Eating processed foods from time to time is okay. However, look for hidden sugar, fat, and salt, especially those that are added during processing. Most nutrition labels now include added sugars. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that less than 10% of total calories come from added sugars.
Learn to identify words such as maltose, brown sugar, corn syrup, honey, and fruit juice concentrate. In addition to fruits and vegetables, other processed foods that can be part of a healthy diet include tuna and salmon in ready-to-eat cans or bags, yogurt, cottage cheese, and toasted nuts. Most importantly, children who consume a large amount of ultra-processed foods are more likely to develop dyslipidemia, obesity, and hypertension later in life.
