Why Processed Foods Can Be Part Of A Healthy Diet

Clean eating has created a lot of fear around processed foods, but with the current pandemic, that might be what you need to eat for awhile. Don’t be afraid! Learn why processed foods can be part of a healthy diet.

Learn why processed foods can be part of a healthy diet and can help you eat healthier! With intuitive eating, all foods fit! #rachaelhartleynutrition #thejoyofeating #intuitiveeating #haes #mealprep #pantrymeals

Since many of you all are stuck at home socially isolating, perhaps eating a lot more canned, boxed and frozen foods than normal, or at least preparing yourself for it, I thought it would be a good time to do a post on processed foods. Not only will they not kill you, but processed foods can be part of a healthy diet! And if things continue to go in the way that it’s looking, it might be the thing that keeps you adequately fed.

How Processed Foods Became Demonized

While an emphasis on unprocessed foods has long been part of the conventional discourse on nutrition, it wasn’t until Michael Pollan’s book The Omnivore’s Dilemma, that clean eating really took off. His recommendation to “Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.” resonated with people, myself included. But what started as relatively reasonable advice seemingly morphed overnight into the beast that is clean eating. It seemed like every few months there was a new food added to the list of what to avoid - unpronounceable ingredients, added sugars, refined grains, gluten, all grains, and so on. Even today, there’s not really any clear consensus definition on what clean eating is, and each clean eating guru has their own list of foods and ingredients to avoid.

Around the same time clean eating was taking off, food and health blogs were booming, and I don’t think that was a coincidence. Websites like Food Babe and Dr. Mercola offered an online resource of not so accurate (read: total BS) information about food and nutrition for anyone who was interested. The Institute of Integrative Nutrition moved their program online, churning out thousands of certificates for health coaching to people who didn’t really have a science background in food chemistry, human metabolism and physiology to be able to debunk and contextualize clean eating (and other diets) claims. And of course, we got the rise of the Instagram influencer, a natural fit for clean eating, because bright, fresh, and colorful food is quite instagrammable.

One of the reasons the demonization of processed foods took hold is because there is a kernel of truth in clean eating, which is that a dietary pattern that emphasizes fresh, whole foods is health promoting. But just because fresh, whole foods tend to be more nutrient-dense, that doesn’t mean that processed foods are bad for you. Food and nutrition is so much more nuanced than good vs bad, and it’s possible to recognize that certain foods are more nutrient-dense without demonizing others.

Why Processed Foods Can Be Part of a Healthy Diet

As humans, we have a bias towards things labeled or perceived as being more natural, regardless of whether it’s actually more natural. That’s why the same people who rant against foods made in labs and factories sell supplements and protein powders…made in labs and factories. The writer and professor Alan Levinovitz has done some really interesting writing on the bias towards natural foods and is releasing a book soon that I preordered (and you should too!). Essentially, clean eating and fearmongering over processed foods taps into an innate human bias, which is part of the reason it can feel so hard to challenge.

The Spectrum of Processed Food

In talking about processed foods and nutrition, I think it’s important to start by pointing out one problem with labeling foods as processed, which is that most foods are processed to some degree. Yogurt, fresh pressed juices, bagged and washed salad greens, nut butters, almond milk, hummus, energy bars, coconut oil - all these clean eating basics are technically processed food!

Processing occurs on a spectrum. Some foods are pretty lightly processed in a way that’s easy to see, like canned, diced tomatoes, frozen fruit, or peanut butter. Other food might be processed more heavily, like cheese puffs (a personal fave) or margarine. Still other food is made in a way that’s pretty similar to how you might prepare it at home, but it just comes from a very big kitchen - think canned soups, breads and frozen meals. Some of these foods may contain preservatives, thickeners or other ingredients you wouldn’t normally have in your kitchen, but that doesn’t mean they’re harmful, just because they have a chemical sounding name. Remember, technically good ‘ole water (H2O, aka dihydrogen monoxide) is a chemical too. Food additives are well studied for safety by the FDA, who sets strict limits on how much food manufacturers can use in foods that are well below the established safety limit.

I’m certainly open to the possibility that there are minor health effects of certain additives. Is it possible that an additive could cause a disruption in gut bacteria? Could an additive contribute to inflammation? What about an additive affecting blood glucose in certain populations. Sure. But let’s put all that in perspective. Food is just one part of health, and if an additive had any significant health effects, I’m confident research would have shown it by now. I don’t think stressing over food is particularly helpful for health, as that’s something we know has negative health effects. If you are truly concerned, I think the best you can do is focus on eating a wide variety of foods and emphasizing fresh foods, without obsessing over it.

Just remember, they used to put cocaine in soda and we mostly turned out OK 💁🏻‍♀️Don’t forget that food today is safer than it has ever been.

While it’s generally true that foods that are more significantly processed tend to contain less nutrients than those that are less processed, a lot of the foods clean eating deems as “too processed” are really more about moralizing and marketing. For example, potato chips (potatoes, oil and salt) are bad, yet homemade roasted potatoes (potatoes, oil and salt) are good. Deli meats are bad, but prosciutto and other charcuterie is fine, because being fancy and expensive gives you a pass on being processed. Inexpensive, “gas station” chocolate bars are bad, but fancy dark chocolates are good. Fresh, pressed juice that comes in pretty packaging is healthy, while regular juice in a carton is apparently just fruity tasting soda. When you really dig in to what foods are considered healthy or not in clean eating, it has much more to do with what’s expensive and in a pretty package than it has to do with nutrition.

Not only is processed food totally cool for you to eat, but it can actually help you eat healthier.

For starters, there’s a lot of processed food that’s made with nutrient-rich whole foods as ingredients. Think canned soups, chili and frozen meals. These foods are a great way to get vegetables, beans, whole grains, and protein, and it doesn’t really matter if it comes from a can or frozen tray versus cooking it at home. Just now I glanced in my pantry and freezer for a few examples. I have canned chili (protein, beans, tomatoes, spices, etc), canned tuna (protein, omega-3 fats, olive oil), boxed pilaf (whole grains), granola (whole grains, nuts, dried fruit), and frozen pizza (calcium, vegetables), just to name a few.

Processed food can also be a great vehicle for produce as well. You can do things like adding vegetables and canned tuna/chicken/beans to boxed macaroni and cheese, topping a pizza with vegetables (or a salad kit to make a pizza salad - one of my favorite quick weeknight meals), mixing dried fruit and nuts with cheese crackers to make a trail mix, adding herbs, olive oil and fruit to canned tuna, or adding produce and tomato sauce to fresh or frozen tortellini. Even when we’re on the other side of this pandemic, it’s really smart to keep processed food on hand where you can quickly add a few ingredients to round it out.

Another type of processed food I find many people forget is an option are condiments, like sauces, salad dressings, and dips. Guys, you don’t have to make these things from scratch! Things like enchilada sauce, curry sauce, bottled marinades, barbecue sauce and pesto can be added to simply prepared meals to dress them up and make them more enjoyable.

Even if a food doesn’t have nutrition it can still have a purpose. Pleasure is reason enough to eat something! When I enjoy cheese puffs, I’m not expecting fiber or a dose of Vitamin C, and that’s OK! A food can nourish your soul and provide comfort rather than nutrition - something that’s just as important during these stressful times in which you might not have access to other kinds of comfort.

My Favorite Processed Foods

Below are ideas for processed foods I personally buy and ideas for using them. Hopefully it helps you brainstorm for creativity! *The Amazon links are affiliate links, meaning Amazon pays me a small amount for purchases (not you!).

Banza Mac and Cheese - For taste, my personal faves go to good ‘ole Velveeta shells and cheese and Annie’s aged cheddar, but one thing I love about Banza is that because it’s made with chickpeas, it has more fiber and protein, so it’s a bit more filling and all you have to do is add veggies for a balanced meal. Plus, it’s still REALLY tasty! Their cacio e pepe is awesome with sautéed spinach and peas.
Jyoti Indian Foods - As far as canned meals go, I’ve found basically all of the canned/packaged Indian food brands are really good, but Jyoti is my favorite! Highly recommend the matar paneer, potato dumplings, and madras sambar. Sometimes I’ll pick up a few cans and naan on the way home and microwave an Indian meal, and other times I’ll just open up a can and serve it over basmati rice.
Frozen Pizza - We all have our favorites! I recently discovered American Flatbread and it’s my current favorite right now. Dress it up with sun-dried tomatoes, sauteed frozen spinach, pesto, or other favorite toppings to round it out. Or, my other go-to meal is getting a salad kit to throw on top and make a pizza salad - try it!
Canned chili - Canned chili in a baked sweet or white potato with cheese - ‘nuff said. My personal faves are Annie’s and Campbells Hot and Spicy
Instant ramen - I will eat Maruchan chicken ramen in a heartbeat, but I highly recommend going to the Asian market and doing a taste test of the different ramen they sell. For what it’s worth, my absolute favorite instant ramen was one with a cute little cartoon bear that I haven’t been able to find outside of Tokyo, but if you see it, get and buy me a pack too! I love Sapporo Ichiban (I call it “happy guy ramen” because of the package) and I’ve heard really good things about Nomshim. I also love to buy Lotus ramen and round it out into a meal with diced tofu, a soft boiled egg and spinach.
Frozen meals - We always have at least 2-3 frozen meals on hand as grab and go options when we don’t have leftovers for lunch. I personally enjoy Luvo, now Performance Kitchen (client), Sweet Earth, Stouffers sides, and pretty much everything at Trader Joe’s. The portions on most of these meals are small so you might need to add a couple things, like yogurt, fruit and/or a bag of chips to round it out.
Veggie burgers/fake meats - When I went to the grocery store, they were pretty much out of all fresh meats except for fancy/big cuts of beef and lamb. Even if they weren’t, I love having veggie products on hand because you don’t have to remember to defrost! Crumbled veggie burgers or “chickn” are a great way to add protein to salads and pasta dishes. Some of my personal favorites are Dr. Praeger’s chickenless tenders, which I’ve been enjoying as a snack along with hoarded Chick fila sauce, Hilary’s veggie burgers and Field Roast sausage.

Recipes Using Processed Foods

Here are some recipes on my blog that use processed foods, or you can easily swap processed foods to make it as a pantry meal!

Vegetarian Breakfast Enchiladas - This recipe uses bottled enchilada sauce to flavor enchiladas stuffed with scrambled eggs, canned beans, and sweet potatoes.
Easy Microwave Muffin in a Mug - Turn flavored instant oatmeal into a filling breakfast muffin with just a few minutes of prep!
Strawberry Rhubarb Breakfast Crisp - This breakfast crisp uses frozen fruit for a filling. You can also use granola for the topping!
Savory Tomato Cobbler - Make the regular tomato filling and top with canned or frozen biscuits, or biscuits from a mix!
Roasted Eggplant Hummus Pasta - Turn a tub of hummus into a quick pasta sauce with this Mediterranean pasta! Pro tip - pick up some of Trader Joe’s canned eggplant in tomato sauce if you can’t get your hand on fresh eggplant.
Butternut Squash Tortilla Soup - This flavorful soup is made with canned ingredients and sturdy vegetables, like butternut squash.
Curried Coconut Corn Chowder - Made with frozen corn and canned coconut milk!
Pumpkin Chipotle Chili - Another satisfying recipe where canned food comes to the rescue!
Salmon Patties with Creamy Yogurt Dill Sauce - I always keep canned salmon on hand to whip up patties like these!
Garlicky Spinach and White Bean Pasta Recipe - Use frozen spinach with this easy pasta recipe that gets a flavor boost from a surprise pantry ingredient!
Kimchi and Bacon Fried Rice - Bacon and kimchi give a major flavor boost to fried rice!
Spinach and Parmesan Baked Risotto with Salmon - Use a flavored grain mix as a starter in this one dish meal. You could also used frozen salmon.
Easy Red Curry - Save time with a bottle of curry sauce!
Chipotle Stuffed Sweet Potatoes - Make this lunch fave with bottled enchilada sauce.