What are Healthy Foods?

1. What are Healthy Foods? By Beth Teaford Health and Nutrition Educator

2. Whole Foods are Healthy Foods

3. Whole Foods Are: • as close as possible to the way they are found in nature with all their edible parts intact. • Contain no added sugars , refined fats, flavor enhancers, chemical preservativesor artificial vitamins or minerals.

4. Where to obtain whole foods. • The perimeter of the grocery store (produce, meats and dairy food sections) • Farmers market or stands • Your own garden

5. Minimally-Processed Foods are Healthy

6. Why are whole/ minimally- processed food healthy? • Contain all the substances the body needs to utilize the food • Do not contain substances that cause harm to the body • Do not contain altered/destroyed nutrients from processing

7. What are Processed Foods? • Foods that have been • cut up (chopped or ground) • heated (cooked) • Dried • Frozen • cultured(beneficial bacteria added) • fermented

8. Commercially-Processed foods • Foods that have beenprocessed in a industrial plant • Packaged in boxes, plastic containers or glass • Some can be nutritious ex. frozen plain vegetables/fruit, canned beans, oatmeal, nut butters w/o added sugar or fat, plain yogurt) • If the food in the package is missing any parts or has added artificial ingredients, it’s a refined food

9. Affects of processing food • Preserved for future consumption • Changes flavor, texture • Extend shelf life • Make profit for producers • Usually destroys/altersnutrients (makes less nutritious)

10. What are Refined Foods?(highly-processed products, “food-like substances”, “junk food”) -Parts of the original, whole food have been removed (examples: white flour, white rice, sugar, juice) -Contain added harmful ingredients (sugars, refined vegetable fats, refined grains, chemical preservatives, artificial flavors)

11. Unhealthy: Most Packaged Foods

12. Some a little Better Packaged Foods

13. Processed vs. Refined • All refined foods have been processed PLUS refined • Not all “processed foods” are refined. • Different levels of processing. • Home processing – (freezing, cooking, chopping, canning of whole foods) – are nutritious • Commerial-minimally processed – may be nutritious (oatmeal) • Highly processed/Refined– not nutritious • The current lingo denounces “processed foods” meaning the highly-processed, refined packaged products

14. Examples of Whole Foods

15. Water

16. Fresh Vegetables – all kinds

17. Protein Foods are Whole Foods • Meats (beef, pork- preferably pastured and game) • Poultry (chicken turkey) • Fish and seafood • Dried beans • Nuts and seeds • Eggs

18. Plain Whole Milk Dairy Foods are Minimally-Processed Foods • Whole milk • Plain, whole milk yogurt • Natural cheese (Cheddar, Swiss, Colby) • Cream and butter • Raw milk is a whole food

19. Fresh Fruits are Whole Foods Fruits are Nature’s Dessert!

20. Whole Grains and Starchy Vegetables are Whole Foods • Wheat berries • Oat groats • Barley • Brown rice • Amaranth • Quinoa • Corn • Potatoes

21. Steps to a Healthy Diet • Take Responsibility for YOURSELF • Learn to cook for yourself • Educate yourself (Don’t just rely on what others say or your hear) • Work on one improvement at a time (ex. Stop drinking sugary beverages.)