What is a real whole food? Simply stated, it is food in its natural state. (Natural meaning it is unchanged from its original state in nature. In fact, the word "natural" is not synonymous with the words organic or healthy.)
It's sad to me that so many ask this question at all. Yet too many cannot answer this question in our current food environment, even though it is understandable.
Technically speaking, a food is processed if it is altered in any way - cooked, frozen, a combination of whole foods blended, etc. - all changed from their natural state but without added ingredients, either natural or artificial.
What is an ultra-processed food?
Healthy Eating Research (HealthyEatingResearch.org) convened an expert panel to answer this question.
It made three recommendations:
I. Definition
A food product is ultra-processed if it contains at least one of the following:
A. Cosmetic additive (to enhance the appearance of a food product)
Examples: flavors (natural or artificial), emulsifiers, sweeteners (both sugar and non-sugar), colors (natural or artificial), thickeners, bulking agents, gelling agents, glazing agents, carbonating agents, anti-foaming agents, and other additives recognized by FDA or Codex technical classificati
B. Non-culinary ingredient (any substance intentionally added to food that is not a whole food and is rarely—if ever—found in a home kitchen.) manufactured food additives, chemical preservatives, artificial flavors, and stabilizers used by the food industry to extend shelf life, enhance texture, or improve color.)
Examples: casein, dextrose, high-fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, modified starch, protein isolates (e.g., soy or whey), hydrogenated or interesterified oils, mechanically separated meats, lactose, lecithin, and others.starch, protein isolates (e.g., soy or whey), hydrogenated or interesterified oils, mechanically separated meats, lactose, lecithin, and others.
II. Exempt ingredients
Some ingredients do not mark foods as ultra-processed:
Vitamins
Minerals
Herbs
Spices
Yeast-derived ingredients
III. Exempt foods
Foods that meet the FDA’s definition for “Healthy” claims are not considered ultra-processed. These contain:
Adequate amounts of recommended food groups
Less than FDA thresholds for added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat
No non-sugar sweeteners
Educated as both a food scientist and a nutritionist with the goal of nourishing us, I certainly think the industry has gone too far in meeting consumer wants rather than needs for profit. It is also clear to me that what we have gradually allowed ourselves to become accustomed to accepting as normal is not only suboptimal but also harmful to ourselves as human beings. And we have some responsibility in the role we play in creating our culture. While I fully recognize that exposure and access are factors, when we spend our time blaming industry for what we choose to buy and consume, we need to ask ourselves why we continue not to override our short-term impulses and overeat food for emotional comfort, delegating expertise of how we treat ourselves to others rather than learning supportive skills and self-advocating for what we truly know would be good for our long-term health.
There certainly should be space in our food culture for recipes using ingredients for enjoyment, maybe 20% of our diet for wiggle room. But when our food culture adapts over time to the availability of any food anytime, anywhere, we're gone too far. Relying on myths of convenience and permissiveness in the name of saving time, saving cost, indulgences galore, to the extent that individuals are not responsible for what they put into their bodies, means it's time to make changes, setting both societal and individual boundaries.
Putting yourself and your health first with a solid foundation is something you already know how to do. All creatures in nature do. Most research is supported by industry to influence you towards their product. Yet so many are proud that they have studied and know what they need in this way, and are not aware that the information they have read is not always applicable to you or does not help you. More often than not, the latest research study is throwing you off track, not on track. It's a distraction from the basic skills and execution you may be avoiding close inspection of.
It starts with you, now, wanting to make changes for a better, longer life. Most of what you are proudest of took hard work and effort.
I'm here to support you in finding your way so your efforts are rewarded.
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