In his new book, the Japanese American peach farmer unearths his family’s painful, hidden history and explores its impact on his identity.
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October 19, 2010
Last year, I was struck by a simple idea: What would happen if I went for an entire month without eating any processed foods? I had recently started on a personal journey of eating healthier, getting more exercise, and losing that extra 30 pounds. As I became more aware of the foods I was eating, I began to realize that almost every processed food—nearly anything that comes with an ingredient list—is likely to be laden with extra sugar, fat, and salt. And preservatives, flavorings, and artificial colors.
Not all “processed” foods are bad, of course, but I realized that if I could define this nebulous term in some sort of meaningful way, I would have a short-hand way of choosing healthier foods. I wanted to find that sweet-spot where processing increases, rather than decreases, the healthfulness of food. My current working definition became:
Said another way, if you pick up something with a label and find an ingredient you’d never use in your kitchen, it’s processed. I call it the “Kitchen Test.” If you could, at least theoretically, make it in your kitchen, then you’re good to go. There are other words we can use, of course. Real, Whole, and Slow all come to mind, and if you prefer any of those then that’s great, too. Last Fall I convinced a few good friends to try it with me, and it was revelatory.
My expectations and sense of taste were “recalibrated,” so to speak. I started to identify individual ingredients in the foods I ate. I didn’t crave those salty snacks. I found myself often in the kitchen, excited to see what I could cook next. I felt better, too. My friends and I took turns hosting small dinner parties, and shared our stories and experiences. It brought us closer together. Funny how real food does that.
A year later, I decided to try it again. This time, however, I wanted to share this experience not just with a couple of friends, but with as many people as possible. In early September I asked all the food bloggers I could find if they’d accept the October: Unprocessed challenge. The response was overwhelming. Dozens of people—from a fabulous baker to a wedding photographer to a poor girl—enthusiastically came onboard.
A passionate community is building around this project, and I invite you to join us. Don’t worry if you missed the first few days—you can start your own 30 day (or more!) challenge today, or just follow along with us through the end of the month. I firmly believe that we can improve our lives—and the world—through the foods we choose to eat. October: Unprocessed is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to see where we go from here.
March 23, 2023
In his new book, the Japanese American peach farmer unearths his family’s painful, hidden history and explores its impact on his identity.
March 20, 2023
March 9, 2023
Incredibly commendable project; I hope millions follow your lead.
Some people may indeed be allergic to certain foods and additives. If this is the case then of course you would be wise to avoid those things in your food.
Thanks for the kind words! It seems we've struck a chord, and I hope many people will continue on this unprocessed journey long after the end of the Month. If you haven't done so already, would you please do me a favor and sign the pledge?
http://www.eatingrules.com/october-unprocessed
GoneWithTheWind - You're absolutely right. We do need sodium and carbohydrates (sugar). However, we certainly don't need them in the quantities typically found in our modern diets!
It does make a difference where the sugar comes from, though -- because of the various other nutrients and food elements that can come with it (naturally-occurring fiber, for example). Our bodies process a can of Coke very differently than eating a large handful of whole fruit, even if the sugar content may actually be about the same.
There is also increasing evidence that not all calories are "equal" -- that we may actually get more energy out of the calories in processed foods than in unprocessed, whole, natural foods.
Similarly, in this project I'm not specifically advocating against consumption of either salt or sugar, in their purest forms. I am, however, suggesting looking at the more "raw" versions -- those that haven't been bleached and/or chemically-processed.
In general, I believe that when it comes to our foods, the closer to nature, the better -- which is just another way of applying the Kitchen Test.
If by "we may actually get more energy out of the calories in processed foods than in unprocessed" you are referring to the well known fact that it takes more calories to digest lettuce then you get from it then I agree. If on the other hand you are implying some conspiracy by big food to put something nefarious in processed food I would disagree.
I 100% agree with your last statement. I enjoy preparing a meal from raw ingredients although my pleasure comes from satisfaction that I can make a great meal for pennies more then any belief that there is substantial nutritional difference between my homemade spaghetti sauce and store bought. I do concede that store bought sauce isn't as tasty as homemade
Sugar is the most maligned food in the world. It has been investigated extensively and the result of all these studies is that the only negative health effect they could identify from sugar is the possibility of increased dental cavities. Your body turns 100% of all carbohydrates into glucose. It doesn't matter if the carbohydrate comes from the sugar in a soda, the starch in an organic vegetable or the fructose from an apple. Yes the sugar from a soda will get into your bloodstream in less time then the starch turned to sugar from a vegetable but it is also true for the starch turned to sugar from a prepared food which you disapprove of. It can be difficult to sort myth from fact and bias from reality when it comes to food. There are plenty of web sites out there each pushing their own version of food superstition.
Lastly there are certainly considerations for people who have health conditions that require specific foods or need to exclude specific foods. Clearly if you are diabetic for example you should follow a diabetic diet. There are many good reasons for people to choose their diet wisely. I simply want the information available to us to be as accurate as possible.
I love the concept of an 'unprocessed month' and although I'm a little late in joining in I'm really excited to get involved!!