Is your favorite snack an ultra-processed food?

Who doesn’t love snacking?  On a recent trip to Europe, one thing we missed were snacks.  Americans love to snack.  Snacking doesn’t have to be unhealthy and actually can add some good nutrition to your day.  One of my favorite snacks is a banana.  A natural food, unprocessed, no plastic packaging and rich in potassium and fiber.  But too many Americans are eating snacks that are ultra-processed.  What is ultra-processed?  Ultra-processed foods are those shiny, packaged products that often have little resemblance to their natural origins.  They are typically loaded with additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients. 

What are some examples of ultra-processed snacks to avoid?

• Mass-Manufactured Chips/Snacks:  Think Cheetos or other colorful, flavored, and heavily processed snack foods. 
• Sweet Buns and Cookies:   Those soft, sweet buns and sugary cookies you find at the store?  Yes, most fall into the ultra-processed category.
• Reconstituted Meat and Poultry Products:  Chicken breasts are a healthy choice but not so for chicken nuggets, some sausages, and other processed meats like lunch meats and beef jerky.  These may contain preservatives like nitrites and nitrates which have been associated with colon cancer. 
• Pre-packaged meals:  It is so tempting to grab a pre-packaged meal.  But many of these convenience meals come with added sodium and other ingredients. 
• Sweetened Beverages like sodas, fruit drinks, and sports drinks.  Often not only loaded with added sugar, but with artificial colors.  Think Hi-C fruit punch, SunnyD, lemonade.  (See:  Are you drinking real juice or fake juice?)

How do you know if it is an ultra-processed food?

Ingredients:  Check out the ingredients.  You may see artificial sweeteners, or “casein, lactose, gluten, whey, hydrogenated oils, protein isolate, maltodextrin, inverted sugar, and high fructose corn syrup.”  The ingredients for Hi-C fruit punch include high fructose corn syrup, sucralose and acesulfame potassium. 

What are good replacements for ultra-processed snack foods?

• Chips:  I love chips and eat some chips almost every day.  But I choose healthy chips.  How can chips be healthy?  My husband and I buy whole grain chips like Food Should Taste Good chips (often available at Costco) or Sunchips.  (See: Add some healthy carbs to your day.)   Look for ingredients like whole wheat, oil and salt.  Sunchips and Food Should Taste Good chips are not only whole grain but are made with heart healthy oils. 
• Cookies:  Make some oatmeal, chocolate chip cookies at home. Try out the recipe on the oatmeal box.  This will add some whole grains to you and your kid’s day. 
• Crackers:  So easy to choose whole grain crackers and skip the Cheez Its.  My husband loves Cheez It crackers but too much as he can eat half a box easily.  So, we try to stock up with whole grain crackers like Wheat Thins.  If you aren’t a fan of whole grain crackers, then try Ritz whole wheat crackers.  Still processed and some added sugar but also a way to add some whole wheat to your day.  
• Whole foods like fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, nuts.   

Conclusion:  Remember, ultra-processed foods tend to be high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and sodium.  Instead opt for whole, minimally processed foods when you can to nourish your body with wholesome goodness.  There are so many healthy snacks to enjoy and many I outline in Enjoy Some Healthy Snacks. Snacks like fruit, veggies, whole grain chips, whole grain crackers or whole grain crackers that add some good nutrition to your day, or to your child’s day.  Stay informed and snack wisely!  

 

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