Why Should We Avoid Processed Food?
Excess processed food can cause many problems for your health. Therefore, it is necessary that you regulate its consumption as much as possible.
Eating is a necessity, so it is inevitable that we buy food, so that it is already prepared or to cook it ourselves. However, when eating we must avoid processed food, since for various reasons it is not good for our body.
Today we bring you the reasons why processed food is an enemy of health. They may be enough to completely eliminate your consumption or reduce it to a minimum.
Avoid processed food
Currently, the availability of 100% natural food is almost non-existent. To some extent or another, the vast majority of food products that we can buy have undergone some type of processing.
However, there are some products that are more processed than others, which involve the presence of additives that are associated with different health conditions.
On the other hand, there are also foods that are highly refined, which suppress natural nutrients.
As a consequence of the above, frequent consumption of processed foods can cause various diseases. This is one of the reasons why we should avoid this type of food.
To know what products are processed it is important that we read the labels that they bring. However, they are often misleading. Here are some reasons to stop eating highly processed products.
10 reasons to avoid processed food
1. Contains addictives
Surely it happened to you that you consumed a product because you were hungry and after eating it you feel that it ran out very quickly and you want more. This happens despite the fact that that element has a number of calories that should have satiated you.
That happens with processed foods. While natural food has the quality of satiating hunger, processed products do the opposite: they generate the feeling of wanting to consume more and more.
Processed food undergoes modifications. This causes the body to not be able to digest it normally and not to assimilate it either.
But in addition to not satiating, manufacturers tend to improve the taste with additives that contain elements that release dopamine. This substance generates a pleasant sensation, which is why it creates addiction.
2. Obesity
The additive components used in food processing are directly related to the development of obesity. The most common are high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and monosodium glutamate. These in addition to causing overweight also prevent weight loss.
In fact, the figures show that in countries where the consumption of processed food is higher, obesity rates are also higher.
3. There is no balance of nutrients
One of the basic principles of healthy eating is the combination of the different nutritional groups. When we eat processed foods there is no adequate combination of nutrients, which results in poor digestion, blood acidification and weight gain, not to mention that we do not obtain the necessary energy.
4. They unbalance the bacterial flora
Physical well-being depends largely on the microorganisms present in the body, which are responsible for various functions. It is what we call bacterial flora.
One of the reasons why we should avoid processed food has to do with the fact that these products destroy the flora present in the intestines, which causes countless diseases and difficulties in the digestive tract.
5. They destabilize the mood
The large amount of chemicals added causes several negative effects. Among them are those that affect the mood and generate:
- Bad mood.
- Memory problems.
- Depression.
- Hyperactivity
These effects are produced not only by the high content of chemicals but also by the lack of nutrients.
6. They are consumed quickly
The body is configured to eat slowly, with breaks and periods of rest. Processed foods imply the opposite. They are consumed very quickly, since they are designed so that they can be ingested at any time and place.
7. Untrue information to avoid processed food
Some highly processed foods are advertised as high-quality items. They are generally touted as sugar-free, fresh, and natural, when in fact they may be full of additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients.
8. Cancer-related meats
Processed meats and sausages have high content of preservatives, including nitrates, which various studies have concluded that they generate a greater risk factor for cancer.
9. Malnutrition
Eating in large quantities does not imply that we eat well. On the contrary, what guarantees healthy nutrition is the balance of the food groups.
As processed products generate the need to eat a lot, we eat much more than we need and without any nutritional balance.
10. Long lasting
One of the characteristics of processed food is that it sells its long duration as a “quality”. Although the idea that products are preserved for a long time sounds good, for this it is necessary to add an excessive amount of preservatives, which are harmful to health.
Rather than ensuring the long shelf life of the products, the important thing should be their nutritional value. Therefore, it is essential that you consume processed foods in a moderate way, making sure they are part of a balanced diet.
