Would you rather eat a whole food or a processed food? Which kind of food is healthier for you? Whole foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, eggs, meat, and fish. Whole foods are products of nature. They come to consumers in their natural state such as an apple or a banana. Processed foods are the product of a manufacturing plant. They come to consumers in different shapes and flavors such as sweetened applesauce in a squeeze pouch. Cereals, white bread, sandwich meat, cookies, frozen meals, as well as chips and crackers are all processed foods. Whole foods are healthier than processed foods. When foods are processed, they lose many of their nutrients and health benefits. Whole foods are unchanged. Nothing is added or taken away to change the whole food's nutrients. Processed foods have been changed using chemicals. They are made from processed ingredients and artificial substances. Food loses many nutrients during processing, so chemically formed nutrients are added. These foods are often high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats and low in nutritional value.

Processed foods can have serious effects on our health. They can cause diabetes and heart disease. They are even cited as a cause of obesity. Eating more processed foods means getting less real vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and nutrients. We need these elements, which are found in whole foods, to be healthy. Diets high in fiber promote healthy digestion. While diets high in antioxidants can help prevent cancer, diets high in vitamins and minerals can help our minds and bodies stay healthy and strong.

Choose whole foods to choose health. If it comes in a bag or a box, it is probably processed, which means it is lacking the important nutrients that our bodies need.

Select the detail that best supports the main idea that whole foods are healthier than processed foods. Processed foods include cereals, white bread, sandwich meat, cookies, and frozen meals.
When foods are processed, they lose many of their nutrients and health benefits.
Whole foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, eggs, meat, and fish.
They can cause diabetes and heart disease, and they are even cited as a cause of obesity.