Question: So in the case that a processed food is healthy, is there a specific process they go through which makes them healthy?

Samuel Bloomfield answered on 11 Jul 2025:

Food processing is the process of turning plants, meats, vegetables, milk, mushrooms into food that we can eat. It includes washing, cutting, cooking, adding other foods. The different way food is processed can change how healthy it is. For example if I have an apple, and I wash it and cut it into pieces I have processed it, but it would still be pretty healthy. However, if I cut the apple into really small pieces, add some sugar, and cook it with some oats, butter and flour then I have apple crumble which is a lot less healthy as I have added sugar and fat to it, also the cooking will make it easier for my body to absorb the sugar in the apples.
There is not a single type of food processing that is good for all food. For example, it is often good to rinse fruits before eating them but cooking them often helps release the sugars they contain making them less healthy. On the other hand meat often contains dangerous germs on it and it is hard to get rid of them just by rinsing them, so we usually have to cook them. The food processing method that makes the healthiest food is often different for different types of food.