When I hear the term “ultra-processed” food, my mind goes directly to what I see in most convenience stores. Sodas, energy drinks, candy bars, pastries and cheese puffs come to mind. These items contain more than their fair share of sugar and/or salt and are sorely lacking in essential nutrients such as protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber.

Not everything in a package is ultra-processed, however. In fact, many healthful foods are processed, meaning they have been altered from their original state in some way. From preserving meat to home-canning fruit and vegetables, we’ve been processing our food for centuries, says the Institute of Food Technologists (ift.org). Today, everything from bread and cut vegetables to canned tuna and peanut butter are considered processed foods.

Some processed food can be safer and even more nutritious than their natural counterpart. Canned tomatoes, for example, are a better source of lycopene — a strong antioxidant that may help lower the risk for prostate cancer in men — than fresh tomatoes.

Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) however, are often devoid of essential nutrients, which can be a problem if they make up the bulk of one’s diet. A recent government report says “a growing body of research associates ultra-processed foods with negative health outcomes, including in children.”

So what are ultra-processed foods? Good question. As of yet, nutrition and health experts have not agreed on one standard definition. Basically, the farther away a food is from its natural state, the more processed it becomes. Here are a few examples from several sources:

Fresh corn on the cob: Unprocessed. Corn kernels cut off the cob, cooked and frozen: Minimally processed. Canned corn: Processed. Corn chips: Ultra-processed

Fresh tomato: Unprocessed. Canned tomatoes: Minimally processed. Tomato sauce or paste: Processed. Ketchup: Ultra-processed.

Whole grains such as wheat or oats: Minimally processed. Whole grain flour, bread, tortillas, fresh or dried pasta: Processed. Refined flour, instant noodles, pastries, sweetened breakfast cereals: Ultra-processed.

Fresh milk: Unprocessed. Pasteurized milk: Minimally processed with heat to kill bacteria.

Cheese/plain yogurt: Minimally processed. Sweetened, flavored yogurt: Processed. Milk chocolate, packaged yogurt snacks: Ultra-processed.

Fresh whole fruit and nuts: Unprocessed. Dried fruit and dried nuts and seeds: Minimally processed. Fruit juice and nut butters: Processed. Boxed juice drink and peanut butter cookie mix: Ultra-processed

Fresh meat, poultry, fish: Unprocessed. Ground meat: minimally processed. Hot dogs, sausage and other salted meats, canned fish: Processed. Laboratory grown meat, chicken nuggets: Ultra-processed.

Fresh olives: Unprocessed (Note: Olives must first be cured to remove bitter compounds before they are edible.) Cured olives: Minimally processed. Extra virgin olive oil: Minimally processed.

By the way, say food technologists, organic food ingredients are processed in the same manner as non-organic counterparts. Come to think of it, perhaps the best choices in a convenience store might be the nuts or the lone bananas we sometimes see at the checkout counter.

Barbara Intermill is a registered dietitian nutritionist and syndicated columnist. She is the author of “Quinn-Essential Nutrition: The Uncomplicated Science of Eating.” Email her at [email protected]