Nutrition E-Book

expend less energy while digesting it), causes it to lose micronutritional value, or adds a
significant number of calories, it can potentially interfere with body composition goals.
Because of how many types of food processing there are, and the wide range of effects
in can have on the food, it is better to look at the parameters that are relevant to
changing body composition and improving health. That is to say that food being
processed does not automatically make it “bad,” so you have to pay attention to the
aspects of the foods that are relevant instead. Thus, I don’t recommend you pay very
much attention to whether or not food has been processed, as virtually all foods have
gone through some kind of processing. In fact, as the term tends to be used
colloquially, there is not a clearly established guideline for what is considered to be
processed and what isn’t. The important thing is to look at the characteristics of the
food that have already been mentioned, which doesn’t require you know whether or not
the food has been processed.
Is _______ food good or bad for me?
This is a really complicated question to tackle, but I often hear people suggest that a
particular food is good or bad for someone. Almost no food is inherently good or bad
for you, aside from foods that cause issues with particular health issues, allergies, or
medications. Most of the time, a food is considered bad if it is very calorie dense or has
low nutrient density. Although this is not a terrible lens with which to view appropriate
foods for consumption, it is a tad myopic. As long as you meet your daily needs for
energy, macronutrients, and micronutrients, any food can fit in the context of your daily
eating. With that said, the greater your energy expenditure
for the day, the more leeway you have in this regard. If you
are small, sedentary, and thus your maintenance calorie
intake is very low, then you have to meet your daily need
for micronutrients in a smaller number of consumed foods.
As a result, you have to pay more attention to eating
nutrient dense foods that are not very calorie dense. If,
however, you have a higher daily calorie demand,
Property of Perform for Life
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