The One Processed Food That's Actually Pretty Good for You

Leigh Weingus
·4 min read
2

Processed foods don't exactly have a great reputation, and there's a good reason for that. Heavily processed foods are correlated with health issues like obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes, but this is in reference to foods with tons of added sugar, sodium and trans fats. Think a greasy bag of potato chips or a bottle of Coca-Cola.

But by definition, processed foods aren't all bad. While it's true that processed foods are thought to be inferior to unprocessed foods, the U.S. Department of Agriculture defines a processed food as one that has undergone changes to its natural state—so if it's been washed, cleaned, milled cut or even frozen, it's technically processed. That bag of organic frozen blueberries in your freezer? They're processed!

While it's clear that organic frozen blueberries aren't bad for you, what are some of the more traditional processed food that you can incorporate into your diet in a healthy way? We asked registered dietitians—here's what they had to say.

The One Processed Food That's Actually Pretty Good for You

If you're looking to incorporate a packaged processed food into your diet that won't derail your health goals, we have good news for you: Jesse Feder, RD, a registered dietitian and personal trainer, says whole grain fortified breakfast cereal can actually be part of a healthy breakfast or eaten as a snack.

"Whole grain fortified breakfast cereal is typically high in fiber and has several added essential vitamins and minerals," he explains. "This can help promote healthy digestion and consistent blood sugar levels, and provide you with a nice percentage of the daily value for certain nutrients that your body needs."

Related: The Top Foods for Longevity

Other Processed Foods That Aren't So Bad

Whole grain breakfast cereal isn't the only "not so bad" processed food. If you're looking for something more protein-heavy, Meghan Sedivy, RD, a registered dietitian with Fresh Thyme Markets, recommends something very specific: Gilbert's Chicken Sausages. "They are all-natural, fully cooked chicken sausage free from artificial ingredients and minimally processed. As a lean and ready-to-eat protein source, these individually wrapped chicken sausages can be added to pasta, salads, stir-fry or sheet pan meals."

There are other processed foods, too, that you might not think of as processed but are actually great for you. These include probiotic-packed Greek yogurt, all-natural almond or peanut butter, tomato sauce, frozen organic wild blueberries, omega-3 rich canned tuna and sprouted grain bread and oatmeal, says Lisa Moskovitz, RD, a registered dietitian with The New York Nutrition Group.

"Some of my go-to recommendations for healthy snacking also include minimally 'processed' Saffron Road Crunchy Chickpeas snacks which are packed with plant protein, gut-healthy fiber and vegan-friendly iron," Moskovitz adds.

Related: The One Food to Avoid If You Don't Want to Gain Weight

The Processed Foods You Should Steer Clear Of

Any registered dietitian will be the first to give you a mouthful about the foods you should avoid, and while Feder is all for incorporating whole grain, fortified breakfast cereal into your diet, there's another type he wants people to steer clear of. "High sugar, processed breakfast cereal, while typically fortified with nutrients, contains a large amount of sugar and preservatives and is usually void of fiber," he says.

As for other processed foods you should avoid? "Deli meats as well as hot dogs, sausages and bacon, are typically very high in sodium, nitrites, unhealthy fats and other preservatives," Feder says. "These are all very bad for your heart, gut, blood vessels and overall health."

Related: What Does 'Food Noise' Mean?

Sugar-sweetened beverages are another big no-no. "They're practically void of any nutritional value and contain extremely high amounts of sugar and calories," he says.  "They do not benefit your health and can contribute to weight gain, obesity, heart disease and several other health conditions."

Finally, while we all know croissants are delicious and make for a great treat once in a while, pastries are not considered a part of a healthy diet. "Pastries and desserts are typically high in sugar, processed carbohydrates and unhealthy saturated fats," Feder says. "This can contribute to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and several other health conditions."

The good news? Processed foods can be part of a healthy diet. The bad news? Registered dietitians will never tell you that a bag of Lay's potato chips is good for you (but they will probably admit they're delicious).

Next up: What To Know About Processed Food and Gut Health

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