Defining real food
Photo by Andi.Vs.Zf
Have you ever tried to define the phrase “Real Food?” Most people seem to have an instinctive understanding of what it means, but when put to the task of actually coming up with a definition, it can get surprisingly complicated. It’s tough to figure out where to draw the line.
If you pluck an apple off a tree and eat it right then and there, that’s about as “real” as you can get, right? But what if that tree has been sprayed with pesticides? What if that apple has been turned into applesauce, in a large-scale production facility (think: thousand-gallon vats of applesauce in a huge factory)? Does the production method and scale make a difference? What if they’ve added citric acid so it doesn’t turn brown?
For another example, let’s consider milk. Unless it’s raw and straight-from-the-cow, it’s been processed in some way. Most store-bought milk has been homogenized and pasteurized. On top of that, milk produced in large plants has had all of the fat removed using a centrifuge (the days of “skimming” are long gone), and then had the fat added back in to the desired percentage. So “whole milk” has actually been mixed with milk from hundreds or thousands of other cows, then separated, then put back together, then homogenized, then pasteurized. Do you consider that “real food?”
When I issued the October Unprocessed challenge a few years ago, I needed a working definition of “processed.” (I could have just as easily called it the “October Real Food Challenge,” of course). I came up with what I call the “Kitchen Test” definition. It’s not perfect, but I find it gets close — and, perhaps most importantly, sparks conversation as we try to figure this out:
Unprocessed food is any food that could be made by a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen with readily available, whole-food ingredients.
The crux of this definition, really, is “whole-food ingredient.” By that, I mean a food that’s as close to its natural state as possible. Fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, meat or fish… you get the idea.
Ultimately, I find it comes down to buying foods that don’t come with a label, and for those that do come in a package, reading the list of ingredients carefully. I consider each and every ingredient. If it would, at least in theory, be possible for me to grow or make all of those individual ingredients from scratch, and then combine them in my kitchen to make that particular food, I consider it to be real food.
Have you taken the time to define “Real Food” for yourself? If not, why not take a moment right now to consider it? Then share your definition in the comments!
Be well!
Andrew
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Feb 16, 2012 @ 08:49:00
The crux of that definition really is “whole-food ingredients.” We can now buy so many “processed” foods in stores that look like “real” single ingredients, from xanthan gum to all-purpose flour, which are no less processed than the milk you describe. It can be trickier than most think to follow a true 100% “real food” diet these days! But, little steps and doing our best definitely count!
Feb 16, 2012 @ 12:57:00
For sure! Trying to tease out what is “real food” (what would pass my Kitchen test) and what isn’t can be very difficult with our modern food system, and our busy modern lives. Shop the perimeter!
Feb 16, 2012 @ 09:30:00
I tried to delete the post but could not.
Feb 16, 2012 @ 11:28:00
Hi Andrew, I think your definition of real food is great. I actually put this in to practice recently. A go-to meal in our house is marinated chicken breast cooked in the broiler and used in salad. When I went to grab the store bought marinade (a garlic and herb flavored marinade) the last time, I happened to read the label and saw the second ingredient on the list was high fructose corn syrup. Why does a savory marinade need sugar? It also listed sodium sorbate and some other additives i assume were preservatives. Looking at the other ingredients on the list, I realized I could make it myself without the added sugar and sodium. All it took was EVOO, lemon juice, garlic, onion powder, Italian seasonings, and a little bit of salt. Wow, what a difference. This is going to be the new standard in our household, making things from whole foods so we know what goes into them.
Feb 16, 2012 @ 12:56:00
Hi Nicole! Fantastic! Marinades and dressings are one of the worst culprits…they’re designed for long shelf life, not for your health. Congratulations on taking a big step forward in your journey of real food. :)
Feb 16, 2012 @ 14:04:00
Hi Andrew… Real food, for me, is locally grown, in season and not processed. And that’s pretty much it.
Feb 16, 2012 @ 16:54:00
Ooh – “In Season” is huge! Great call.
I have to press you a little bit, though: How do you define “processed?” :)
Feb 16, 2012 @ 18:22:00
I feel that if I can make it in my own kitchen, by my own two hands using ingredients that are in their original or natural shape, that it’s a real food. It’s also best when it’s in season and local.
Feb 17, 2012 @ 10:01:00
Love it! I never used to pay attention to which foods were in season, since I simply didn’t know any better and here in Los Angeles you can get just about any food year round. I have since realized that it’s much cheaper — and far, far tastier — to eat in season. (and local goes hand-in-hand — since out-if-season stuff is usually shipped halfway around the world!)
Feb 16, 2012 @ 18:59:00
I had someone question the term “unprocessed” when I did the October challenge–after all, cooking or blending or even cutting things up is a “process” of sorts. She wondered about baking bread, for instance. I liked your definition, which you reiterated here, that a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen could make the food. The idea that I could grow or make the individual ingredients–in theory (assuming I moved out of Northern Michigan, perhaps?)–and then combine them in my own kitchen, helped explain what I was trying (and am still trying, with at least some success) to do.
I think that Erica said it well, below. And local, in season is very important! Think of all the petro-miles saved! I got my freshman comp class thinking about that by telling them that when I was young, we only got oranges in winter!
Feb 16, 2012 @ 19:22:00
I think it’s Michael Pollan that says, if it is something your great grandmother would recognize as food, it’s probably ‘real food’.
Feb 17, 2012 @ 10:07:00
I love the sentiment of this idea, but I find it’s a little vague for my taste. A lot of foods seem the same as the way used to be, but have been so adulterated that grandma might not notice. There are now so many additives, stabilizers, conditioners, flavorings, added sugars… That’s why it’s still so important to read the ingredients list.
Feb 17, 2012 @ 10:36:00
Interesting post, on a product site that sells processed foods. High quality ingredients, yes, but processed. What exactly is inulin, anyway?
Feb 21, 2012 @ 11:36:00
That’s the whole point — it depends on how you define “processed.”
Inulin is an isolated plat fiber that’s added to foods to help the texture and/or flavor. Not necessarily bad for us (and there may be some benefits), but I believe it’s better to get your fiber from naturally-occurring fiber in intact, whole foods.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inulin
Feb 17, 2012 @ 17:58:00
It’s a tough one. Most plainly I say food that is good for you and the planet, but that’s unclear. I like where you’re going with your definition. The only issue is the “local” issue, which I’m keen on. A real apple shipped to the states from New Zealand is not the same as an apple from the orchard nearest you.
Feb 21, 2012 @ 11:28:00
I agree that local is important — though personally I put that lower on the priority list than other factors (like Organic/pesticide-free).
My main concerns with non-local foods are their energy footprint and their freshness. Transportation is only a minor portion of the energy needed to get food to your table — it takes far more energy to grow the food in the first place (and if energy consumption is truly the goal, reducing meat consumption is a far more effective strategy). Of course, it’s pretty easy to find local food that isn’t all that fresh, too!
Feb 18, 2012 @ 09:33:00
I love your definition of real food. I am in the process of eliminating processed foods from our house. I can tell you the change is especially evident in my kids behaviors! Thanks for the post.
Feb 21, 2012 @ 11:29:00
Thanks, Angela! Terrific news about your kids’ behavior. I’ve heard over and over again from parents that eating real food makes a huge difference for their kids. Bravo!
Feb 18, 2012 @ 11:34:00
very well said!
for me, real food means something very similar as it does to you. avoid labels. if it needs a label (or nutritional promotions i.e. high source of fiber) it’s been too processed to be called “REAL”.
that being said, it’s unrealistic in the culture that we live in and the lifestyles that we lead (if we are going to maintain those values) to eat entirely unprocessed. Therefore, I try to strive to find foods that are as unprocessed as possible and when I do buy stuff with labels, i try to keep it as simple as possible. Generally, if there are ingredients i can’t pronounce, i try to avoid it more or less… except when i’ve had a bit too much wine. i’ll be honest: i’ll cook up some kd the next day. blasphemy, i know! but eating ethically is about doing what you can where you can when you can. i like to think i do a pretty good job 98% of the time.
Feb 21, 2012 @ 11:31:00
Absolutely! I’m a big fan of the “cheat meal” idea. Once a week, go ahead and cheat and eat anything you want. I try to make it count when I do — and really enjoy the meal! Depriving ourselves completely is unsustainable.
Feb 18, 2012 @ 12:25:00
Let’s see, Whole food. I eat it. Any food I can get in a natural state. That said, I like triscuits. Only 3 ingredients in them. I won’t buy anything with more than 5 ingredients.
Feb 21, 2012 @ 11:20:00
Haha! I like Triscuits, too. They’re whole grain! :)
Feb 18, 2012 @ 17:46:00
Great post Andrew & very mindful. I always find it tricky to define real food. Usually I go with “minimally handled foods that nourish our bodies and give us great energy”
Feb 21, 2012 @ 11:33:00
Thanks, Marla! I think minimally handled is a great idea, if you consider machines in factories to be “handling” — which is completely reasonable.
Then again, I wonder about flipping that around and calling it “maximally handled food” instead — meaning human hands and not machines are doing the cooking?
Feb 22, 2012 @ 12:29:00
I like to think about food that was available before the industrial revolution. So I think things like liquor and wine and cheese count, because people made them back then, though it does take quite a “process.” Not perfect, but helps…
Feb 22, 2012 @ 14:13:00
I like that idea — I think it’s actually a better guide than Pollan’s “Don’t eat anything your grandmother wouldn’t recognize” since it goes back a bit further, and keeps it “real.” A lot of processed foods look like real food, but aren’t…
Mar 01, 2012 @ 16:27:00
It’s funny that I come accross this site after finishing my paper called “What is real food?” for my sustainability class. After doing my paper and all the research and home cooked meals I believe this to be my definition of “real food.”
Real food, is a way of life. It is that fulfillment of that simple craving we all have for good healthy lives and food. It’s food that has; whole unprocessed ingredients, grass fed / pastured livestock, and soaked or sprouted grains, legumes and nuts. It’s when you avoid all GMO’s and chemicals when you can…. A term I came across is to become a Real Foodie. Take your lifestyle you choose and eat what you consider to be “real” and good healthy foods.
Mar 13, 2012 @ 20:03:00
Generally, anything I could make or produce for myself, never mind that I don’t always do so, is real food to me.