Food is becoming more convenient as we become increasingly busier. What we are exactly busy with is up to debate but making good home cooked meals is not one of them anymore. Since the introduction of microwave meals in the 1950’s, processed foods have become a staple in our culture. 

Shelf stable foods come with chemicals

The concept of shelf stable food that is quickly and easily prepared for eating is great. However, there is a downside to the convenience. Regardless of which food you pick, if it’s found on a store shelf it’ll be packed with preservatives. These chemicals help keep the food fresh and prevent spoiling while sitting on the store shelf for weeks on end. 

As humans, we have always looked for ways to preserve our food for later use. This was especially important during the winter months or droughts. Typically, foods were salted, smoked, or pickled. In today’s times, foods are preserved with chemicals such as nitrate, benzoic acid, and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), along with countless others.

The majority of these chemicals are approved by the FDA as being safe for human consumption. They are listed as GRAS (generally recognized as safe) but that may depend on the quantity consumed. For example, if you eat processed foods containing the same preservative (BHA) on a daily basis, this chemical may pose a risk to your body. 

The problem is that the majority of people do not keep track of which preservatives they eat on a daily basis and how much. Even if we did, we still do not know how much is too much.

Many of these chemicals on their own are safe, but when combined with certain foods they can create carcinogenic compounds. Nitrate is naturally found in vegetables and fruits and in this form is actually beneficial to heart health. The man-made version of nitrate is also added to processed deli meats. When combined with meat and high heat, nitrate is changed into a carcinogenic compound, which can lead to cancer and other diseases. 

Many of our convenience foods also have other chemicals added to them to improve the flavor, texture, color, etc. of the food. When you look at the ingredients list of a common food item you eat, you’ll most likely come across many words you can not pronounce. Many of these are food enhancers, which similar to preservatives, are generally safe to use but to an unknown degree.  

Food dyes such as Blue1, Red 40, Yellow 6, etc. also have a questionable role in human health. Many have been linked to causing cancer, negatively affecting our immune system and even causing ADHD and autism.

What can you do to decrease these chemicals?

The best and healthiest option would be to choose whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole meats, etc. These foods typically do not have chemicals added to them besides what is found naturally in them. 

The downside is that these foods do not typically last a long time. Many of us have bought fruit that has spoiled before we could eat it all. Although food spoiling is a good sign that the food is natural and chemical free, it can become costly. 

Luckily the food industry is taking a turn and starting to produce shelf stable food with less chemicals and additives. Many of these foods will be labeled as “all natural” or “100% natural” which offer a good starting place but unfortunately are not officially defined by the FDA. This means that companies are free to interpret what “all natural” means and what chemicals they can still add.

The best place to look when choosing a shelf stable food is the ingredients list. Food companies are legally required to list all ingredients found in a given food. These are always listed starting with the largest amount to the smallest amount in a given food. This list gives insight into what you are about to put into your body.

When looking at the ingredients list aim for the following to pick the best choice.

• Choose foods with the least amount of ingredients. Ideally no more than 1-2 sentences.

• Avoid foods with ingredients that you can not pronounce. Or pick the one with the fewest of these ingredients.

• Avoid foods that have abbreviations as these are typically for chemicals. 

• Avoid foods with added flavors, dyes, etc. as these are likely man-made chemicals. Instead look for color added from fruits and vegetables such as beet juice.

• Never go solely by the label terms (all natural, 100% natural, etc.) as these are not regulated and defined terms.

Convenience foods are useful and can be healthy for us. Knowing what to look for and which foods to choose can make a big difference in your health today and in 50 years. When choosing any new shelf stable food, take a minute to review the ingredients list. You may be surprised by the paragraphs listed in what should be a simple food.

If you want to learn more about how to choose the healthiest food options for you and your family, schedule a free consultation or contact me directly by email at adamskowyra@dietitian2go.net. 

Written by Adam Skowyra MPPD, RDN, LD