You are hearing over and over the advice to cut down on processed foods and avoid ultra-processed foods. The advice is good but most people do no know which foods fit into each category.
Food can be loosely divided into four categories.
Minimally processed foods include fresh, frozen and dried fruits and vegetables, along with 100% fruit juice, fresh meat, fish, and poultry. Plain yogurt, cereal without added salt, sugar, oil or honey (such as oatmeal), flour, and rice are also part of this group.
Processed culinary ingredients are food ingredients that can be used at home or by restaurants to prepare, season, and cook minimally processed foods. Herbs, spices, oils, butter, sugars, syrups, vinegar, cornstarch and salt all fit into this group.
Processed foods that increase the durability or shelf-life of foods. This group includes most canned foods, tomato products, fruit in syrup, canned fish, bacon, cured meat, cheese, margarine, condiments, and bread and unsweetened cereals like shredded wheat and cornflakes.
Ultra-processed foods are convenient, durable, easy to consume, and often very tasty (highly salty or sweet). This group would include frozen dinners, pre-prepared foods, packaged salty or sweet snacks, cookies, cakes, candy, ice cream, and alcohol drinks.
Though not every food you eat is listed in the groups above, the examples of the degree of processing will give you a hint as to where most foods would fit.
Your goal: All foods can be eaten but it is wiser to eat fewer processed foods and ultra-processed foods and more minimally processed foods with the ingredients needed to make them tasty.
