How do I know what qualifies as processed food?

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a processed food is defined as any food other than a raw agricultural commodity and includes any raw agricultural commodity that has been subject to processing, such as canning, cooking, freezing, dehydration, or milling.

Well, practically all foods go through a "process" from a farm to your table. Just because a food is processed does not mean it is not nutritious or unhealthy. Many foods in the produce section of the grocery store go through a process to make it more convenient and the nutritional quality is still high: bagged salad, diced onions, 100% juice, dried fruit, vegetable trays and sliced, fresh apples are examples.

In the canned and dry food aisle you will find no-salt-added vegetables, brown rice, and pasta. These are considered processed, but still nutritious. The problem is in the ingredient list. Always check the Nutrition Facts ingredient list to see if a food product contains too much added salt, sugar or hydrogenated fats.