T.O.M: To process or not to process? That is the question...

March`s Topic of the Month  (T.O.M.) is an explanation of some common food labeling misconceptions.  I would like to touch on terminology misuse in our food media.  Please feel free to comment as you please at the bottom.  I would LOVE to turn this into a discussion!

Most of us have been victims of marketing gimmicks, especially food-related ones.  It seems like foods that we once thought of were "bad" are now labeled with terms that lead us to believe that they are good for us.  Example?  Goldfish.  YOU know...those little cheese crackers that you can easily chow down on without stopping?  They now are supposedly "made with Whole Grain".  Whether they are or not, does this really make them a healthy food?  To the average consumer, it probably does.  The term "whole grain" makes us think of fiber and overall health.  Do you suppose cheese crackers packed with sodium and fat give you a healthy dose of fiber and make you skinny?....Think again.

Terminology breakdown:


* "Natural"- The FDA has not developed a definition yet for this. Reason?  Click on this: http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/Transparency/Basics/ucm214868.htm


* "Processed"- Per a 2008 Federal Law, a characteristic(s) of the food have to have been altered in some way in order to be considered processed.  Examples? The ADA lists raw nuts (unprocessed) vs. roasted nuts (processed), edamame (unprocessed) vs. tofu (processed), etc.

* "Local"- The food has to have been grown/produced in close proximity to where you live.  This term does not necessarily mean that the food has been grown by use of sustainable or eco-friendly methods.

* "Organic"- Defined by the USDA as animal products that come from animals that are not raised using substances to stimulate their growth (such as steroids, hormones, etc.) or plant products that are grown without use of chemicals and unnatural farming methods (ionization radiation). See the 3 categories of organic below:
                      ~ 100% Organic: made of only organic components (also "fully organic)
                      ~ Organic: at least 95% of contents are organic
                      ~ Made with organic ingredients: at least 70% of the contents are organic
                 
********100% Organic and Organic both will have the USDA seal for certified organic!  The third category will not.

Long story short...If you are truly trying to eat healthy, stop looking for food-fad terminology and start using what you already know about foods.  Common sense tells us that an organic apple is nutritionally identical to an non-organic apple.  The word "organic" does not change the genetic makeup, it simply defines the way that apple was cultivated.  Common sense also tells us that the fewer complicated ingredients that a packaged food has, the better.  When you are buying a granola bar or meal bar, look on the back.  If you see ingredients that you recognize as actual food or products...then that is a processed food worth buying.  If you see a bunch of chemical jibberish, set it back on the shelf.  You don`t have to miss out on new foods just because they were "processed"...because you now know that process could mean something as simple as roasting a peanut! :-)

Resources used: eatright.org, fda.gov