Why You Should Avoid Them

Highly processed foods are considered harmful to health, but what makes them so problematic and how can you recognize them in the supermarket? Our article sheds light on the hidden dangers and gives practical tips on how to identify them. What also is important is to have some rest to digest your food. We recommend Playamo for you to rest after a huge meal.

What are highly processed foods?

Processed foods are all products that have been industrially processed and altered in some way during the manufacturing process. This includes freezing, baking, heating or drying. A distinction is made between different levels of processing based on the so-called NOVA classification: from level 1, unprocessed to minimally processed foods, to level 4, highly processed foods.

Ultra-processed foods are products that do not consist of whole foods but of a combination of individual ingredients. They are usually ready to eat or only need to be heated briefly.

Ultra-processed foods have advantages: they have a long shelf life, are practical and easily accessible. At the same time, they are usually packaged in supermarkets and have a long list of ingredients. They usually contain a lot of calories, sugar, salt and additives as well as little fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Why are highly processed foods so unhealthy?

There is a clear scientific opinion that highly processed foods are unhealthy. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) has therefore even set up its own working group to look into highly processed foods.

In a systematic literature review conducted by the DGE and the Max Rubner Institute (MRI) in 2023, 37 studies were evaluated to examine the current state of research on the consumption of highly processed foods and chronic, non-communicable diseases: It shows that people who consume a lot of these foods have a higher risk of overweight, obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and a higher risk of death. With regard to metabolic syndrome and allergies, there is currently not enough data to draw any clear conclusions.

There is also evidence that the consumption of highly processed foods is associated with gastrointestinal disorders, dementia, depression, cancer and effects on the immune system.

Various aspects can lead to these negative effects:

• The nutritional composition of highly processed foods is unfavorable: a high proportion of energy, fat, sugar and salt combined with a low proportion of high-quality nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances.
• At the same time, the high degree of processing can promote the formation of potentially toxic compounds such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, trans fatty acids or acrylamide.
• It is also possible that harmful substances from the packaging (phthalates and bisphenols) are transferred to the food.
• The high intake of additives can promote inflammation in the body.

However, the causes of the negative effects of highly processed foods have not yet been conclusively investigated: Future studies must clarify the biological mechanisms behind this.

Highly processed foods: examples

If you pay attention when shopping in the supermarket, you will discover many highly processed foods. Examples of highly processed products are:

• Sweets and baked goods: ice cream, chocolate bars, cookies
• Baked goods such as industrially produced bread, cakes, rolls
• Salty snacks such as potato chips, salt sticks,
• Ready meals from a bag or can such as instant soups
• Frozen products such as frozen pizza
• Fast food
• Bars such as muesli and energy bars
• Processed fish products such as fish sticks
• Processed meat products such as nuggets, sausages
• Meat substitutes
• Spreads
• Dairy products (e.g. fruit yogurts, milkshakes, sliceable cheese)
• margarine
• Drinks such as soft drinks, sweetened teas

These products are increasingly replacing natural products and freshly prepared meals – after all, it is easier and quicker to pop a pizza in the oven than to cook something fresh yourself.

According to calculations by the National Nutrition Survey II (NVS II), around 50 percent of the total energy intake of adults in the early 2000s came from highly processed foods – and the trend is probably rising.

How do I recognize highly processed food?

You can usually recognize highly processed foods by their packaging. To avoid them, it is worth looking at the list of ingredients: The longer it is, the more likely you should leave the product on the shelf. If there are more than 15 ingredients, that’s too many.

It’s also worth taking a close look at the ingredients – not all of them are bad per se: you should tend to avoid ingredients that you have never heard of or that you don’t have in your kitchen yourself. You should also be careful with some additives and E-numbers.

Alternatives to highly processed foods

The clear alternative to highly processed foods are fresh products that are as unprocessed as possible: Fruit and vegetables, grains, pulses, seeds and nuts. If you don’t follow a vegan diet, you can also use eggs and unprocessed dairy products, preferably organic. Although the effort involved in cooking for yourself may seem greater at first glance, it’s worth it in the long run for you and your health. 

Last Updated on December 27, 2024 by soubhik