Breaking Free from Processed Foods

hands breaking a chain illustrating breaking free of processed foods from your diet

course syllabus for Your Well-Being online health and wellness education course

Course Outline

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Understand the harmful effects of processed foods and the importance of transitioning to a whole-food, nutrient-dense diet.

Behavioral Objective

Reduce intake of processed foods and increase consumption of fresh, whole foods through gradual changes in diet and food habits.

Key Thought

Processed foods may be convenient, but the cost to your health is significant. By letting go of processed foods and embracing whole, natural options, you will enhance your well-being and long-term vitality.

Main Ideas

Learning Objective

Understand the harmful effects of processed foods and the importance of transitioning to a whole-food, nutrient-dense diet.

Behavioral Objective

Reduce intake of processed foods and increase consumption of fresh, whole foods through gradual changes in diet and food habits.

Key Thought

Processed foods may be convenient, but the cost to your health is significant. By letting go of processed foods and embracing whole, natural options, you will enhance your well-being and long-term vitality.

Terms

Artificial Sweeteners

noun

Synthetic sugar substitutes used to sweeten food and beverages without the calories of sugar. Common examples include aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose, which are often found in diet drinks and processed foods.

Highly Palatable Foods

noun

Foods engineered with the perfect blend of sugar, fat, and salt to maximize flavor and pleasure, often making them difficult to resist. These foods are typically processed and include items like soda, chips, and baked goods.

Preservatives

noun

Substances added to food to prevent spoilage or extend shelf life. While some preservatives are natural, many processed foods contain chemical preservatives that can have negative health effects when consumed in excess.

Processed Foods

noun

Foods that have been altered from their natural state, often high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and preservatives, contributing to inflammation.

The Frightening Four

noun

Foods known to promote inflammation, including sugars, refined flours, fructose, and inflammatory oils.

Terms

Artificial Sweeteners

noun

Synthetic sugar substitutes used to sweeten food and beverages without the calories of sugar. Common examples include aspartame, saccharin, and sucralose, which are often found in diet drinks and processed foods.

Highly Palatable Foods

noun

Foods engineered with the perfect blend of sugar, fat, and salt to maximize flavor and pleasure, often making them difficult to resist. These foods are typically processed and include items like soda, chips, and baked goods.

Preservatives

noun

Substances added to food to prevent spoilage or extend shelf life. While some preservatives are natural, many processed foods contain chemical preservatives that can have negative health effects when consumed in excess.

Processed Foods

noun

Foods that have been altered from their natural state, often high in added sugars, unhealthy fats, and preservatives, contributing to inflammation.

The Frightening Four

noun

Foods known to promote inflammation, including sugars, refined flours, fructose, and inflammatory oils.

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Activities
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Introduction

Processed foods have taken over our modern diets, offering convenience at the cost of health. It's important to remember that not all foods are created equal. Reducing the intake of processed foods and increasing whole, natural foods can drastically improve your well-being. While making these changes can be difficult, the benefits outweigh the effort. Your body will thank you in the long run for choosing real, nutrient-dense food over the highly processed alternatives.

Letting Go of Processed Foods

Processed foods, often found in cans, boxes, or bags, are far from what our bodies need to thrive. These products are packed with preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and chemicals designed to enhance flavor and shelf life but provide little nutritional value. Many of us have developed strong emotional attachments to these convenience foods, but removing them from our diets is necessary for regaining control of our health.

Your Body's Weakness

Even the strongest body has a weakness; for many, it's processed foods. The key to breaking free is building awareness around what you're eating. Dr. Wright's "150-Year Rule" provides a simple guideline: if it wasn't around 150 years ago, you shouldn't eat it. In moderation, focus on fresh, natural foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and organic meats. Avoid anything overly processed, as these foods offer little nutritional value and can harm your health.

What is Processed Food?

Processed foods are products altered from their natural state for convenience, shelf life, or flavor enhancement. If it comes from a box, can, or bag, it's likely processed. Additionally, artificial sweeteners and sugary drinks such as sodas, energy, and sports drinks fall into this category. These foods are often engineered to be highly palatable, making it difficult to stop consuming them.

Your Body's Nemesis: The Frightening Four

Dr. Wright refers to the worst processed foods as 'The Frightening Four': sugar, flour, fructose, and oils. These substances are not truly "food," but refined products extracted from whole foods. Consuming them can wreak havoc on your body and contribute to chronic disease. These 'foods' are best avoided as much as possible, as they provide no essential nutrients and are linked to numerous health problems.

Simple Steps to Improve Your Diet

Drink only water, or unsweetened coffee & tea.
Keep a journal of your foods and how they make you feel.
Increase your intake of whole foods, focusing on natural, plant-based options.
Try at least one new healthy food each week to expand your palate.
Gradually reduce and eliminate fast food from your diet.

Pantry Detox

Objective: Reduce processed foods and make space for healthier, whole food options.

Go through your pantry and identify any processed foods, especially those containing the "Frightening Four" ingredients: sugar, flour, fructose, and oil.
Remove or set aside items that are heavily processed, and make a list of whole foods to replace them with, such as fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains.
Plan to make one meal this week using only whole foods and no processed ingredients.

Food Journal Awareness

Objective: Track how your body responds to the food you eat and become aware of any processed foods in your diet.

Keep a food journal for one week. Write down everything you eat, including meals, snacks, and drinks.
Note how you feel after each meal (e.g., energized, sluggish, satisfied, craving more).
Identify any patterns that emerge, particularly if processed foods trigger negative physical or emotional reactions. Consider steps to gradually reduce those foods.

a man storing a week of prepared healthy meals in containers for convenient access later

Healthy Meal Prep: 3 Easy Whole Foods Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Many of us turn to fast food or processed meals because we feel stressed, short on time, think eating healthy is too expensive, or have become addicted to the taste of fast food. However, with a little planning and meal prep, you can create a variety of wholesome, nutritious, and affordable meals that are just as convenient and less expensive than fast food and other convenience-processed packaged foods. In this post, we'll share three easy recipes-one for breakfast, lunch, and dinner-that you can batch-cook beforehand. These meals will provide three healthy options for two people, ensuring you're set for the week without the stress of daily meal planning.

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Journaling for Your Health

About 1 in every 6 people are active journalers. Journaling, even if you only do it once per week or even once per month, can be incredibly beneficial. The hardest part is getting started.

But why would you want to start a journal? We're here to talk all about the benefits of journaling, as well as a few tips for how you can start your journaling practice.

healthy and unhealthy foods on four forks show a continuum from healthy to unhealthy depicting the standard American diet

What Is the Standard American Diet (SAD)?

How aware are you of what's going into your body? Are you eating to live or living to eat? In reality, we all have different nutritional needs, but the standard American diet (SAD) doesn't suit most of them (or most people, for that matter). Your diet might be making you sick, sluggish, and at-risk.