What is processed food?
Processed food is food which has been changed from it’s natural state. That’s most of our food.
What is ultra processed food?
These are foods that are highly altered and often have lots of additional ingredients which we might not recognise in our kitchen cupboards. Ultra processed foods are also often high in fat, salt and/or sugar.
There are many different definitions of ultra processed foods but this gives an overview.
Is processed food bad generally?
No one food should be called bad or unhealthy. We shouldn’t ban foods unless they are medically unsafe. For babies and toddlers there are some foods to avoid (check out the list here), but otherwise unless a medical professional has told you to avoid a food, or you avoid a food for cultural reasons babies can eat what you choose to give them.
The research suggests that eating too much ultra processed food can be problematic, but the research is still not conclusive on whether it is the nutritional value of the foods and the ingredients or just the processing.
However, the review of the research by World Cancer Research Fund showed that the evidence on processed meat is clear; too much can increase your risk of certain cancers. Again though, some processed meat is not a problem.
Which processed foods should my baby avoid?
The critical things to look at are:
- The ingredients list – look for ingredients like honey which babies shouldn’t have
- The nutritional information – look at the salt level in the food and the amount of sugar
- When looking at sugar also look at the ingredients. Sugar from pieces of fruit or the natural sugar in dairy products isn’t an issue, it’s the added sugar and the sugar from fruit juice and purees
- The product description – look out for whole nuts in a product which can be a choking hazard, think about how soft or how hard the product is to see if it is suitable too.
Then ask yourself:
- Do I need to provide a more processed food or am I being led by the marketing?
- What else has my baby had today – which food groups have they not had enough of yet?
Are there any benefits of processed food?
Absolutely. Here are some:
- Increased shelf life
- Convenience
- Fortification – manufacturers can add vitamins and minerals we need to products – for example iron to some breakfast cereals.
The bottom line
When looking at food for our babies and older children we want to look for foods which will provide for them nutritionally. Foods which have no added salt or sugar are the best.
Processed foods, especially those which are fortified can be a helpful addition.
If you were to try to remove all processed foods from your diet it could be very expensive, very labour intensive and it could be harder to get all the nutrients you need. Processed foods have received a lot of bad press. Reducing our intake may be helpful, especially of processed meat, but we should not feel they are banned. When it comes to babies, check the foods to avoid list and work from there.
Still not sure?
Book a consultation with me and I can help you review where your family nutrition is up to and how you can make small changes, without spending hours in the kitchen or breaking the bank.