By Penelope A. Domogo, MD
Before we proceed with this topic, I want to clarify that the term “processed foods” here refers to those foods that are mixed with synthetic or unnatural ingredients or chemicals that make them unhealthy. Some real foods like grain and meat are so mangled beyond recognition and mixed with so many unnatural chemicals that they are no longer real food. Michael Pollan, an environmental and food advocate calls then “edible, food-like substances”. We also refer to these kind of foods as highly-processed foods. The term “processed foods” also refer to refined foods like refined sugar and refined salt, refined flour and white rice.
Why are these processed foods unhealthy? There are two main reasons:
First reason: Let’s start with the refined foods. These foods are found in nature but they have been “refined” so that they will have a longer shelf life. In the process of refining, they are transformed. Compare white sugar (which is refined) to muscovado (which is unrefined sugar). After some time, muscovado will sort of ferment while white sugar will last for years. White sugar (brown sugar also) is muscovado that has been processed and “refined”. In the manufacturing industry, “refining” means removing all “impurities” and only the desired substance is left. This is okay if we apply it to gold. But “refining” food, in this case, muscovado, means stripping it of its vitamins and minerals and fiber leaving those white crystals called white sugar or brown crystals called brown sugar. Same process holds true to refined salt. Raw salt from the sea contains innumerable minerals that we need like iodine, zinc, manganese, copper, iron and am sure a lot more, even gold. These minerals, although we take in very small amounts, are important for our health thus they are called micronutrients. Even the most modern gadget in the world cannot, I am sure, decipher all the chemicals found in raw salt and in nature, in general. Refining salt means stripping it of all substances leaving a pure crystal called sodium chloride (NaCl). That is your refined salt. That is why it tastes different from rock salt. Rock salt is gentle on the tongue just as muscovado is while refined salt and refined sugar sting.
How about refined flour? White flour is refined flour. These are usually from wheat, a kind of grain, so in the Philippines, our flour is imported because we don’t grow wheat here. Wheat is processed and pulverized so that it comes to us like it is – white flour. Again, in the process of refining, the fiber, vitamins and minerals and even some protein is removed from the wheat leaving the starchy portion which is carbohydrate. So now you know why people who eat white bread more that whole grain rice cannot lose weight.
Second reason: Processed foods contain unhealthy additives like refined sugar, artificial flavorings and colorings and other chemicals to make the substance yummy. Yummy but unhealthy.
At this point, we know why white or brown sugar is unhealthy. These refined sugars are also called free sugars. You add it to any other food and that food will become unhealthy. Why? Simple. Because that sugar will remain refined sugar even if you added it to a whole food like camote. Sugar does not add value. In fact, it devalues the product. It is puzzling why we still need to put sugar to camote cue or banana cue. These already contain a lot of sugar and they are naturally sweet. It is very hard, nowadays, to buy ready-to-eat foods that don’t have added sugar. Even our local entrepreneurs add sugar to their products to make them saleable. Some add sugar or salt or both as a preservative. Again, we reiterate that refined sugar and refined salt are chemicals.
Matters get worse when food processors add more artificial chemicals like MSG (monosodium glutamate) or commonly known as vetsin, other flavorings, colorings, anti-caking agents, preservatives. The manufacturing industry acts so fast to create peoples’ desires and cash on these. I was shocked to know there are thousands of chemicals that are now produced in the factory and many of these are added to these processed foods. When before, our food source is nature, now a lot comes from the factory. Of course, these chemicals are of questionable safety. I again quote Michael Pollan “If it (product) has more than five ingredients, it’s probably not food. Or if it has ingredients that your third grader can’t pronounce, it’s probably not food.” He also tells us to avoid products that are advertised on television.
Why do we have to process food anyway? Why can’t we just eat food as provided in nature? One time, my late husband asked us why we had to bake banana cake. He said we can just eat banana as is and save the effort and money used for the other ingredients. True. We would get the same banana and even more vitamins because vitamins are destroyed by heat. Well, apparently, we like to complicate the simple. Still, home cooking is better than factory cooking. At home you can control the ingredients. In the factory, you are not in control. Your choice.****
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“Don’t think only of your own good. Think of other Christians and what is best for them.” 1 Corinthians 10:24
