Hey -- so we're all a bit wary of the potentially harmful effect of processed foods. The overall public consciousness is that they are generally bad for you. This, however, is not necessarily true of all processed foods.

First off, it's important to remove the negative stigma that's associated with the word "processed." There are all kinds of foods that undergo some sort of processing. In fact, many of the fruits and vegetables we purchase in our grocery stores are processed to some degree in order for them to remain fresh when they arrive at their particular retailers. Food processing exists so that consumers can obtain fresh foods between the time the food is harvested and the time it is sold to consumers. Replacing "processed" with "packaged" isn't entirely fair either because there are many packaged foods that have many dietary benefits such as Peanut Butter, Canned Beans and Canned Corn.

This shouldn't suggest that there aren't a number of processed foods to be wary of. When checking the nutrition label, it's important to be on the look out for. For example, packaged foods with a disproportionate level of saturated fats and salt should be avoided for the most part.

Here's a list of some processed foods that are actually good for you:

• - Canned Beans
• - Peanut Butter
• - Yogurt
• - Frozen Vegetables
• - Canned Salmon
• - Oatmeal

So the next time you pick up a packaged food, just take a gander at the back of the nutrition label (which is what they're there for anyway) and you'll be able to determine whether or not that particular item fits your healthy dietary needs.

(via The Washington Post)