I am a huge supporter of eating only whole foods...BUT....sometimes its nice to have some variety and the occasionally processed food will find its way into my diet. I have no issues with including a few snacks, or more processed items into my diet now and again.
Typically I eat 95% whole foods based and a solid 5% of more processed foods. It is always better to eat foods in their whole form(eating wheat vs having bread) because there isn't any added salt, oil, sugar or preservatives. I release that eating whole foods isn't always an option and sometimes ...eating a frozen vegan meal is a time saver! Not All processed foods are created equally and some are better than others. This little mini guide will share my "Green, Yellow, Red..Power-Outage" system when it comes to processed foods.
Green Light Processed Foods
These are foods I include quite regularly in my diet and feel good about eating . They are minimally processed and contain very few ingredients . Things like:
-Frozen fruit and veggies
-Canned sodium free veggies/beans
-Vingars
-Nut butters
-Cold Pressed fruit/veggie juices
In a nutshell anything that is minimally processed and contains 1-2 ingredients . Green light processed foods are unavoidable in moderns society and not a big concern for your health . Having frozen fruits and veggies on hand is better than no veggies at all. The same goes for beans ....better canned than not at all. DO NOT STRESS about green light processed foods. They are no big deal and can be part of a very healthy plant based diet.
Yellow Light Processed Foods
These are the foods that contain a handful of indigents , might have some added salt, oil or sweetener BUT are preservative free . Basically, labels you read with a few ingredients that you can pronounce. Some examples are :
-Clean Bread
-Some frozen pizza crusts
-condiments (sauerkraut specifically )
- Plant Milks
-Some dips and spreads .. like hummus
-Certain types of crackers
-Pre made sauces on the healthier side (watch for sodium and sugar content)
-Some types of cereals (watch for preservatives and sugar in excess)
Think anything that is a bit richer in salt, sugar and with a longer ingredient list ....but still pronounceable . These are foods you want to use sparingly ..a little goes a long way. For example using Sauerkraut in a salad...... a few Tablespoons goes a long way. Having toast with a cashew based cream cheese a few times a week or adding plant milk to your oatmeal. There is nothing wrong with having a few bits of Yellow Light processed food on a daily basis. Think of using them to compliment all the whole foods you are eating .
Red Light Processed Foods
These are foods quite high in sodium, sugar and oil. The ingredient list also happens to be fairly long. It's highly likely that there are a decent amount of preservatives/ chemicals in these foods as well. These are foods that really aren't ideal for your overall health, but are fine occasionally. Maybe once per week.
-Frozen vegan meals or snacks
-Vegan baked goods
-Takeout food
-Chips
-Plant based ice cream
-Plant based butters
-Plant based cheeses(some can be yellow light ...typically cashew based cream cheese gets a yellow light from me)
-Anything fried
-Some crackers(standard brands in the stores)
-Vegan pizza
Steering clear of these foods daily is a good strategy. Choosing to have them on a special occasion, or when you are in a pinch for time is fine. For example, I will gladly enjoy a vegan cupcake on someone's birthday or fry from a chip truck in the summer. Typically after I eat these foods.....I am very ready to go back to whole foods . The longer I follow a whole foods diet...the less I want red light foods. Feeling icky afterwards isn't worth it to me anymore.
For those transitioning to a plant based diet....don't fret if you are still enjoying frozen vegan pizza's or ice creams. It all comes with time, just slowly try to focus on more whole foods and go from there .
Power Outage
Any Foods Containing animal products . DO NOT TOUCH FOR ANY REASON. Re route and choose a red light food substitute instead.
To wrap it up...
Hopefully you find this system for navigating processed foods useful!
There will always be times in life where you won't eat 100% clean and that's fine. It's all about limiting those periods and trying to focus on whole foods as much as possible .
Typically , I consume lots of green light foods and maybe a yellow product or two each day. Red light foods, are really just occasional things for me now. If we are out all day and order takeout , I don't worry too much about it.
If you are just transitioning to a plant based diet, it's totally normal to consume more processed foods as your taste buds change. It can be a slow process at times , but just stick with it.
I will be putting out a video series going a little more in depth on this topic in the Planted Moming Group Soon! That way I can go a little deeper and show you guys some labels etc.
Finally, just remember ....any whole plant food you consume is better than the alternative ....it isn't about being perfect ....just doing better!
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