Ask any nutritionist and they'll tell you that our health is a reflection of the lifestyle we lead and what we put on our plates. The food we eat not only satisfies our hunger. It also fuels our bodies with energy to carry on. In today’s fast-paced life, there's limited time to make elaborate home-cooked meals. It's no wonder that 80 percent of Americans' total calorie consumption is thought to come from store-bought foods and beverages. Many of these food items are considered ultra-processed, causing a growing rate of concern for human health among scientists.
Breaking Down Ultra-Processed Foods
You may be wondering what exactly ultra-processed foods are. The concept of processing refers to changing food from its natural state, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Methods of accomplishing this include canning, smoking, pasteurizing and drying. Ultra-processed foods take processing one step further by adding multiple ingredients such as sugar, preservatives and artificial flavors and colors. Commercially prepared cookies, chips and sodas are just a few of many examples of foods that fall into the highly processed category.
