3 ms·

Man I kept reading that whole thing looking for a definition of what Ultra Processed Food even means, and didn't see it. It has been such a pet peeve of mine th

Man I kept reading that whole thing looking for a definition of what Ultra Processed Food even means, and didn't see it. It has been such a pet peeve of mine that we use "processed foods" as a category that is bad. There are lots of different foods that get processed, they get processed in many ways! Is oatmeal made from steel cut oats processed? Is steamed broccoli processed? You steamed it. Is bread a processed food? Cooked meat? It is just this vauge idea, "no you know what I mean by processed foods, the bad stuff, stuff in a package". Raw carrots come in a package, are they bad? "no the bad stuff".... so bad food is bad, ok.

cheese_goddess 5y ago
Harvard School of Public Health has a guide for the general pubic: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/processed-foods/ https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/processed-foods... Unprocessed or minimally processed foods Unprocessed foods include the natural edible food parts of plants and animals. Minimally processed foods have been slightly altered for the main purpose of preservation but which does not substantially change the nutritional content of the food. Examples include cleaning and removing inedible or unwanted parts, grinding, refrigeration, pasteurization, fermentation, freezing, and vacuum-packaging. This allows the food to be stored for a greater amount of time and remain safe to eat. Many fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, meats, and milk fall into this category. Processed culinary ingredients Food ingredients derived from a minimally processed food by pressing, refining, grinding, or milling. They are typically not eaten on their own but used to prepare minimally processed foods. Examples include oils from plants, seeds, and nuts, or flour and pastas formed from whole grains. Processed foods Foods from either of the two previous groups that have added salt, sugar, or fats. Some canned fruits and vegetables, some cheeses, freshly made bread, and canned fish are examples. These foods usually are made from at least 2-3 ingredients and can be readily eaten without further preparation. Ultra-processed foods Also commonly referred to as “highly processed foods,” these are foods from the prior group that go beyond the incorporation of salt, sweeteners, or fat to include artificial colors and flavors and preservatives that promote shelf stability, preserve texture, and increase palatability. Several processing steps using multiple ingredients comprise the ultra-processed food. It is speculated that these foods are designed to specifically increase cravings so that people will overeat them and purchase more. They are typically ready-to-eat with minimal additional preparation. Not all but some of these foods tend to be low in fiber and nutrients. Examples are sugary drinks, cookies, some crackers, chips, and breakfast cereals, some frozen dinners, and luncheon meats. These foods may partially if not completely replace minimally processed foods in some people’s diets. One study using data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that ultra-processed foods comprised about 60% of total calories in the U.S. diet. [4] An association has been suggested between the increasing sales of ultra-processed foods and the rise in obesity. [3] My rule of thumb is that "processed food" is the food cooked in one's kitchen, made from base ingredients with added salt, fat or sugar. "Ultra processed food" is the stuff that is not normally made in a kitchen, but in a factory.
loudtieblahblah 5y ago
I feel like you're being intentionally obtuse and contrary. If I state "processed foods" I typically mean anything factory made that contains seed oils (cotton seed, sunflower, soybean, canola, etc) I would throw most sweets into this as well. Its essentially middle aisle food at the grocery store that is more recognizable as a brand name on a box rather than a plant, animal or dairy product.
- fingerlocks 5y ago
  Why does the location in which the food is prepared affect the health benefits? If I used a small centrifuge in my home to isolate fatty acids to create my own emulsifier, is that no longer “processed” because the same operation wasn’t done in a factory?
  - loudtieblahblah 5y ago
    You're being dense and overly rigid and missing the spirit of what is being said. Food is complex and people try to find simple rules that prevents us from not consuming a ton of stuff that's not good for us.
    - jpindar 5y ago
      >missing the spirit of what is being said Indeed, what many people here are missing is that 'processed' isn't a scientific category, it's an ideological one.
      - loudtieblahblah 5y ago
        if you're talking about how it's defined in the study, yes, it's defined very badly and it isn't very scientific. But as far as nutritional advice goes - it's difficult to convey with any brevity or any precision, the plethora of substances added to food due to industrial process that are bad for human health, especially in the long term. If you're to build a diet and do-able meal plan, shopping plan, and recipe/cooking/prep plan around food, it's easier to just state "processed"/middle-aisle/high-seed-oil/food-in-a-box. or more simply, focus more on the white list of haves rather than the long list of things you shouldn't - produce, dairy, grass fed/antibiotic meat, pasture raised eggs and light on the whole grains . ' general conversation of "processed foods" evokes this contrary response that seems, frankly, to justify the consumption of Velveeta Shells and Cheese, fast food, Cheese-its, Doritos, and soda. Unless you're running a study that requires precision, this level of autist specificity isn't practically helpful.

cheese_goddess 5y ago

Harvard School of Public Health has a guide for the general pubic: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/processed-foods/ https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/processed-foods... Unprocessed or minimally processed foods Unprocessed foods include the natural edible food parts of plants and animals. Minimally processed foods have been slightly altered for the main purpose of preservation but which does not substantially change the nutritional content of the food. Examples include cleaning and removing inedible or unwanted parts, grinding, refrigeration, pasteurization, fermentation, freezing, and vacuum-packaging. This allows the food to be stored for a greater amount of time and remain safe to eat. Many fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, meats, and milk fall into this category. Processed culinary ingredients Food ingredients derived from a minimally processed food by pressing, refining, grinding, or milling. They are typically not eaten on their own but used to prepare minimally processed foods. Examples include oils from plants, seeds, and nuts, or flour and pastas formed from whole grains. Processed foods Foods from either of the two previous groups that have added salt, sugar, or fats. Some canned fruits and vegetables, some cheeses, freshly made bread, and canned fish are examples. These foods usually are made from at least 2-3 ingredients and can be readily eaten without further preparation. Ultra-processed foods Also commonly referred to as “highly processed foods,” these are foods from the prior group that go beyond the incorporation of salt, sweeteners, or fat to include artificial colors and flavors and preservatives that promote shelf stability, preserve texture, and increase palatability. Several processing steps using multiple ingredients comprise the ultra-processed food. It is speculated that these foods are designed to specifically increase cravings so that people will overeat them and purchase more. They are typically ready-to-eat with minimal additional preparation. Not all but some of these foods tend to be low in fiber and nutrients. Examples are sugary drinks, cookies, some crackers, chips, and breakfast cereals, some frozen dinners, and luncheon meats. These foods may partially if not completely replace minimally processed foods in some people’s diets. One study using data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that ultra-processed foods comprised about 60% of total calories in the U.S. diet. [4] An association has been suggested between the increasing sales of ultra-processed foods and the rise in obesity. [3] My rule of thumb is that "processed food" is the food cooked in one's kitchen, made from base ingredients with added salt, fat or sugar. "Ultra processed food" is the stuff that is not normally made in a kitchen, but in a factory.

loudtieblahblah 5y ago

I feel like you're being intentionally obtuse and contrary. If I state "processed foods" I typically mean anything factory made that contains seed oils (cotton seed, sunflower, soybean, canola, etc) I would throw most sweets into this as well. Its essentially middle aisle food at the grocery store that is more recognizable as a brand name on a box rather than a plant, animal or dairy product.

fingerlocks 5y ago
Why does the location in which the food is prepared affect the health benefits? If I used a small centrifuge in my home to isolate fatty acids to create my own emulsifier, is that no longer “processed” because the same operation wasn’t done in a factory?
- loudtieblahblah 5y ago
  You're being dense and overly rigid and missing the spirit of what is being said. Food is complex and people try to find simple rules that prevents us from not consuming a ton of stuff that's not good for us.
  - jpindar 5y ago
    >missing the spirit of what is being said Indeed, what many people here are missing is that 'processed' isn't a scientific category, it's an ideological one.
    - loudtieblahblah 5y ago
      if you're talking about how it's defined in the study, yes, it's defined very badly and it isn't very scientific. But as far as nutritional advice goes - it's difficult to convey with any brevity or any precision, the plethora of substances added to food due to industrial process that are bad for human health, especially in the long term. If you're to build a diet and do-able meal plan, shopping plan, and recipe/cooking/prep plan around food, it's easier to just state "processed"/middle-aisle/high-seed-oil/food-in-a-box. or more simply, focus more on the white list of haves rather than the long list of things you shouldn't - produce, dairy, grass fed/antibiotic meat, pasture raised eggs and light on the whole grains . ' general conversation of "processed foods" evokes this contrary response that seems, frankly, to justify the consumption of Velveeta Shells and Cheese, fast food, Cheese-its, Doritos, and soda. Unless you're running a study that requires precision, this level of autist specificity isn't practically helpful.