a
M

Processed Foods

Examples of processed foods are lollies, soft drinks, chips, juices, milk, soups, nuts with additional flavours, pasta dishes, frozen pizzas, biscuits, cakes, processed/cured meats ie. salami. They are processed in food industries, not made at home. 

They come with various additives (sugar, salt, preservatives, artificial flavours, etc.) and stay ‘edible’ for a long period of time before decaying.
They are processed in factories, mostly packed in plastics, and are transported in long distances.

The life of processed foods

  • The foods may have travelled miles before arriving at the shop.
  • The foods or ingredients may be days or weeks old, maybe longer.
  • The ingredients may not be fresh as advertised. 
  • The ingredients may have been imported from overseas countries where the sources are less in quality.
  • The foods may have been processed in the factory that processes other foods.
  • The meals may have been cooked in the food industries, prepared by numerous people and machines.
  • Fast foods are usually cooked in trans fat, which is an unhealthy oil that could be days or weeks old, maybe longer.
  • Frozen foods may have partly thawed during the transportation then re-freeze in the shops.
  • The packaged and ready-made meals may have high amounts of sodium (salt), sugar, preservatives, artificial flavours, and other additives that are dangerous to our health.
a white woman hand touched the junk foods
A white woman washed the vegetables in the kitchen dish while water is running.

It is much fresher, safer, and healthier, if the foods are sourced from the local or nearby produce (farms, direct outlets and markets), and are home cooked.

That is why it is important to be mindful when choosing the foods you are eating.