Can Processed Foods Be Part of a Healthy, Affordable Diet?

The debate around processed foods is gaining steam. Are they bad for us? Can we incorporate them into a healthy – and affordable – diet? How can labels help us find our way through the haze?

Best Food Facts has been taking a look at processed foods. For this latest part of the series, we reached out to Dr. Joan Salge Blake, EdD, RDN, LDN, FAND, to clear things up. Dr. Salge Blake is nutrition professor and dietitian at Boston University, author of Nutrition & You and the host of the popular nutrition and health podcast, Spot On!

She shared insight into what processed food is, how it can be classified and tips on adding cost-effective processed foods to a balanced diet. She even shared her go-to recipe for a quick “homemade” soup!

What is processed food?

Dr. Salge Blake: Most consumers don’t realize that all foods are processed. For example, when the husk is removed from the corn on the cornstalk in the field, it just underwent processing. When you wash the fresh corn before you cook it, which is a good thing to do to remove dirt and potential pathogens that can cause food-borne illness, you have processed it again. When you cook that ear of corn to enhance its delicious flavor, you add yet another layer of processing. All of these steps have made the food safe and delicious to eat. This type of processing is a good thing for the consumer.

What are the benefits?

Dr. Salge Blake: Many folks think that all processed foods are unhealthy. This isn’t always true. There are other benefits besides those mentioned above. For example, if fresh corn isn’t in season, you can mosey on over to the frozen food section of your supermarket and grab a package of frozen corn. Frozen vegetables are frozen immediately after harvesting so the flavor and nutrients stay intact. They are also ready-to-cook so you can save a lot of preparation time in the kitchen as you don’t have to wash or chop the veggies. It’s like having Rachel Ray in your freezer. The same is true for the canned variety.

Why do processed foods get a bad rap?

Dr. Salge Blake: Some scientists have been using the NOVA Food Classification system to categorize foods. The NOVA system was developed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition, School of Public Health at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. The purpose of the NOVA system is to group foods according to the extent that they have been processed before they are consumed. When it comes to the whole foods that you eat, the NOVA system has three categories of foods, specifically: minimally processed, processed and ultra-processed, with the latter category being identified as the least healthy of these categories.

According to the NOVA system classification, all of these processing steps land that fresh ear of corn in the minimally processed group. When you buy frozen or canned corn, this choice now lands it in the processed category. However, crunchy corn chips, which don’t even resemble corn, are considered an ultra-processed food. That’s the CliffsNotes abridged version of the NOVA system. The problem with the NOVA system is that it lumps foods into categories based on processing, not nutrition. This NOVA system has caused many processed foods to get a bad rap for being unhealthy, yet they aren’t.

Obviously, ultra-processed corn chips are inferior in nutrition compared to a cooked ear of corn, canned corn or even frozen corn, for that matter. Fresh, canned and frozen corn are all fabulous sources of potassium and fiber, two of the many nutrients that Americans are falling short of in their diet. Unfortunately, potassium and fiber are grossly diminished in a serving of corn chips as compared to a serving of the real thing. Another nutrition strike against the chips is that they are magnificently seasoned, fried and hyper-palatable so that, well, as the decades-old slogan goes, “can’t eat just one,” so consuming the entire bag is deliciously easy. The chips are also void of the water found in corn kernels so the chips are more calorically dense per bite and are less filling. Let’s face it: While it’s fairly easy to eat the entire package of corn chips, consuming the entire package of frozen corn is a little more daunting.

Of late, some researchers have been perpetuating the myth that all foods in the ultra-processed food category are unhealthy and associated with the increased incidences of chronic diseases like heart disease, obesity and diabetes, which plague many Americans. Again, it’s not surprising that a diet chockfull of ultra-processed foods such as sweetened beverages (the No. 1 source of added sugars in the diet), saturated fat-, salt- and added sugar-laden savory snacks, bakery items and sweets and treats decreases the nutrition quality of the diet and displaces healthier foods such as fruits and veggies. The problem with the NOVA system is that there are some very healthy foods lumped in this ultra-processed food category.

Can processed foods be part of a healthy diet? What are examples of processed foods that people might not realize are nutritious?

Dr. Salge Blake:: There are some quite affordable, convenient, nutrient-rich foods, such as seasoned canned tomatoes and beans, commercially made whole wheat breads and rolls, whole grain breakfast cereals, flavored yogurts, soy burgers and some brands of hummus and bean-based dips that have also been wrongly lumped into the ultra-processed category. These foods can be healthy additions to the diet, especially for those who are time-constrained and often struggle to get a healthy meal on the table. In fact, the American Heart Association (AHA) recently released a statement confirming that some ultra-processed foods can be consumed as part of a healthy diet because of their nutrient density and convenience.

More importantly, research backs this up. In a study in the Journal of Nutrition, which was funded by the USDA Agriculture Research Services, researchers planned a seven-day, 2,000 calorie diet that aligns with the healthy diet recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) but with greater than 80 percent of the foods coming from the healthier foods in the ultra-processed category defined by NOVA.

The results showed that these menus achieved a Healthy Eating Index (HEI) score of 86 out of 100 possible points. The HEI measures the diet quality and evaluates to what extent Americans are following the DGA. As a nutrition professor at Boston University (BU), a grade of 86/100 is a “B” for my students. According to the researchers in this study, the current HEI for Americans is 59. We are obviously flunking, by BU standards, when it comes to adhering to a healthy diet. Could it be that we are consuming too many corn chips and not enough canned and frozen corn? I believe so.

What are some processed foods that provide high nutritional value for their cost? How can processed foods help families on a tight budget eat healthy?

Dr. Salge Blake: Above are some good examples. Price is a HUGE factor in these food inflationary times. With food prices predicted to go up yet another 3% this year, it is getting more challenging to afford food, especially healthy foods, without breaking the bank. For example, canned beans at about $1 a can provide protein, fiber, potassium and other nutrients. Personally, I think that “canned beans are the new chicken” as they are a healthy, convenient and protein-rich substitute that can replace higher priced protein sources in many main dishes at an affordable price. For example, if you are making a chili, you can reduce the amount of meat in the recipe by adding more beans. If you are concerned about the amount of sodium in the canned beans, you can rinse them in a colander in your sink under running water to remove about 40% of the sodium. Canned, chopped Italian-style canned tomatoes can be added to a homemade veggie-based soup. Soy burgers can be a heart-healthy alternative to quick lunch, especially when you are working from home.

What should people look for on a label to make wise choices when it comes to processed food?

Dr. Salge Blake:: Use the Nutrition Fact Panel as your helpful guide to choosing better foods. Look at the % Daily Value on the panel. If something is 20% or more of a nutrient, such as sodium or added sugars, this means that it is HIGH in that nutrient so you will need to balance this food choice with other choices in your diet. However, if it is 20% or more of fiber, like you’ll find in canned beans, it is a good source.

Do you have a favorite go-to processed food you’d recommend for a quick, affordable, healthy meal?

Dr. Salge Blake: As mentioned above, I am a HUGE fan of canned and frozen produce as these wonderful options can provide great nutrition at an affordable price and with little food waste. Food waste is a huge issue in the creation of greenhouse gases and global warming. Also, many Americans are falling short of the recommended amounts of fruits and veggies they should be consuming daily. These options are an easy addition to the diet.

For a quick and healthy meal, I often enjoy soy burgers on a whole wheat roll along with cooked frozen veggies. I am also a fan of a hearty soup for a meal. I typically open up two cans of a vegetable soup, along with a can of rinsed beans and diced tomatoes, and a package for frozen veggies for a “homemade” soup that I cook in a large pot on the cooktop. This is a meal that keeps giving as I use it for multiple lunches during the week.

Read more about processed foods:
Are Seed Oils Healthy?
What are Ultra-Processed Foods and Should You Avoid Them?