Convenience foods: Facts and Myths

Always compare nutrition labels on the packages of convenience foods. Comparing nutrition labels for fat, sugar and sodium can help you choose a better product. Sodium level should be 140mg per serving or for 50g of the food. If the sodium content is between 300-400mg, stay away from it. If the foods have 2.5g-4.9g of fiber per serving, go for it.

Without food processing, we could not have eaten many foods which we can now eat. Processing extends the shelf life of foods. Tinned fish is an example of processed foods which is good for your health in moderate quantities. Convenience and processed foods ensure the safety of foods as well. The additives in them help prevent rancid (useful fats going off) and growth of harmful fungus and bacteria.

When it comes to processed foods, "organic" is just used as a buzzword. Organic brown rice, wild rice and organic peanut butter can be beneficial for your health. But certain other organic foods such as cookies and crackers might contain added sugar or salt. Even organic labeled products may contain some amount of inorganic ingredients which make them just as bad.

Though yogurt is generally considered a safer option among other foods in the processed category, it can still contain some unhealthy ingredients. All the good benefits of the live cultures and good bacteria present in frozen yogurts can be offset by the added sugar and fruits. The extra sugar can result in possible yeast overgrowth in the body. While going for such convenience foods, make sure you choose the organic yogurt without the fruits or sugar.