THE TRUTH ABOUT

PROCESSED FOODS
Some aren’t as bad as you think.

Lots of people put processed foods in the “never” category. That’s not necessary,
and may even be misguided.

WHAT ARE PROCESSED FOODS?

Food processing exists on a continuum, from “whole” to “highly-processed.”

WHOLE FOODS
are in the form they’re found in nature, or
very close to it.

MINIMALLY-PROCESSED FOODS
have been slightly altered without
substantially changing the nutritional content.

MODERATELY-PROCESSED FOODS
have been altered more significantly, often
reducing nutritional value by removing or
adding components.

HIGHLY-PROCESSED FOODS
barely resemble their whole-food origins, and
have minimal nutritional value.

3 BENEFITS
OF MINIMALLY-PROCESSED FOODS
Popular diets differ over a lot. But they do agree on this: Base your diet around
minimally-processed foods. Here’s why.

THEY HELP YOU MEET YOUR NUTRITION NEEDS.

Minimally-processed foods contain more nutrients than highly-processed foods.

THE GREATER THE …The more additives, such

Omega 3
Fiber
DEGREE OF as sugar, refined starch,
Minerals PROCESSING… unhealthy fats, sodium,
preservatives, and fillers.

...The less fiber and

micronutrients like essential
fatty acids

YOUR HEALTH WILL BENEFIT.

A diet rich in minimally-processed whole foods is associated with lower rates of:

Depression
HUMANS ARE
HEALTHIER WHEN Heart disease
THEY CONSUME
Type 2 diabetes
MORE WHOLE
FOODS AND FEWER Cancer
HIGHLY-PROCESSED
ONES.

YOU’LL MORE EASILY REGULATE WEIGHT AND APPETITE.

Minimally-processed foods...

FIBER
Usually contain more
PROTEIN
satiety-boosting nutrients.

Take longer to eat.

PROCESSED FOODS: WHOLE FOODS:

~10 chews / bite ~25 chews / bite

Fill you up on fewer calories.

220 CALORIES 100 CALORIES

Already have a relatively nutritious diet and still aren’t losing weight? Check your portions using our Nutrition Calculator.

SHOULD YOU GIVE UP

ALL PROCESSED FOODS?
Probably not. Eating strictly whole foods isn’t realistic for most people. Plus, there are good
reasons to include processed foods in your diet.

FIRST, SOME PROCESSED FOODS ARE GOOD FOR YOU.

STORE-PREPARED HUMMUS PROTEIN POWDER TOFU

Saves time Extremely protein dense Easier than shelling edamame
Good source of fiber Low cost per serving Versatile flavor
Tastes good Easy Rich source of calcium

Certain processed foods undeniably make healthy eating more convenient—and often more delicious.

SECOND, PROCESSED FOODS TASTE AMAZING.

When consumed in moderation, they can help you connect with friends, boost mood, and
experience pleasure.

THIRD, PROGRESS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PERFECTION.

The goal with nutrition isn't to get things “perfect.” Instead, imagine a spectrum of options and
focus on making food choices that are “a little bit better.”

HIGHLY
WHOLE
PROCESSED

GRAINS
Brown rice White rice Rice puff cereal

VEGETABLES
Sweet potato Sweet potato fries Sweet potato pie

FRUIT
Apple Applesauce Apple juice

BEANS &
LEGUMES
Black beans Refried black beans Black bean tortilla chips

MEAT &
POULTRY
Baked whole chicken Rotisserie chicken Chicken nuggets

FISH &
SEAFOOD Shrimp canned in oil
Fresh, whole shrimp and seasoning Popcorn shrimp

NUTS &
SEEDS
Shelled peanuts Peanut butter Peanut butter cookies

DAIRY &
EGGS
Milk Fruit-at-the-bottom yogurt Rocky road ice cream

MORE FEWER
NUTRIENTS NUTRIENTS

BOOST YOUR CONSUMPTION OF

MINIMALLY-PROCESSED FOODS
IN 3 EASY STEPS
Use this advice to get in the habit.

1. DECIDE WHAT UPGRADES ARE WORTH IT.

Some minimally-processed foods take more time, skill, and effort than others—yet their nutrition
payoff is minimal.

Use the chart below to determine where less processing makes sense for YOU.
HIGHER EFFORT LOWER EFFORT

Baked crispy chicken Fast food breaded chicken

nuggets
Homemade low-sugar,
high-fiber muffins Store-bought muffins or
baked goods
BIG Homemade smoothie with
NUTRITIONAL your choice of fruits, veggies, Fast food smoothie or iced
GAIN protein, and/or healthy fats beverage

Homemade oatmeal Commercial cereals or

breakfast pastries
Homemade meal from mostly
whole foods Frozen entree

Soaking, then cooking dry Canned beans, rinsed and

beans drained

Chopping lettuce / greens Pre-chopped salad mix

LITTLE Homemade guacamole / Commercially prepared

NUTRITIONAL hummus / pasta sauce guacamole / hummus /
GAIN pasta sauce
Scrape corn from cob
Frozen corn kernels
Roasting chicken at home
Store-bought rotisserie
chicken

Ask yourself:
WHAT EASY, SATISFYING,
LESS-PROCESSED SWAPS
CAN I MAKE?

2. SET ASIDE TIME TO PREPARE THEM.

Minimally-processed foods generally take a bit more time to prepare than highly-processed
foods, which are often ready-to-eat.

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

Boiled eggs

Chili for the week

Granola
Carrot and celery sticks

Schedule time in the next week to shop for Try batching cooking, buying ready-to-eat
and prepare a few meals based around minimally processed foods (pre-cut
minimally-processed foods. vegetables or pre-cooked proteins), or
subscribing to a meal service, budget
permitting.

3. EXPERIMENT.

You probably won’t like every

new food you try—and that’s
okay. Then again, some foods
might surprise you.

Keep notes—based on what you're ready, willing, and able to do.

This week, I’ll make time to prepare some

minimally-processed foods on ___________________________
[day of the week]
for _______________________.
[amount of time]

In the next month, I’d like to try eating:

________________________________ [insert minimally-processed food you’re curious about]

________________________________ [insert minimally-processed food you’re curious about]

________________________________ [insert minimally-processed food you’re curious about]

When I added minimally-processed foods to my diet, I was

surprised to learn
_____________________________________________________________

For the full article explaining this infographic, visit

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/minimally-processed-foods