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I’m a dietitian: some processed foods are healthy for you

This can be difficult to treat.

Some processed foods aren’t so bad for your health, according to a dietitian.

Various studies have shown that ultra-processed foods, like processed red meat and soda, can shorten life, increase the risk of different types of cancer, and cause 32 different health problems.

However, some processed foods, especially those that are minimally processed, are part of a healthy diet, registered dietitian Samantha Cassetty wrote in an article for Today.com..

Some foods are more processed than others. In general, the more processed a food is, the less healthy it is. Heorshe – stock.adobe.com

What are processed foods?

Cassette defines processed foods as anything that is “frozen, canned, cooked, dried or packaged.”

She said even something like frozen blueberries is processed, although minimally.

Food can also be processed so that it is kept longer and is safer to store.

The University of São Paulo in Brazil created the hunting system called NOVA which explains the four categories that foods fall into:

Packaged salad is minimally processed and is still healthy. The Toidi – stock.adobe.com

Unprocessed or minimally processed foods

Unprocessed or minimally processed foods include fruits and vegetables, including frozen vegetables, natural yogurt, milk, and natural meat and seafood. Pasta, rice and flour can also fall into this category.

Processed culinary ingredients

Processed culinary ingredients include things like oils, butter, sugars and salt.

Processed foods

These foods are made by combining foods from the other two categories like canned beans or cheese.

Ultra-processed foods

Ultra-processed foods are the least healthy to consume and consist of processed meats, sugary sodas, packaged snacks and frozen foods prepared with many additives as well as refined grains.

If you can’t tell if something has been ultra-processed, you can find out by looking for the following ingredients as clues: High fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, soy protein isolate, soy protein whey, maltodextrin, xanthan gum, soy lecithin. , carrageenan, caramel color, stevia, aspartame, sucralose and other low-calorie sweeteners.

Oats are processed but still considered healthy. Adriana – stock.adobe.com

What processed foods are part of a healthy diet?

Cassetty said less processed foods are healthier and include protein pastes made from chickpeas, toasted nuts and nut butter, canned tuna or other canned fish, and frozen or frozen fruits and vegetables. preserves.

Old-fashioned oats, bagged green salads, whole-grain breads and cereals, and low-sugar yogurt can also be part of a healthy diet.

New York Post

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