They Aren't ALL Bad
Again, the definition of a processed food is "foods (that) have been altered from their natural state for safety reasons and for convenience. The methods used for processing foods include canning, freezing, refrigeration, dehydration and aseptic processing" (about.com). There are some foods that are healthy for us that go through this process in order for us to consume them without getting sick.
- Milk goes through a processing stage in order to get rid of bacteria (pasteurization) and to keep it from separating (homogenization) (about.com). Unless you are lactose intolerant, no one can argue that milk is good for you. While "raw" milk isn't bad for you, there are bacteria in in that could make a person sick.
- Frozen vegetables are also considered processed (freezing is a method used for processing). Fresh vegetables are ALWAYS a better choice, but sometimes they just aren't as convenient. Frozen vegetables last much longer than fresh, and usually have little to no preparation (other than heating them up). Many companies also "flash freeze" vegetables which lock in much of the nutrients. If your options are frozen veggies, or no veggies, definitely warm up those cold green beans! (about.com)
- Fruit and vegetable juices are also healthy processed foods. However, many of these have more sugar than a piece of fruit. For calorie purposes, it's better to just eat a piece of fresh fruit. But, if there are no other options, fruit juice is a good way to go. (about.com)