{"id":3104,"date":"2014-10-27T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-10-26T23:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.neolifesalud.com\/are-processed-foods-harmful\/"},"modified":"2023-01-06T16:56:49","modified_gmt":"2023-01-06T15:56:49","slug":"are-processed-foods-harmful","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neolifesalud.com\/en\/blog\/nutrition\/are-processed-foods-harmful\/","title":{"rendered":"Are processed foods harmful?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tania Mesa \u2013 Nutritionist and Nurse from Neolife<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

The American Society for Nutrition<\/em> reassures us that \u201cboth fresh and processed foods are essential in order to make up vital parts of the food supply for the population\u201d <\/em>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A healthy diet is not an easy target, the key lies in reaching the highest percentage possible of our caloric intake through non-processed foods – if possible, we should choose organic foods – and seek to prioritize minimally processed foods over those that are processed. Within these last two categories, we should try to avoid those that are pre-cooked and those containing food colorings, preservatives, sweeteners and spices.<\/p>\n

We receive a vast array of negative messages about \u201cprocessed foods\u201d on a daily basis. Nevertheless, supermarkets, bars and restaurants continue to present a wide range of all kinds of them. If they are not healthy, then why are they offered to us?<\/p>\n

The answer lies in the concept of \u201cfood safety\u201d<\/strong>, which refers to the ability to ensure a sufficient food supply (caloric intake) to the population.<\/p>\n

\"how<\/a><\/p>\n

Can you imagine trying to feed an entire country with fresh food from the garden, fresh fish form the sea, or meat from freshly slaughtered animals? It would be impossible. This is why the processing of food for its conservation and storage before being consumed is necessary when guaranteeing food safety.<\/p>\n

Another issue is that of \u201cnutritional security\u201d<\/strong>, which refers to the quality of food fit for human consumption. We must keep in mind that processed foods comply with a strict regulation of nutritional security, that some foods when consumed in their natural form simply cannot guarantee, such as some mushrooms and fungi, or the meat of an animal that has been raised in an unregulated manner.<\/p>\n

A recent position stance from The American Society for Nutrition<\/em> published in the journal The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition<\/em> (1) reassures us that \u201cboth fresh and processed foods are essential in order to make up vital parts of the food supply for the population\u201d . Among its authors is the well-known Spanish scientist Jos\u00e9 M\u00aa Ordov\u00e1s, an expert in nutrigenomics and author of the book \u201cThe New Science of Well-being: Nutrigenomics\u201d (2).<\/p>\n

In the same article, the contribution of desirable and undesirable nutrients from processed foods are analyzed. On average, processed foods contribute 57% of our daily caloric intake, being responsible for 55% of our fiber intake, a desirable nutrient, and 75% of our intake of added sugars, an undesirable nutrient.<\/p>\n

The article also differentiates between \u201cprocessed and minimally processed foods\u201d.
Processed foods are classified in four categories:<\/p>\n