Everyone knows that the addition of processed foods to one’s diet is strongly discouraged. That’s because they are loaded with unnecessary ingredients such as sodium, preservatives, colorings and flavorings.
But did you know that not everything that’s processed is bad for you? Actually some of the processed foods that you can get your hands on at your favorite supermarket are perfectly fine to be welcomed into your life, say experts. You see, there are the so-called minimally-processed food products — these are those that have gone through some very simple processing procedures such as peeling, chopping, freezing and cooking.
So instead of steering clear of all processed foods, keep on reading this article. Below you will come across some of those processed food products that won’t wreak havoc on your health.
Got lots of family members and friends who are health-conscious and thus very picky when it comes to the products that they place in their shopping carts? Then make sure that you share this article on your various social media sites to let them know that it’s perfectly fine to have the following:
Vegetable Meats
The goal of vegetable meats is to seem like they’re the real deal when it comes to looks and taste. It is exactly for this reason why vegetable meats cannot help but to be categorized as processed foods — they are in fact made with real vegetables.
However, just see to it that you carefully read labels, too, as some vegetable meats at your favorite supermarket may contain unhealthy ingredients like artificial flavorings or modified corn starch.
Yogurt
Milk and beneficial bacteria — these are the things that you can find in a serving of yogurt. But since both of them do not appear in nature looking like your favorite brand of yogurt, it goes without saying that this very healthy treat is a processed food product.
It doesn’t mean, however, that every single yogurt out there is good for you. Something that’s artificially flavored is certainly packed with flavorings and tons of refined sugar.
Peanut Butter
We all know how peanuts look like — their appearance is a far cry from a spoonful of peanut butter. Needless to say, peanut butter is a processed food item that’s good for you as every serving of it is packed with muscle-building protein.
Sadly, some peanut butter options out there contain high fructose corn syrup, refined sugar and hydrogenated oils — stay away from them as they’re not good for you.
Tomato Sauce
When it comes to shopping for healthy processed foods, tomato sauce is definitely on the list. According to health authorities, tomato sauce is actually better for you than fresh tomatoes because its lycopene content is already activated — lycopene is an antioxidant revered for its powerful anti-cancer properties.
There is one problem with tomato sauce, and that it comes added with sodium. Fret not because all you have to do is look for tomato sauce brands or variants with the least amount of sodium to keep your blood pressure out of harm’s way.
Fortified Cereals
A lot of health-conscious individuals frown upon breakfast cereals believing that they are nothing but calories. However, there is really no need for them to frown provided that they go for fortified cereals.
These food products supply the body with essential vitamins and minerals that are not present in most breakfast cereals. Opting for those that are out of whole grains is a definite must.
Frozen Fruits and Veggies
Fruits and vegetables that are found at the frozen section of the supermarket are some of the most minimally-processed food products on the face of the planet. Usually, they are just washed, peeled, chopped and frozen.
Adding some frozen fruits and veggies to the diet is a very practical and simple way to make sure that your body is supplied with antioxidants, fiber and all kinds of micronutrients.
