In a world that is working with less time, most of us have switched to easy ways of eating. Fast food, ordering out constantly and even eating packaged food. While processed and pre-packaged foods can be fast and convenient options for meals and snacks, they aren't always the healthiest choices. These have been introduced into our kids' snack boxes, our lunch boxes and even at the dinner table when the whole family is eating together.
Processed Food - Read The Back Cover Too
Many of us never even read the labels. If we did, we would realise how much unnecessary food we are consuming. We don’t realise that we end up eating excess Sodium, sugars and fats. All of these increase our risk of health issues such as diabetes, heart disease and other related ailments. Pre-packaged produce, such as bags of apples, carrots or salad mix, can be nutritious and convenient, but they are often treated to delay the signs of ageing. Check the use-by dates to make sure your food is fresh. The older the product, the fewer the nutrients it contains.
Additives and The Risks They Pose to Health
Salt provides your body with sodium, which is necessary for proper muscle function and regulating the amount of water in the body. Consuming more sodium than the maximum daily recommended intake is harmful. It can result in heart disease, high blood pressure, water retention and other serious conditions. Added sugars are any kind of caloric sweeteners that are, yep, added to foods. In addition to sugar, they may appear on an ingredient list as fruit juice concentrate, high-fructose corn syrup, fructose and honey, to name a few aliases. Experts are linking excess sugar intake to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, as well as obesity.
Health Issues Caused By Food Additives
Most packaged food has food additives which, on prolonged use, can cause serious health issues. It is not uncommon for a food additive that was originally believed to be safe for consumers to be later found toxic. Some studies have found additives are a source of headaches, nausea, weakness and difficulty breathing.The truth is, we do not understand all of the long-term effects that additives could have on our health because man-made additives are a relatively new invention. More than likely, your grandparents ate organic foods. For now, it is up to consumers to choose not to buy food with additives. They will not be banned until enough research is collected to determine the exact effects they have on the body.
Going fresh is the only way we can avoid consuming too much artificial food. Having a little doesn’t hurt the body or your fitness levels, but constant consumption can lead to unnecessary health issues for you and your family. If you any queries or need clarity on what sort of processed food to avoid, talk to a health expert.
