Yes, processed foods can be healthy.
Debunking the belief that any foods in the “center” of the grocery store aren’t good for you. Sometimes that’s all people can afford.
This week I’ve been thinking quite a bit about food disparities. If the term is new to you, it essentially means that not everyone has access to healthy foods — whether it be because of a tight budget, living in a food desert (aka having limited access to affordable healthy foods), or sometimes just simply not having the resources or energy at the end of a long day.
The topic came to mind after hearing from a General Mills registered dietitian at a conference I attended this week. Her whole thing was about cereal (I feel like this could just be an essay in itself), and she spoke on how cereal tends to be one of the most affordable options to get children a nutritious breakfast — especially when paired with milk, which is full of essential protein and calcium. She also mentioned the level of guilt that parents tend to face when feeding their children; 34% feel guilty feeding their children cereal for breakfast and 60% feel the pressure to feed their kids a perfect diet, according to their internal survey. In reality, cereal provides a myriad of nutrients for children. But again, let’s dive more into that later.
I bring all of this up because people really do believe that “healthy” needs to look a certain way. I admit, I always thought healthy meant shopping the perimeter of your grocery store, because that’s where all of the freshest whole foods exist, and also what healthy-eating sorcerer Michael Pollan recommends. So of course, any time I walk down the aisles of the “center” part of the grocery store, I feel guilty. Because it means I’m choosing unhealthy foods — which, come on, is a bunch of bull sh**.
As I said, many feel that healthy has a particular image — Instagram and Pinterest-perfect meals that are fresh and full of colors, with lots of superfoods that are extremely expensive for pretty much everyone. But not everyone can afford Whole Foods, let alone live near one. For many homes in America, the closest grocery store near them is a Dollar General.
I know the food disparity conversation goes a lot deeper than this. But, I do think there is power in freeing people from the guilt of shopping in those center aisles of the grocery store, or buying processed food at a local convenience store or gas station. Because those tend to be the most affordable options for families, and there are still ways to eat healthy with canned foods, frozen foods, and yes, even some processed foods.
So today I thought it would be good for us to dive into those three categories.
Canned foods
The biggest argument against canned foods is the fact that they are processed and high in sodium. Sure, there was some processing during the canning of a product. And sure, these cans are high in sodium. But did you know that having a little extra sodium in the diet won’t actually make you curl up and die?
I love this graphic from the American Heart Association (AHA) because it debunks some myths about sodium. One of the most prominent is the myth that we should eliminate sodium from the diet, but the AHA makes it clear that sodium is essential for controlling blood pressure, keeping you hydrated, and making your nerves and muscles work. Many say to cut sodium in the diet because it can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, yet it’s important to note that a massive 2022 review found this previous claim to be misleading because apparently, cutting salt doesn’t actually reduce your risk.
Also, the amount of salt in many canned goods really isn’t that bad. A serving of Green Giant Green Beans (the normal one, not that No Salt Added) only accounts for 13% of your recommended sodium intake for the day. Progresso’s Traditional Chicken Noodle Soup is a bit more, but with only 30% of your daily intake in a serving, there’s still a lot to work with for the rest of the day.
Lastly, sure these foods have been canned and processed, but the ingredients are still pretty great. Green Giant just serves you green beans, water, and salt (literally, that’s all that’s listed), and Progresso’s soup all includes ingredients you can pronounce, with a very low sugar count. And let’s not forget how easy it is to access fish when it’s canned, compared to the startlingly high prices at the seafood counter.
So…healthy? Yeah, looks it.
Frozen foods
Did you know that foods bagged up in the frozen section were actually frozen at their peak freshness? Meaning you’ll get all of those amazing nutrients from that food because it was saved at its peak. Yet frozen foods are “bad?” Eye roll.
Sure, the frozen section does have some not-so-healthy foods, there’s no denying that. There are a lot of desserts (side note, I love dessert), and frozen meals that seriously rack up the calories and saturated fat. However, there are plenty of frozen foods to work with that are perfectly fine — like veggies, fruit, breads, pastry dough (think quiches and fruity galettes), frozen pizzas (yes, there are plenty of healthy options), meats (frozen meatballs save me sometimes) pastas…I mean the list goes on.
During the colder months, when a lot of produce technically isn’t in season, frozen foods make for excellent homemade soups and casseroles. A lot of companies even make steam-in-a-bag frozen options, making it even easier to get vegetables on the table in minutes.
Just don’t discredit the frozen section, okay? There’s a lot to offer there - and sometimes, a frozen meal really does save you when you’re busy and you can’t see straight.
Processed foods
Friends, there is a big difference between processed foods and ultra-processed foods, and I think it’s time we really define it.
Ultra-processed foods are what give processed foods in general a bad rap. They’re the snacks and food items that are filled with what’s known as “empty calories,” aka foods with a high energy count but with a low satiety count. In non-technical terms, the food is high in calories, but low in the stuff that makes you feel full — like protein, fiber, and healthy fats. And of course, research continues to show us these types of food are linked to numerous health risks.
But that doesn’t mean all processed foods, people. Are you going to tell me that trail mix you love isn’t healthy? It’s probably got nuts and dried fruit, maybe some seeds, maybe some dark chocolate (which has antioxidants that are lovely). How about that popcorn? Popcorn is full of fiber! So is oatmeal, even when it has sugar in it.
Dietitians continue to say to look for the satiating combo of protein, fiber, and healthy fats (if it has fat but is low in saturated, that means it probably has some healthy fats in there). These are the things that are going to fill you and leave you feeling satisfied and energized for the rest of the day. Yes, lots of sugar and saturated fat won’t make you feel that way, but a little won’t hurt you.
The bottom line
Eating whole, real foods still wins as the best way to take care of your health — we’re not dumb. I mean there’s a reason the Mediterranean Diet continues to rate as the number one healthiest way to eat every single year because that’s sort of its thing. I’m just saying that whole, real foods also exist in the center of the grocery store — in the aisles with other processed foods. And to discredit them means to lose out on all of those nutritional possibilities, especially at a cheap price. And when we say these foods are “unhealthy,” we know people in America feel guilt over it. So just keep that in mind the next time someone tells you “processed foods are bad.”