The processing of foods isn't something new, but it has become more and more invasive and pervasive into our diet sources, and half the time it's not realized how much of these processed foods we are eating. Desserts, packaged snacks and fast foods are readily seen as the culprits, but there are tons of foods included in our daily diet that contribute to major diseases, and it all starts with the refined ingredients. Everyday choices in supermarkets are full of junk made by processing; foods with negative nutritional effect are included daily in our diets either with or without us knowing it, and they are making us just as ill as are the so-called junk or fast foods. Here's a small list to begin pondering of commonly used and trusted foods that are mostly highly processed or may contain processed sugars or hydrogenated oils, depending on types and brands: Cooking oils, Breakfast cereals, flours, Soy milk, Artificial sweeteners, Agave syrup, Canned fruits and vegetables, Fruit juices, Bagels, breads, rolls, pasta, muffins, Deli/lunch meats, Milk, yogurt, dairy products, White rice, Cocoa, chocolate, Pancake mix, Peanut butter Tomato products, ketchup, Salad dressings, Mayonnaise.
One of the first foods to be processed by man was sugar around 600 A.D. Over the centuries the refinement developed more and more into the white sugar we use today. A popular sweetener currently, agave, is also highly processed and contains at least 70 percent fructose. Most doctors, including Dr. Nicholas Perricone, anti-aging expert and author, agree that fructose without the fiber will increase triglycerides and contribute to hardening of the arteries. The fruit juices we have with breakfast every morning fall into this category. It's interesting to note that the fresh juice from the raw sugarcane is one of the most nutritious things a person can consume.
For more: Linda Larrowe Bergersen: What Makes a Food Junk?
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