a medium saucepan, bring to simmer over medium heat, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with almonds. Serve.
Email Audrey Wilson at audreywilson808@gmail.com.