Processed Food vs Whole Food, Essay Example

Processed foods are typically those that are contained within cans, boxes, or bags. These foods may contain preservatives to last a longer time or must be altered to become edible. In addition to the many steps that food manufacturers must take for this food to be edible, they often contain additives and artificial flavorings to enhance taste and other chemical ingredients. Whole foods lack this kind of processing and are considered to be natural products (Jacob).

The benefit of whole food is that it is definitely natural. While it is difficult to argue that whole food is always healthier than processed food, the fact that it lacks many additional chemicals supports this case. In many cases, it is difficult to determine how food is processed and what this means for its nutritional value and potential allergens. People who chose to consume whole food know that they are getting a natural product with minimized health risks. Some examples of whole foods are fruits and vegetables that were grown organically, with minimal use of pesticides and whole wheat bread.

Populations that adopt processed food diets are more likely to become obese and suffer obesity related illness. Furthermore, processed foods are chemically designed to taste better, which makes people want to eat more. These types of foods are considered to be “hyper rewarding” because our bodies think that they are giving us large amounts of energy and are good for us, but in reality we gain a disproportionate nutritional benefit from them (Gunnars). Most processed foods have high fructose corn syrup and include items such as common breakfast cereals, cookies, and white bread.

Works Cited

Gunnars K. “9 Ways That Processed Foods Are Slowly Killing People”. 15 Jan. 2014. Web. 26 April 2014. <http://authoritynutrition.com/9-ways-that-processed-foods-are-killing-people/>

Jacob A. “Processed Food Definition”. Web. 2014. <http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/processed-food-definition-2074.html>