There are four categories of processed food.
Minimally Process Foods
Minimally processed foods have been moderately altered for preservation or transport. The changes made are not enough to alter the natural state of the product. For example, pasteurization, freezing, and cleansing.
Processed Culinary Ingredients
These ingredients come from grinding, pressing, milling, drying, and pressing minimally processed or organic foods. Examples include sugar, spices, oils, and flour.
Lightly Processed Foods
This type of food results from adding more than two components to the groups mentioned above. These ingredients include sugar, salts, or oils. Examples are some cheeses, pasta, and bread.
Heavily Processed Foods
This is the most harmful type of processed food called junk food. These foods are prepared by adding more than five components to the above three groups. The processing of these foods is far from the health parameters. The primary purpose of these foods is to enhance appeal and cravings. Examples of heavily processed foods are chips, soft drinks, candies, ice cream, and bakery products.
There are pros and cons to all types.
One major disadvantage of organic food is that they are costly. At the same time, non-organic foods are cheaper.
Researchers say non-organic, or lightly processed foods are as healthy as organic foods. Therefore, to live a wholesometarian lifestyle, you do not have to rely on organic foods. Simply choosing the most wholesome over processed food is what most would consider being a wholesometarian.