Is Processed Food Dangerous?
Is it safe to eat processed food? Julie M. Jones, PhD, CNS, LN, CFS, FICC, Distinguished Scholar and Professor Emerita, Foods and Nutrition, St. Catherine University, says to look beyond the processing and focus on the diet as a whole.
Is processed food dangerous?
Dr. Jones:
In my view, it is not how the food is processed but rather how the food fits into the overall diet. For example, some ready-to-eat cereals provide fiber and missing nutrients. I urge consumers to eat frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables because we have good data that diets rich in fruits and veggies are associated with lower risks of a number of chronic diseases and increased longevity.
Eating too much of any food (processed or not) is the problem with most U.S. diets. Many diets have foods that are nutrient poor; this is the problem, not processing.
Image: “Nuggets” by Arnaud Dessein is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
About The Experts
Recent Articles
-
Should You Skip Black Licorice This Halloween?
by Best Food Facts 10/04/2024
-
Are Farm-Raised Fish and Seafood Safe to Eat?
by Best Food Facts 09/19/2024
-
Are Farmed Fish as Nutritious as Wild-Caught Fish?
by Best Food Facts 09/19/2024
-
Hooked on Sustainable U.S. Aquaculture: A Deep Dive at Four “Fintastic” Farms
by Best Food Facts 08/21/2024
-
Is Aquaculture a Sustainable Way to Produce Fish and Seafood?
by Best Food Facts 08/21/2024
Dig In.
Get the scoop on Best Food Facts.
Related Articles
-
02/04/2014
Food:
If I Can’t Pronounce An Ingredient, Is It Bad?
Additives like carrageenan, maltodextrin, azodicarbonamide and xylitol are not unfamiliar to our food ingredients list....
Food
-
07/05/2011
Lifestyle:
To diet or not to diet? New study says pick wiser foods for a healthy weight.
Expert discussion of study of over 120,000 Americans over 20 years about the foods most likely to contribute to weight...
Lifestyle
-
10/08/2014
Health:
Reappraising Processed Foods
Are you trying to avoid processed foods? Best Food Facts nutrition adviser Carolyn O'Neil explains why the term 'processed'...
Health
-
12/31/2015
Food:
2015: The Year in Review
Is it just us, or was 2015 the year of food knowledge? From how to properly clean produce to using leftover produce to hormones...
Food