A simple rule of thumb is just that the further you get from a natural state, the worse it is. Fruit from a tree beats fruit in a smoothie. Grains in a whole st

A simple rule of thumb is just that the further you get from a natural state, the worse it is. Fruit from a tree beats fruit in a smoothie. Grains in a whole state (i.e. oatmeal) are better than flours (i.e. oat flour). A whole chicken is better than nuggets. It’s really not that hard of an idea to grasp, as long as you assume that everything that’s written on food packaging is meant to deceive you. Some things need to be processed to a point where they are edible, but not more than that. And before anyone goes there, yes, cooking is essential — that’s not considered “processing”.