Deciding ultra-processing foods

Have you ever looked at a piece of fruit and then looked at a bag of bright purple chips? They are both called "food," but they are actually very different!To help our bodies grow strong and stay happy, it is important to understand the difference between Real Food and Ultra-Processed Food.The Three Groups of Food Think of food like a traffic light. Some foods are ready to go, and others need us to slow down.

1. The "Nature Made" Group (Go!)These are foods that come straight from the earth or an animal. They haven't been changed much.

Examples: Apples, broccoli, eggs, nuts, and fresh fish.

The Rule: If it looks like it did when it was growing, it’s in this group!

2. The "Kitchen Made" Group (Slow)

These are simple foods that humans have made for a long time using just a few ingredients.

Examples: Fresh bread (flour, water, salt), cheese, or canned beans.

The Rule: These are okay to eat, especially when mixed with "Nature Made" foods

3. The "Factory Made" Group (Whoa)

These are Ultra-Processed Foods. They aren't made in a kitchen; they are made in big factories using science and chemicals. They often have colors, smells, and tastes that don't exist in nature.

Examples: Soda, candy, boxed noodles, and most "fake" fruit snacks.

The Rule: These are "sometimes" foods, not "every day" foods.

How to Be a "Food Detective" You can spot a factory-made food by looking at the back of the package. Look for these clues:

1.The Long List: Does it have more than five ingredients? Real food usually has very few.

2. The Science Words: Can you say the names out loud? If you see words like High Fructose Corn Syrup or Red Dye No. 40, that’s a factory food.

3.The "Never-Rot" Test: If a snack can sit in a lunchbox for a whole year and still look exactly the same, it’s probably ultra-processed!

Why Does It Matter?

Our bodies are like high-performance engines. If we put "fake" fuel (Ultra-Processed Food) in the tank:

•We get tired: We get a quick burst of energy and then feel sleepy.

•Our tummies get grumpy: Our "good" gut bugs don't like factory chemicals.

•We can't stop eating: These foods are designed to trick our brains into wanting more and more, even when we aren't hungry.

Easy Swaps for Your Lunchbox: You don't have to stop eating treats! Just try these "Real Food" swaps

Instead of...

Crunchy Orange Chips

Sugary Soda

Boxed Cookies

Instant Noodles

Try this!

Popcorn with a little salt

Water with a slice of lemon or orange

An apple with peanut butter

Whole grain pasta with tomato sauce

The Big Secret: The best food doesn't usually come in a bright, shiny bag with a cartoon character on it. It comes from the garden, the tree, or the farm!

Conclusion:

The Final Word: You Are What You Eat!

Choosing what to eat is like choosing the best bricks to build a house. If you use strong, natural bricks (Real Food), your "house" stays strong for a long time. If you use bricks made of cardboard and glue (Ultra-Processed Food), the house might start to wobble.

Remember these three simple goals:

Eat more colors: Try to get lots of different colors from fruits and veggies on your plate.

Read the back, not the front: The front of the box usually has flashy pictures, but the back (the ingredient list) tells the real story.

Keep it simple: The fewer steps it took to get from the farm to your table, the better it usually is for you!By choosing real food most of the time, you’ll have more energy to play, better focus for school, and a much happier tummy.