Are there healthy processed foods?

The consumption figures for processed foods show that Spanish households have increased the consumption of such foods by 50% in the last 10 years, a figure that is not negligible at all. In addition, Spain has one of the highest figures in childhood obesity, and to combat it we must base our diet on healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts ... but above all avoid those foods that are not; and among them some stand out processed foods.

What is a processed food?

The definition of processed food is one that has undergone industrial processing in which the nature of the food changes, since either components such as poor quality fats, sugar, excess salt and refined flours are added or a component of the food is eliminated healthy, for example, the integral part of cereals (bran) or fiber in fruits (when juiced). These would be processed foods to avoid, unfortunately very common in the diet of the little ones.

Processed foods to avoid

• Industrial pastries
• Industrial cookies
• Chocolates and cocoa creams
• Sugary breakfast cereals
• Refreshments
• Energy drinks
• Packaged fruit juices
• Chips
• Industrial sweets and ice cream
• Sugary dairy products (smoothies, puddings, custards, ...)
• Dressings, sauces, etc.
• Precooked foods type "fastfood" /:

Pizzas Frankfurter type sausages and other processed meats Nuggets cannelloni Lasagna

They can also be found healthy processed foods, which can be part of a proper diet, as they can be very useful to prepare healthy dishes saving time when cooking. Are those whose ingredients are not the four mentioned above or have undergone a mechanical process in which they lose a high percentage of water or change of

Healthy processed foods

• Frozen vegetables like green beans, cauliflower, spinach, asparagus ...
• Canned vegetables that do not have added: natural tomato, asparagus, roasted peppers, artichokes ...
• Legumes frozen or cooked in a glass jar: white beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas ... which must be rinsed before being consumed.
• Pickles: olives, gherkin, capers, chives ... to a certain extent because they contain enough salt to preserve them.
• Dried or dehydrated fruits: figs, raisins, dried apricots, plum, mango ...
• Whole grains ready in a few minutes.
• Whole wheat bread, biscuits, toasts ... (with few ingredients in its composition, since it is enough with whole wheat flour of the cereal in question, sourdough, water and salt to make the bread).
• Yogurts and natural curds without added sugar.
• Canned fish such as sardines, tuna, mackerel ...
• Foods like tofu, miso ...
• Yogurt and soy drink as long as they do not have added sugar.

We cannot fall into the error of thinking that children's nutrition can be based on “anything”, just because they are children, something that is usually allowed especially if they are thin and active, since we believe that “everything burns ”. But it is only about thinking about calories, if not about giving them good quality food, to keep them healthy. In addition, it is time to teach them good eating habits that lead them to follow a healthy diet also in adulthood.

Homemade vs processed foods

A good option is to choose to prepare some recipes at home, such as cocoa cream, sponge cake or homemade cookies to offer them good quality foods that replace those processed so common in childhood. I propose some recipes that you will love.

• Homemade chocolate and hazelnut spread Recipe for 6-8 people: whisk 130 g of natural hazelnuts at maximum power, add six large and juicy pitted dates to the mixture, add 150 ml of milk and four heaping tablespoons of pure cocoa for dessert. Chop again. It can be added if desired a tablespoon of virgin coconut oil or one or two of extra virgin olive oil. Ready to spread.
• Homemade sponge cake with dates and carrots Recipe for 6-8 people: blend 120 g of dates with 100 ml of milk in a bowl to form a paste. Then add four eggs and beat until foamy. Add an additional 90 ml of milk and 60 g of olive oil to the bowl. Grate 4 carrots and add to the mixture the ½ sachet of yeast, ½ of bicarbonate, ½ teaspoon of ground ginger, a teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of salt and 200 g of whole wheat flour. Mix everything well, flour a mold and add the dough. Bake (in a preheated oven at 180ºC) for 50 minutes. After this time, remove from the oven and pierce the cake with a toothpick in the center. If the dough is raw, leave for five more minutes.
• Oatmeal Cookies Recipe for 20-25 cookies: crush 120 g of dates in a bowl. Beat an egg and mix it with 50 ml of olive oil. Mix it with the dates. Add 100 g of whole wheat flour, ½ sachet of yeast and 60 g of rolled oats and continue mixing. Once it is well mixed, with our “floured” hands we prepare small balls that we will crush to give them the shape of a biscuit. We let them rest for an hour in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap. Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Put them on a tray, leaving spaces between them. Bake 10-15 minutes.

One of the best steps you can take is to avoid processed foods and bet on a diet based on real foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, ... always dressing and cooking them with extra virgin olive oil.

• • The consumption of these foods has increased by 50% in the last 10 years and has contributed to the increase in metabolic diseases.
  • Processed foods that should be avoided are those to which poor quality fats, sugar, excess salt or refined flours have been added to their composition (industrial pastries, chocolates, industrial cookies, industrial sweets and ice cream, fast-food type precooked ...)
  • There are healthy processed foods such as frozen or canned vegetables, canned legumes, pickles, whole wheat bread, biscuits ...

Diploma in Human Nutrition and Dietetics