COLUMNISTS
Food processing isn’t necessarily a bad thing
COMMENT
Using chemicals to alter food doesn’t automatically make it bad for you. In some cases, it actually makes the food better
ILLUSTRATION: GREGORI SAAVEDRA
Processed foods, particularly of the ‘ultraprocessed’ variety, are one of the nutritional hot topics of the moment. Most people, whether or not they work in nutrition, have an opinion about processed foods, and it doesn’t tend to be positive.
This is, however, an overly simplistic view of a nuanced topic. And you don’t need to look far to find evidence that processing can not only be good, but that it may have been crucial to our survival as a species.
Take, for instance, corn. From tortillas and tamales to corn on the cob, it’s the foundation of Mexican cuisine. There’s a good historical reason for this and food processing has played a key role.