Does processed food really deserve its bad reputation?

IT SEEMS like almost standard diet advice these days: cut out processed food. As the author of a food blog dedicated to debunking nutritional myths – using scientific facts – I’ve been privy to my fair share of nonsensical food fads.

And I’m afraid to say the campaign against processed food is one of them. Championed by so-called ‘clean eating’ gurus such as Deliciously Ella or Joe Wicks, the message is: ‘real’ food good, processed food bad. But that’s not actually true.

Recent studies suggest that many types of processing can enhance the nutritional content of foods such as fruits, vegetables and some dairy products.

The term ‘processed’ means that an ingredient, or several ingredients, have been altered since their raw, harvested form. Freezing, canning, baking, drying, fermenting (think pickled cucumbers – good for gut health) and pasteurising, which is used to kill harmful bacteria in milk, are all beneficial processes.

For example, it’s been shown that heating and canning tomatoes increases antioxidants and heartprotecting lycopene.

Kirsten Crothers, dietician at The Food Treatment Clinic, told me: ‘It’s not processing that’s the problem, but the extra salt, sugar and saturated fat that are put into some foods, usually to increase shelf life.’

So, ‘junk foods’ that are high in calories and sugary snacks aren’t advisable for every day of the week, but tins of ‘processed’ vegetables, fruits and even baked beans are a healthy, valuable addition to your daily diet.