Food can be…confusing. Do you need to avoid gluten at all cost? Avocados eaten as quickly as possible? Well+Good nutrition experts will set the record straight on food. They’ll cut through the hype, the hand-wringing, and give you the most complete information about what you should and shouldn’t put into your body. See All
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Not all processed food is bad. Here are some of the favorite packaged snacks from a dietitian.
The January food craze (ketos, vegans, paleos, oh, my!) can make your head spin. When January healthy food mania (keto, vegan, paleo, oh my!) makes you dizzy, it’s tempting to assume that processed foods are bad, and that everything else will at least not kill you if eaten in moderation. Most healthy eating plans include reducing or eliminating processed foods.
Tracy Lockwood Beckerman RD, registered dietitian, argues that it is nearly impossible to completely avoid processed foods, given the fast pace of modern life (and Trader Joe’s). This argument was made in the latest video of Well+Good’s You Versus Food series. She suggests that you read labels to determine which processed foods to avoid, and which to keep in your shopping cart.
Trans fats are an ingredient you should avoid on all processed foods. Beckerman says that trans fats are notorious for their bad reputation. “[They’re] solid at room temperature, which means they’re more likely to block our arteries and increase the risk for developing heart disease.” While trans fats have mostly been eradicated from our food supply thanks to FDA regulations, she notes that they can sneak into packaged foods under the alias “hydrogenated (or partially-hydrogenated) oil.” So, buyer beware.
She also says that you should avoid high-fructose corn syrup. You’ll also be surprised at how frequently this ingredient appears on food labels even in 2020, despite its link to the obesity and diabetes epidemics of today.
Beckerman is urging you to pay attention to these two ingredients. To get the complete list, watch the video above. The #snackattack will make it easy to navigate the inner aisles of your local grocery store.
Want more advice from Tracy? Want to hear more from Tracy?
