Whole vs Processed Foods – What’s the Big Deal?

Whole vs processed foods. Food is food, isn’t it? Most of us know better than asking what the big deal is. We know that too much junk food, fast food, and snacks aren’t good for us and makes us gain weight.

But why?

Whole foods are basically foods that have not been tampered with. Whole foods consist of meats, poultry, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds that are still in their natural state, right from the farm. There are no additives, preservatives, and a whole slew of other ingredients. Whole foods can be found in the outer edge of any market. Namely, the produce, meat, and dairy sections. If it does happen to have a nutrition label, it contains only that item. For example, if you’re buying a bag of frozen broccoli, the label only lists broccoli.

Processed foods have taken all of those natural whole foods and processed them. They’ve changed the natural state of them and added preservatives, additives, and chemicals you can’t pronounce. Processed foods consist of nearly everything that comes packaged with a nutrition label and are found in the aisles of every market (as opposed to the outer edge).

That’s the primary physical difference between whole vs processed foods. But what’s the big deal? Food spoils and it wastes money, so aren’t preservatives a good thing? And all the other mystery ingredients aren’t killing me (immediately) and the FDA says they’re safe to eat, so why should I worry?

Here’s where the big difference comes in.

Yes, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves lots of ingredients for human consumption, but that doesn’t mean they’re good or safe for you. First of all, if you eat a lot of processed foods, keep in mind that what the FDA says is safe to eat on one package is only accounting for that one food and one serving. But if you look on other labels on other products, those ingredients are in those food items too. So now, it’s very possible for you to go beyond the FDA’s safe zone as you start crossing into a very real cumulative effect.

What happens on a physiological level? You’ll want to pay attention to this.

Your body only knows how to break down and utilize real food, that natural whole food. All the extra stuff is foreign to your body and as such, your body has no idea what to do with it. All of those strange ingredients offer absolutely no nutritional value whatsoever. They are what is called empty calories. You gain the extra calories for nothing.

So, don’t you just eliminate those ingredients with a bowel movement?

Not exactly.

Aside from adding to your calorie intake without any of the nutritional benefits, all of those extra ingredients can irritate your bowels, cause allergies and sensitivities. And that’s just for starters. Many of these non-food ingredients are fat-soluble. So, because your body doesn’t know what it is or what to do with it, your body stores them in fat instead of using them for energy or cell repair. I equate this to the oyster that gets the grain of sand inside its shell. To protect itself from this irritant, it coats it and starts creating a pearl. Unfortunately, your body fat is far from a valuable pearl and those ingredients don’t just sit benignly in your body fat. They can change cell structure and metabolize, sometimes becoming carcinogens, which over time, can cause cancer.

Why would the FDA approve something that can cause cancer? The simple answer is money. But keep in mind that there are other countries that have banned these same ingredients.

So, am I telling you to never eat processed foods ever again?

No. But I am highly encouraging you to shift the ratio of whole vs processed foods in the opposite direction. If you primarily eat whole foods and occasionally eat something processed, such as for your cheat meal, rather than the other way around, you’ll be far better off. Allergies and gut issues might begin to clear up. And best of all, your waistline is almost guaranteed to start shrinking too!

 

Further Reading:

It.  What are proteins and what do they do?

ToWhat are fats and why do I need them to lose weight?

It  What are carbohydrates – good vs bad?