> The hummus comment was to point out that there are foods which people might consider processed, but it doesn't mean it's less healthy than their unprocessed ingredients. Just depends on how it was processed. Maybe I'm misunderstanding "processed" tho
I see. Here's what I understand, but can't substantiate or explain the mechanics myself:
* Eating foods with less processing is one of the strongest consensuses in nutrition - almost universal, in a field where there is a lot of uncertainty.
* Processing is a matter of degree. From the OP (and based on it, I'd guess that Impossible food is ultra-processed, hummus somewhere between minimally processed and processed, depending on the hummus):
Ultra-processed: Foods with additives or few whole food ingredients; includes most packaged snacks, frozen meals, granola bars, soda, and cereal.
Processed foods: “Foods such as canned fish, vegetables and artisanal cheeses, which are manufactured by adding salt, sugar, oil, or other processed culinary ingredients to minimally processed foods.”
Processed culinary ingredients: Table sugar, oils, fats, and salt.
Minimally processed foods: Frozen fruit or vegetables, breads with just a few ingredients, milk, canned beans.
* Why does processing matter? Essential question and I don't know much of the answer, but part of it is that context matters: The effects of foods relies on much more than individual nutrients in the food, but what they are contained in (obvious when you think about it: you couldn't ingest a pile of carbon, etc.). But what are the factors that matter and why? No idea. I'd love to learn about it.
The best source I've found, which examines it on a basic level, recommended several years ago by a leading nutritional expert, is the Brazillian government's dietary recommendations (note these are from 2015):
I see. Here's what I understand, but can't substantiate or explain the mechanics myself:
* Eating foods with less processing is one of the strongest consensuses in nutrition - almost universal, in a field where there is a lot of uncertainty.
* Processing is a matter of degree. From the OP (and based on it, I'd guess that Impossible food is ultra-processed, hummus somewhere between minimally processed and processed, depending on the hummus):
Ultra-processed: Foods with additives or few whole food ingredients; includes most packaged snacks, frozen meals, granola bars, soda, and cereal.
Processed foods: “Foods such as canned fish, vegetables and artisanal cheeses, which are manufactured by adding salt, sugar, oil, or other processed culinary ingredients to minimally processed foods.”
Processed culinary ingredients: Table sugar, oils, fats, and salt.
Minimally processed foods: Frozen fruit or vegetables, breads with just a few ingredients, milk, canned beans.
* Why does processing matter? Essential question and I don't know much of the answer, but part of it is that context matters: The effects of foods relies on much more than individual nutrients in the food, but what they are contained in (obvious when you think about it: you couldn't ingest a pile of carbon, etc.). But what are the factors that matter and why? No idea. I'd love to learn about it.
The best source I've found, which examines it on a basic level, recommended several years ago by a leading nutritional expert, is the Brazillian government's dietary recommendations (note these are from 2015):
https://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoes/dietary_guideline...