Eliminate processed foods wherever possible

Australia requires products to be labeled with GMO products indicated.  This label for cake mix shows the genetically modified ingredients.  We know from the GMO section of this blog that these ingredients harbor pesticide residues and/or built in insecticides that many people may prefer not to consume... Well, processed foods are just jam packed with these ingredients.  When you buy and use these products you allow the food producers to make all of your dietary decisions for you.  One could argue that cake or cupcakes are bad for you, but I don't think I would try that with active children or even mature adults who like desserts now and again.  Instead, one can be wise in how they make those foods and control the contents to their benefit.

This label for a US product sold in Australia reveals

the extent of GM content in the processed food box.

Now that we have marched out the GMO content of processed foods, let's take a look at what else is in there.  In this case, Corn Syrup is the sweetener.  It is arguably better than High Fructose Corn Syrup (corn syrup with further chemical processing to sweeten the deal).  So I will start my discussion of processed foods there...

High Fructose Corn Syrup is quite controversial.  Fructose is the source of sweetness in fruits like apples and pears and strawberries.  It is a simple sugar (small easy to break down molecules get into the blood quickly).  It is not as simple as glucose (which medically aware people might recognize as human blood sugar) but it is rather close.  Sucrose is a combination of the two (fructose and glucose) and is common white sugar.  But instead of starting a rant about one kind of sugar, let's really understand what we are talking about with sugars.  Yes, sugars.

Let's continue with different sugars... From Wikipedia, Lactose is a disaccharide sugar derived from galactose and glucose that is found in milk.  Note that glucose is a part of the sugar....  glucose is our friend who powers our bodies...

Maltose is two glucose molecules joined together.  So, break maltose apart and you get a double glucose whammy.  Maltose comes from wheat and starches... But Maltose is a complex topic ... here is a Wiki quote... Maltose (/ˈmɔːltoʊs/^[2] or /ˈmɔːltoʊz/^[3]), also known as maltobiose or malt sugar, ... is the second member of an important biochemical series of glucose chains. Maltose is the disaccharide produced when amylase breaks down starch. It is found in germinating seeds such as barley as they break down their starch stores to use for food. It is also produced when glucose is caramelized.^[4]

The addition of another glucose unit yields maltotriose; further additions will produce dextrins (also called maltodextrins) and eventually starch (glucose polymer).^{[citation needed]}

Maltose can be broken down into two glucose molecules by hydrolysis. In living organisms, the enzyme maltase can achieve this very rapidly.  Sorry, Maltose is complicated, but you get the idea that starch turns to glucose and blood sugar  rather quickly.  Starch becomes sugar, after a few minutes with saliva's enzymes and our digestion working on it.

Now that you have an idea about sugars, often the main ingredient in processed food, you are ready for the other two meanies, fat and salt.  Sugar, Fat and Salt are the addictive components of processed foods.  If you pause to think, you can realize that those big three ingredients have found their ways jointly and separately, into almost everything we eat.

First, let's look at innocent sounding frozen vegetables in sauce, in this case, broccoli in cheese sauce, a favorite side dish in many homes...

Broccoli, Cheese Sauce (Water, Whey, Modified Cornstarch, Cheddar And Other Natural Cheese [Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzymes, Annatto (Vegetable Color)]. Contains 2% Or Less Of: Palm Oil, Maltodextrin, Sodium Phosphate, Corn Syrup Solids, Salt, Lactic Acid, Sodium Alginate, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Paprika And Annatto Extracts, Yeast Extract, Corn Oil, Dry Vegetable Shortening, Sweet Cream Powder, Unsalted Butter, Sugar, Spice, Disodium Inosinate, Disodium Guanylate). Allergy Warning: Contains Milk, May Contain Traces Of Shrimp, Wheat And Soy.

Instead of the list above, your home prepared version has broccoli, cheddar cheese, butter, flour, milk,  and a bit of salt and pepper, maybe a bit of mustard. An entire chemistry set of ingredients has been avoided as you take control of your meal.

The bottom line is that 80 percent of US processed foods are banned in other countries.  That should give you pause - our attempt to cut back on government has cut back on our protections too, so we need to be vigilant for our own protection.  We can only assume that if it is on a shelf it is possibly safe or else somebody had influence to get it approved.  If the government no longer has your back, then you need to educate yourself and have your own back.

Learn to Cook
It's not just me, saying it, Here is an excellent appeal to get away from processed food and learning to cook..  Just Do It.