Is processed food really healthy?

health

This week You! takes a look at the disadvantages of

consuming processed foods...

Resisting the urge to drink that soda or eat those chips can be tough, especially if you have grown accustomed to eating these highly addictive foods as part of your normal diet. But have you ever wondered that snacks like chips, biscuits etc that we love to devour to kill our hunger pangs are usually processed? The question that arises here is, what are processed foods? Basically, processed food is any food that has been altered from its natural state. This includes foods that are pasteurized, cooked, heated, packaged, or otherwise changed from the state in which they are found in nature. Processed foods may also include added preservatives, flavours, and other additives such as sugar, fat, and salt.

Why are processed foods unhealthy?

Processed foods often contain more than desired amounts of trans and saturated fats, sodium, and sugar, which can lead to obesity and poor health overall. Certain processed foods are stripped of the essential nutrients found in their natural form.

Read on to find out more about the health risks of consuming processed foods...

The ageing factor:

Processed foods are extremely low in essential nutrients compared to whole, unprocessed foods. Did you know that processed foods can rip you off your nutrients and promotes ageing. Try lowering your intake of processed foods if you want to have a young and soft looking skin.

Destroys your mind:

If you are having difficulty in concentrating and thinking normally, chances are your diet has something to do with it. And a recent study that processed food consumption can cause people to become angry and irritable.

Obesity:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), processed foods are to blame for the sharp rise in obesity (and chronic disease) seen around the world. A research shows that children who ate processed fast foods in a restaurant consumed 126 more calories than on days they did not. Over the course of a year, this could translate into 13 pounds of weight gain just from fast food.

Diabetes:

Over the years, the extent of processing has increased so much that prepared breakfast cereals-even without added sugar- act exactly like sugar itself. As far as our hormones and metabolism are concerned, there is no difference between a bowl of unsweetened corn flakes and a bowl of table sugar. Starch is 100per cent glucose [table sugar is half glucose, half fructose] and our bodies can digest it into sugar instantly. So, those consuming too many processed food items are more prone to get diabetes later in life.

Increases the bad cholesterol:

Processed foods are high on trans-fat which increases LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol, associated with heart diseases) and lowers HDL cholesterol in the body.

Kidney alert:

Almost all processed food items phosphates and genetically engineered ingredients which can damage your kidney in the long run.

Weakens bones:

Many processed foods contain phosphate additives that augment taste, texture, and shelf-life. But these additives are known to weaken your bones.

Addictive properties:

The 'hyper rewarding' nature of processed foods can have serious consequences for some people. Some people can literally become addicted to this stuff and completely lose control over their consumption. Although food addiction is something that most people don't know about, the fact is that it is a huge problem in society today. It is the main reason why some people just can't stop eating chips and chocolates, no matter how hard they try.

Causes inflammation:

One of the leading causes of chronic illness today is inflammation. And studies continue to show that refined sugars, processed flours, vegetable oils, and many other ingredients commonly found in processed foods are largely responsible for this inflammation epidemic. So the next time your body craves a candy bar or a box of cheese crackers, consider the fact that heart disease, dementia, neurological problems, respiratory failure, and cancer have all been linked to the chronic inflammation caused by processed food consumption.

Wrecks your digestion:

Are you having digestion troubles? Processed foods might be causing the problem. The digestive process starts with what you put into your mouth. The artificial colours, flavours, preservatives and sweeteners found within processed foods all lead to a toxic digestive system.