Food Words, Myths, Nutrition and Confusion

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Food a great human activity

Yet for millions of people, food is also synonymous with stress, weight gain, neurosis, confusion, and even disease.

1.What are “processed” foods, and how do they fit into a healthy diet?

When we think about processed foods a picture comes of an array of snacks like potato chips, Burgers, Patties etc which are tempted for consumers to eat.

Food processing transforms raw agricultural crops into food products. There are many different food processing methods, from familiar kitchen activities like chop, mix, cook, grind, bake, freeze, can, pickle to specific industrial techniques like a ferment, pasteurize, irradiate, homogenize, dehydrate all of which alter food in some way or another. 

Food processing key functions are to keep foods safe, prolong shelf life, preserve or enhance nutrient content fortification), and prevent foodborne illness. Processed foods help people meet nutrition goals.

Majority of foods we see in the market are processed in some way or other in the global supply chain. These include staples like ready- to eat cereal, peanut butter, bread, canned tomatoes, and coffee that make eating easy and convenient and pleasant. Even fresh fruit found in the market has undergone through processing steps, including washing, sorting, and a light edible, tasteless wax to prolong shelf life.

A 2012 study conducted by four science-based organizations (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Society for Nutrition, Institute of Food Technologists, International Food Information Council) found little difference in healthfulness on average comparing nutrient intakes of 25 351 Americans across a broad range of processed food levels, likely due to the considerable variation within traditional categories.

Definition and Types of Processed foods

Category	Definition	Example	Nutrition in daily life
Unprocessed/ minimally processed foods	Plant or animal foods consumed shortly after harvest, slaughter etc. Methods include wash, grate, peel, fillet, dry, debone, pasteurize, ferment (other than alcohol), dehydrate, freeze, can; products may have minimal packaging (e.g., bag, plastic wrap)	Fruit &vegetables that are fresh or preserved with nothing Added. Fresh squeezed or pasteurized 100% fruit or vegetable juice or dairy milk. Raw and unsalted nuts and seeds . Poultry, and fish ,eggs ,tea, coffee, fresh untreated water	Referred to as “whole” foods (even if cut, peeled, frozen, pasteurized, etc. or milled simply to access the grain).
Processed culinary ingredients	Products in original form without added ingredients .Include pressed, milled, ground, and purified.	Sugars (e.g. White, maple syrup), animal fats and plant oils (like butter and canola oil),corn starch, flour, and salt.	Cooking and baking staples that may be fortified if required (like salt and flour)
Processed	Modified wholefoods, often with additional ingredients Methods include cans, ars,dehydration,brines, pickles, smoke, and salt.	Canned, jarred, dried, pickled, and frozen fruits and vegetables that include sugar or other ingredients. Tinned or smoked fishes (like tuna). Cheese; meats (not reconstituted) like turkey, ham, and bacon. Nuts (not raw).	Convenient than fresh whole foods and consumed as part of a meal or snack.
Ultra- processed	Foods with additives, preservatives, fillers, etc. to prolong shelf life. Methods include hydrogenation, hydrolysis, and reshaping	Bread, breakfast cereal, sweet and salty snacks, and canned Soups.Ready- to eat or quickly prepared frozen burgers, fries, pizza ,packaged baked goods and desserts; meat substitutes (soy, seitan, etc.);sugar- sweetened beverages (e.g., sodas, teas, fruit and milk drinks);and sweetened dairy products	Convenient foods usually Consumed as is, often Unrecognizable from whole foods; tend to be high in sugar, salt, refined grains, calories, and unhealthy fats and low in fibre and nutrients; fortified foods like diet meals and shakes and energy bars

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2.Concept of  “natural,” “raw,” in dietary foods. Do they really have any significance.

A whole foods, mostly plant-based diet is the optimum diet for health, vitality, and longevity. What is a whole foods, plant-based diet? Put simply, it is a diet that prioritizes eating whole or unprocessed plant foods ,minimizes meat, fish, dairy products, and eggs ,and eliminates highly processed foods.

Whole foods as seen from above, may not be  a vegetarian or vegan diet. Generally  whole foods in consumption ,ninety-plus percent 90% plus plant-based diet, which means keeping animal foods (meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products) to 10% or less of  intake calories. Within the parameters of a whole foods, 90+% plant based diet there is tremendous flexibility to create meal after meal that satisfies  needs, nourishes  body, and palatable.

Advice for Good diet 1. Eat whole foods instead of highly processed foods.2. Eat mostly plant foods (90+% of calories).

Follow these two diet rules and you will essentially follow a dietary pattern that resembles those of some of the world’s healthiest and longest-lived populations.

Michael Greger, MD, “Plant foods, with their greater protective nutritional factors and fewer disease-promoting ones, are healthier than animal foods, and unprocessed foods are healthier than processed foods “.

Whole foods Vs Processed Foods

While these do not apply in every case, here are some general rules you can use to help distinguish between whole and processed foods:

Whole Foods

• Are close to their original state
• Spoil faster
• Usually do not have ingredient lists, or, if they do, have short ones
• Are generally sold without packaging
• Are often found around the perimeter of the grocery store

Highly Processed Foods

• Bear little resemblance to their original state.
• Do not spoil easily.
• Have often long ingredient lists.
• Are packaged or boxed.

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3. Plant Foods vs Animal Foods

Plant foods grow in the ground or on trees or vines fruits, vegetables, beans and other legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds. They make up much of what we consider real food apples, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, rice, almonds, beans, strawberries, lettuce, and so on. The Whole Foods Diet recommends that 90% or more of calories come from plant-based food. Once again, this is not a vegan diet (unless one choose to eat 100% plants for personal reasons). Still, it is a diet that includes far fewer animal foods than the Standard Non-vegetarian diet.

Animal foods come from the flesh or organs of animals (including mammals, birds, fish, and insects) or are produced by the animal, such as milk products and eggs. For the good Whole Foods Diet, it’s recommended that 10% or less of daily calories come from this category of foods. As a general rule, that means that meat, fish, dairy products, eggs, and other animal foods are eaten occasionally, as side dishes or condiments not as the primary calorie source in every meal.

A sure way to lose weight and optimize the same

Here’s the secret: Eat more vegetables! Add at least one sizeable extra serving of veggies (or fruits) to what you would normally eat at each meal, and be sure to eat those before anything else. You’ll discover the vegetarian diet paradox the more veggies you eat, the more weight you lose, assuming you don’t cover these vegetables in fatty dressings, or cook them in oils.

When you eat whole fruits and veggies, you fill yourself up with low-calorie, fibre-rich, nutrient-rich foods that will leave you less hungry for processed foods or animal foods. A good strategy is to start every meal with a big salad or a bowl of vegetable soup (or a bowl of fruit, if you prefer, at breakfast). Eat more veggies and lose more weight.

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4.What’s the difference between “organic” and “conventional” food farming?

“Organic” and “conventional” refer to different sets of farming practices.

Conventional farming is based on

• A) Industrial processes and techniques, including synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, intensive tilling, and complex irrigation systems to manage soil and crops
• B) Concentrated animal feeding operations that often use antibiotics and hormones and minimize (or disregard) animal welfare and wellbeing;
• C) Genetic engineering to breed crops and animals in addition to traditional crop breeding.

Conventional agriculture is focused on maximizing the yield and efficiency of a single animal or crop, and practices have led to many negative impacts s throughout the food system.

As per FAO Organic agriculture is a holistic production management system which

• Promotes and enhances agro-ecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity.
• It emphasizes the use of management practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs, taking into account that regional conditions require locally adapted systems.
• Organic farming is accomplished by using agronomic, biological, and mechanical methods instead of synthetic materials, to fulfil any specific function within the system.
• No use of genetic engineering.

Both conventional and organic agriculture employ pesticides, the only difference being whether the chemicals are naturally or synthetically derived.

Numerous studies have compared the nutritional content of organic versus conventional produce. Studies show considerable variability since farming practices vary so widely: What pesticides were used? In what amounts? How often were they applied? And when? Small differences can often be detected for a few nutrients, though they are usually insignificant— and would not lead to a meaningful difference in health.

Organizations across the board, from WHO to the Environmental Working Group, emphasizes the importance of consuming a diet rich in plants; however, they’re grown: it is far better for your health (and likely no risk at all) to consume copious plant foods for optimal health and disease prevention, whether conventional or organic.

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5.” Eating local“ important for human health and the environment?

These are good reasons to eat local if you’re in a place where farmers’ markets are accessible, affordable, and convenient.

• Tasting the best food around,
• Sustaining the businesses of local farmers,
• Supporting regional food systems,
• Preserving common land and its biodiversity, and
• Building a community that cares about food.

The myth around local foods

First Myth nutritional composition.

Whereas the soil can significantly impact a plant’s concentration of certain minerals (like selenium) and species genotype also matters, a crop is what it is. For example, all apples provide vitamin C, fibre, water, and a host of phytochemicals. But how it is picked stored, and transported all impact nutrient content more significantly than where it was grown.

The second myth is that local is more sustainable.

As with plants and other animals, seafood sustainability is primarily a function of production practices, not proximity to home how seafood is caught matters as some methods lead to substantial by-catch, thus contributing to food waste. For these reasons, wild-caught, nonlocal species may be the most sustainable choice, or perhaps farmed seafood, depending on how the fish are raised.

The third myth touts that eating local is the best dietary choice for the environment.

It is certainly true that local foods have fewer “food miles,” as they’ve travelled a shorter distance from farm to table than those traversing the country, or even globe. But that doesn’t necessarily mean local apple has a smaller carbon footprint than one imported. Economies of scale matter, as does the mode of transport. Millions of apples arriving by ship often have a smaller carbon footprint per unit than thousands travelling by truck. Moreover, food production contributes 83% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) compared to just 11% for food transportation. Indeed, production impacts on climate are larger than all post– farm gate emissions (transport, retail, waste) for almost all foods and animal foods create the most GHGe by far.

Fourth myth asserts that local food is safer.

The life cycle chain from farm to fork is often shorter and more transparent within local systems, which can help to quickly identify sources of foodborne illness. Yet there is no conclusive data that local food is any safer, and smaller systems can lack the quality control and practices of larger counterparts. Local wares sitting at a farmers’ market in hot temperatures are also a breeding ground for bacteria if improperly stored and many purveyors favour raw milk and juices, which are substantially less safe than those pasteurized.

A final myth is that eating local is less expensive.

Great deals can abound at farmers’ markets, especially when buying in bulk. But prices for conventional produce are generally comparable to or higher than those in the average supermarket and local organic produce can be downright unreasonable.

While eating local will doubtless play a role in future food systems. It is not a panacea for today’s complex food and nutrition problems in a global food supply.

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6.Food genetically engineered? Good or Bad

Do you know someone with diabetes who needs insulin? Chances are it was synthesized using genetic engineering (GE), like many other life- saving medicines. Love cheese? Rennet is a collection of enzymes used in traditional cheesemaking produced by ruminants, usually calves but the majority is now synthesized animal-free using GE. Even so, many eaters oppose the use of GMOs  though they’ve been consuming foods made with them for years with no observed ill effects.

What is a genetically modified organism (GMO)

Plants or animals in which genes have been altered using molecular biology and recombinant DNA techniques rather than conventional breeding are colloquially referred to as genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or, alternatively, GE or “biotech” crops.GE allows direct and specific changes to a plant’s DNA, ribonucleic acid (RNA), or proteins to create, express, or repress a trait rather than achieve the same end through conventional cross-breeding. In “transgenic” species, which receive the most media and consumer attention, genes from a different species are inserted.

Adding a gene from the same species (cis genic) and modifying a gene within the same species (such as turning it on or off) are also examples of GE.

In 2017, 11 biotech foods were commercially available in the world: corn, soybeans, cotton, canola, alfalfa, and sugar beet (for insect and/ or herbicide resistance); papaya and squash (virus resistance); apple ( browning resistance); potato (blight resistance); and salmon (faster growth).

Benefits

In 2014 meta-analysis of 147 studies found that GE crops reduced chemical pesticide use by 37%, increased crop yields by 22%, and increased farmer profits by 68%.This lead to increased abundance of the food, lower costs and without any significant impact to the health of a person. Till date, no conclusive study has been able to ascertain any adverse effect on human health by the use of GMO.

In 2016, a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report concluded, “While recognizing the inherent difficulty of detecting subtle or long- term effects in health or the environment, the study committee found no substantiated evidence of a difference in risks to human health between currently commercialized genetically engineered (GE) crops and conventionally bred crops, nor did it find the conclusive cause- and- effect evidence of environmental problems from the GE crops.”

7.Are “grass-fed” meat healthier and more sustainable than “grain-fed”?

There are nutritional differences between grass-finished and grain-fed cattle, an example of “you are what you eat eats. “The biggest difference is fat composition: direct feed is high in omega- 6 fatty acids like linoleic acid, whereas grass provides some plant-based omega- 3 fatty acids. As many diets are especially low in omega- 3 fatty acids, grass-fed beef makes a more considerable contribution to intake relative to grain-fed beef. Yet quantities are incomparable to the amounts in seafood. Grass-fed beef is also higher in CLA (i.e., conjugated linoleic acid) and has higher beta- carotene and alpha-tocopherol (precursors to vitamin A and vitamin E, respectively); other small micronutrient differences may occur due to nutrient variability in feed and soil.