ABS Audio Newsletter: Processed foods and are they bad for us?
Issue 38: What are processed foods and what is their impact on health?
ISSUE 38:
The food processing spectrum and what we need to keep in mind.
Welcome to the 38th issue of the ABS newsletter! Today we will discuss a topic that seems to be somewhat of a boogeyman for some, particularly those, on social media. That topic is, of course, PROCESSED FOODS. As you’ve seen through these newsletters is things generally fall onto a spectrum, and processed foods are no different. Additionally, as we’ve seen, there are likely pros and cons to consuming processed foods (that may intensify or pacify as we traverse the spectrum). Let’s dive in!
Impact of less processed foods:
> satiety
> caloric management
> nutrient density
> fiber
> antioxidant intake
> gut health benefit
< accessibility
Impact of more processed foods:
> ease of caloric consumption
> ease of digestion (key to note if suffering from IBS etc)
> palatability on average
> accessibility
< less cost (though generally not wildly less)
As you can see above we do have varying degree of processing across the spectrum. Generally speaking, we should prioritize the inclusion of foods that are on the less processed side of this spectrum. This makes sense given the foods that fall on that end (fruits, vegetables, fresh meats/dairy, etc). These are all really great sources of nutritional content in both the macronutrient and micronutrient sense. They should make up the foundation of healthy eating plans for the most part, but does that mean processed and ultra-processed foods are inherently harmful to health? No, not exactly. The term moderation comes to mind here; lets discuss…
The outline of our conversation:
1. General intro.
2. Pros and Cons across the spectrum.
3. The main faulty claim.
4. What is actually true?
5. My real takeaways and motivational sendoff!
I greatly appreciate your viewership; catch you all in the comments. Stay tuned for the 39th issue next week! Merry Christmas!