The last couple posts have spotlighted processed foods since they are making headlines these days. More and more experts are advising us to cut back on them.
But, But, But Processed foods are so good.
- They taste great. Remember the famous Lay’s potato chip line, “Bet you can’t eat just one!”
- They are grab ‘n go convenient. Just open a bag, pickup from a deli, order take out or, at most, microwave a couple minutes!
- They are so comforting after a long, hard day.
- They are affordable.
- They can be found any time and any where you might be hungry–even at the gas station.
Why would anyone want to stop eating them?
Well, there’s the little issue of our health. A sizeable chunk, nearly 60%, of our calories now come from the processed food category known as ultra-processed foods (“UPFs.”) And dozens and dozens of studies link high UPF consumption with not-so-great things like cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease. In fact, a study just last week correlated processed foods with no less than 32 conditions.(1)
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah I know this seems like just one more thing on the long list of dietary no no’s we’ve been scolded about
But, But, But Is there a subtle, wiser voice inside you wondering: Can I just ignore this business about processed foods? Should I?
Just as I was writing this article, into my inbox pops this message from Lori. A couple weeks ago, in my newsletter I had asked if anyone would like an online version of my live talk, “Breaking Free of the Processed Food Force Field.” Lori emailed this short plea:
“Would love to know how to break this, and sugar cravings!”
So maybe you’re experiencing a niggling sense that you shouldn’t just ignore the processed food warnings? If so, a helpful but low-commitment starting point is to just think about where processed foods show up in your food life and, more importantly, why?
Individual Factors vs. Cultural Forces There are a couple ways to explore that foundational “why” issue: both at the individual level as we reach for, e.g., a chip, and at the cultural level which is a huge but often overlooked force.
What’s Your Why For the first of those “why’s” I had a conversation with Elyse Wagner, MS, CN, LMHCA,* who has a deep background in both nutrition and health psychology. She has found that our food choices often involve a mental or emotional component. For instance, we might choose foods based on the challenges and situations going on in our lives. Sometimes, we might not really even think about why we are choosing one food over another.
This is why Elyse suggests we develop more mindfulness and awareness around food decisions. Getting off autopilot creates space to explore why we reach for one food or another. Understanding those underlying motivations opens the door to unravel and address them. Then we can begin making conscious choices that better meet our eating hopes, dreams and goals.
No Blank Slate Elyse’s focus on mindfulness and awareness is critical for another reason: Because we are not operating from a blank slate when making food choices.
Ever eaten your way through say, a bag of Chex Mix, pan of mac ‘n cheese or a whole pizza without even realizing what you were doing?!! You look down and all of a sudden, it’s gone!
This kind of “awareness void” is fertile territory for marketing experts. It leaves the mind wide open to the flood of well-researched and highly effective marketing machinations that wash over us continually. You’ve read about these:
- Food made addictively tasty through years of research and millions of dollars of investments
- Popular health claims meant to distract us from reading ingredient listings
- The strategically developed smells wafting from a burger joint
- Meticulously crafted ad copy, backed by decades of psychological research to hit our pain/pleasure receptors perfectly
- The highly stylized and staged pictures and videos in ads
No doubt, as smart people, it’s reasonable to think we’re immune from this kind of mind programming. But honestly, when you’re racing to the store, home, work, the next event, the airport or wherever–and you’re starving–are you really immune from the assault of the marketing messages all around us, all the time?
Far more likely, absent a keen awareness, that messaging seeps unnoticed into our brains, then dictates our food choices and we don’t even know it! I’ve often questioned: Who really decides what we eat? Is it crazy to think we are in control?!
Good fact to always keep in mind: Processed foods are processed exactly so you can’t eat just one. You’re not supposed to ignore, stop or put them down. You’re supposed to eat every last bit. And then go buy more!
Two Action Steps So if we’re interested in getting off the hamster wheel and retaking control of what goes into our bodies, here are a couple good first steps:
First, start developing some mindfulness at the individual level, as Elyse suggests. When you’re eating, switch your hand off autopilot and pay attention to what it reaches for at the table.
Then, begin building awareness of the cultural forces at work against us. Wherever and whenever you’re buying food, pay attention and make sure your choices serve you and aren’t just knee-jerk reactions to marketing messages.
*Elyse Wagner, a well-being educator and advocate, is passionate about helping us own our well-being, achieve our goals, and step into a more meaningful and purposeful life. Her latest book, the Self-Care & Lifestyle Planner, is designed to put health back into our hands. Connect with her here.
(1) Ultra-processed foods linked to 32 health problems: What to know, Rachel Pannett, Washington Post, February 29, 2024