The American Society for Nutrition published a paper last week stating that processed foods make up a vital part of the American diet, drawing the ire of some prominent nutritionists, who criticized the paper and accused its authors of conflicts of interest.
The paper, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, said that beyond being vital to the American diet, processed foods contribute to the health of the U.S. population, and it gave recommendations for making processed foods more nutritious and for improving the public’s perception of them.
But some nutritionists have shot back, saying the paper relies on an overly broad definition of processed foods. It included in its analysis foods that aren't generally thought of as processed, like packaged fruits and vegetables and roasted nuts. By including them, the critics say, the paper distorts the fact that more heavily processed foods, like children’s breakfast cereal, are far less nutritious.