Is Hamburger Helper considered processed food?

Hamburger Helper is a packaged boxed food product made by General Mills. It consists of dried pasta and seasonings that are combined with ground beef and water to make a complete meal. Hamburger Helper has been around since 1971 and remains popular today for its convenience and low cost. However, there is debate around whether packaged foods like Hamburger Helper should be considered heavily processed and unhealthy. This article will examine the ingredients in Hamburger Helper and look at what experts say about how processed it is to help determine if Hamburger Helper is considered processed food.

Table of Contents

What is in Hamburger Helper?

The main ingredients in Hamburger Helper are dried pasta, seasonings, and flavor powders. Here is a look at the typical ingredients:

Pasta: The pasta in Hamburger Helper is made from enriched wheat flour.

Seasonings: Most Hamburger Helper varieties contain salt, spices, hydrolyzed soy, corn, and wheat proteins, dried whey, onion powder, and natural flavors.
Flavor powders: Depending on the variety, Hamburger Helper contains dried cheeses, cream, or sauce powders made up of ingredients like dried milk, corn starch, palm oil, and salt.
Potential allergens: Hamburger Helper contains milk, soy, and wheat. Many varieties are made on equipment shared with shellfish.

In addition to the contents of the Hamburger Helper box, the instructed preparation calls for adding ground beef and water. Overall, while the ingredient list may seem long, Hamburger Helper is primarily made up of pasta, seasonings, dairy products, and thickeners.

How is Hamburger Helper processed?

Hamburger Helper goes through a good amount of processing between raw agricultural commodities and the finished food product:

The wheat for the pasta is highly refined, removing the bran and germ.

The pasta is extruded under high heat and pressure.
The seasonings and powdered flavors undergo extraction methods and drying.
The ingredients are combined and packaged through automated industrial processing.

Consumers cook the product at home, adding ground beef and water.

The main steps that classify Hamburger Helper as a processed food are the refining of the wheat, high heat extrusion of the pasta, and drying and mixing of seasoned flavor powders. Minimal processing would keep the food closer to its original agricultural form with simpler techniques like grinding, pressing, freezing, or fermenting.

Nutrition of Hamburger Helper

One clue that Hamburger Helper is heavily processed is its nutritional profile. Here is the nutrition information for one serving of Cheeseburger Macaroni Hamburger Helper:

Calories: 380
Total fat: 12g
Saturated fat: 5g

Trans fat: 0.4g
Sodium: 810mg
Total carbohydrates: 57g

Dietary fiber: 2g
Total sugars: 8g
Added sugars: 2g

Protein: 15g

As you can see, one serving of Hamburger Helper is high in sodium at 34% of the daily value. It also provides a considerable amount of fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, and protein. For a single serving, the calorie, fat, carb, and sodium content of Hamburger Helper is in line with what would be expected from a highly processed food.

Ingredient concerns

Experts point to a few concerning aspects of the main ingredients in Hamburger Helper:

Refined grains: The enriched wheat flour has had beneficial nutrients like fiber removed during processing.
Extruded pasta: High heat alters the molecular structure of pasta made this way, increasing its glycemic index.
Powdered flavors: Drying, mixing, and reconstituting ingredients can degrade flavors and textures.

Hydrolyzed proteins: This processing method can create compounds linked to adverse effects.
Palm oil: Common in processed foods, palm oil is high in saturated fats.
Sodium: Hamburger Helper provides over a third of most people’s recommended daily sodium per serving.

The extensive refining and processing of the main ingredients in Hamburger Helper raise concerns about its nutritional value and health impacts.

Is Hamburger Helper considered a processed food?

Based on the degree of industrial processing it undergoes and its nutritional profile, most experts would consider Hamburger Helper to be a highly processed food.

Here are some reasons why Hamburger Helper is viewed as a processed food:

It is made from refined wheat flour rather than a whole grain.
The pasta undergoes extrusion, a complex modern industrial technique.
The seasonings and sauces are made by combining highly processed ingredients.

Drying, mixing, and reconstituting alter the food from its original state.
It is packaged and marketed as a convenience food.
Preparation requires only adding ground beef and water.

It has added sugars, sodium, and unhealthy fats.

Registered dietitians, nutrition scientists, and food processing experts would almost all categorize Hamburger Helper as a heavily processed food based on the above factors. Some key characteristics of highly processed foods are extremme mechanization, complex processing methods, and heavy use of additives – all attributes of Hamburger Helper.

Health impacts of processed foods

Research consistently links consumption of heavily processed foods like Hamburger Helper with higher risks for chronic diseases:

Obesity: Heavily processed foods encourage overeating and weight gain due to lack of fiber, rapid digestion, and craving-inducing ingredients.
Heart disease: Processed foods often contain unhealthy fats, added sugars, sodium, and chemical preservatives that negatively impact heart health.
Diabetes: Refined grains and added sugars in processed foods can lead to blood sugar spikes and may increase diabetes risk.

Cancer: Certain compounds formed during manufacturing, like nitrites, as well as compounds naturally found in refined oils may be carcinogenic.
Inflammation: Chemicals formed when food is subjected to high heat and pressure may trigger inflammatory responses.

Eating processed foods like Hamburger Helper regularly has been linked to poor metabolic health and higher risk of chronic illnesses according to the totality of current nutrition science.

Is Hamburger Helper healthy to eat regularly?

While Hamburger Helper can be an affordable and convenient meal, nutrition experts warn against eating it too regularly. Here are some of the main health concerns with frequent Hamburger Helper consumption:

High sodium intake: The high sodium content, about 34% of the daily recommended limit per serving, poses heart health risks.
Lack of vegetables: Processed Hamburger Helper lacks the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants found in vegetables.

Processed meat: Frequently eating ground beef cooked at high heat ups cancer risk.
Food additives: Ingredients like palm oil, carrageenan, and sodium phosphate may have negative health effects.
Refined grains: The enriched wheat flour provides fewer nutrients than whole grain options would.

Registered dietitians caution against consuming products like Hamburger Helper as regular staples in your diet. For improved nutrition and health, it is better to rely on minimally processed whole foods like lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Hamburger Helper is best limited to the occasional quick meal rather than multiple times per week.

Healthier alternatives to Hamburger Helper

If you want a convenient, budget-friendly meal but are concerned about Hamburger Helper’s nutritional value, consider these healthier alternatives:

Whole wheat pasta: Use regular or veggie whole wheat spaghetti instead of the refined pasta in Hamburger Helper.

Make your own sauce: Create a simple sauce from olive oil, garlic, spices, tomatoes, and broth instead of powdered mixes.
Add lots of vegetables: Cook minced veggies like carrots, spinach, kale, or zucchini right into the dish.
Choose lean ground turkey: Substitute lean ground turkey for the fattier ground beef.

Limit sodium: Leave out salt if using low-sodium broth and minimize added table salt.
Consider plant-based: Try lentil or chickpea pasta with sautéed veggies and marinara for a vegan option.

Simple modifications like choosing healthier pasta, making your own sauce, and loading up on veggies can transform a meal made with a boxed helper into a much more nutritious dinner. Keep servings of highly processed foods like Hamburger Helper limited while focusing on eating plenty of minimally processed whole foods.

The bottom line

Based on its refined and reconstituted ingredients, industrial processing methods, and nutritional profile high in sodium, fat, and carbs, Hamburger Helper is widely considered a heavily processed food. Registered dietitians caution against making Hamburger Helper a regular staple in your diet due to potential negative impacts on health from frequently consuming highly processed foods. While occasionally enjoying processed foods like Hamburger Helper in moderation is unlikely to be harmful for most people, it is wise to rely primarily on nutritious whole foods for your regular diet.