Processed foods aren’t simply microwave meals and other all set meals. A processed food is any food that has actually been changed in some method during preparation.
Processed food has a bad track record as a diet saboteur. It’s blamed for our nation’s weight problems epidemic, hypertension and the increase of type 2 diabetes!
However processed food is more than boxed macaroni and cheese, potato chips and drive-thru hamburgers. It might be a surprise to find out that whole-wheat bread, homemade soup or a sliced apple likewise are processed foods.
While some processed foods need to be taken in with caution, lots of really have a place in a well balanced diet. Here’s how to sort the healthy from the not-so-nutritious.
Food processing can be as standard as: freezing, canning, baking, drying.
Not all processed foods are unhealthy however some processed foods might include high levels of salt, sugar and fat.
What Counts as Processed Food?
Examples of common processed foods include:
- tinned vegetables
- bread
- breakfast cereals
- cheese
- mouth-watering treats, such as crisps, sausage rolls, pies and pasties
- meat products, such as sausage, salami and paté
- “benefit foods”, such as microwave meals or all set meals
- drinks, such as milk or sodas
- cakes and biscuits.
Not all processed food is a bad choice. Some foods require processing to make them safe, such as milk, which has to be pasteurised to remove hazardous bacteria.
Other foods need processing to make them suitable for use, such as pushing seeds to make oil.
Why are Processed Foods Less Healthy?
Components such as salt, sugar and fat are sometimes contributed to processed foods to make their flavour more attractive and to extend their shelf life, or in many cases to contribute to the food’s structure, such as salt in bread or sugar in cakes.
Purchasing processed foods can result in individuals eating more than the advised amounts of sugar, salt and fat as they may not know how much has actually been contributed to the food they are purchasing and eating.
These foods can also be higher in calories due to the high quantities of added sugar or fat in them.
Is Eating Processed Food Healthy?
You have no control over the amount salt, sugar and fat in processed food but you do have control over what you to choose buy.
- Checking out nutrition labels can help you select in between processed products and keep an examine fat, salt and sugar content.
- A lot of pre-packed foods have the nutrition information on the front, back or side of the packaging.
- If the processed food you wish to purchase has a nutrition label that uses colour-coding, you will typically discover a mix of red, amber and green.
- When you’re selecting in between similar products, try to opt for more greens and ambers, and fewer reds, if you wish to make a healthier option.
There are guidelines to inform you if a food is high or low in fat, saturated fat, salt or sugar.
The guidelines, which are for adults, are:
Total fat
High: more than 17.5 g of fat per 100g.
Low: 3g of fat or less per 100g.
Hydrogenated fat
High: more than 5g of saturated fat per 100g.
Low: 1.5 g of hydrogenated fat or less per 100g.
Salt
High: more than 1.5 g of salt per 100g (or 0.6 g salt).
Low: 0.3 g of salt or less per 100g (or 0.1 g sodium).
Sugars
High: more than 22.5 g of overall sugars per 100g.
Low: 5g of overall sugars or less per 100g.
If you are attempting to reduce saturated fat, try to restrict the quantity of foods you eat that have more than 5g of saturated fat per 100g.
Red and processed meat can be high in saturated fat. We are encouraged not to eat more than 70g a day.
Diet Tips
Preferably, we ‘d go shopping the farmers’ market every day for fresh, regional foods, and make all our goodies from scratch. In reality, we live far from our food sources, need to buy foods we can store on the shelf, and barely have time to eat supper, much less prepare it.
Processed foods are practical, and not all them are bad for you: pre-chopped vegetables, or fruits canned in their own juice, are simply two examples.
Often, nevertheless, benefit can indicate large quantities of surprise salt, fats, and sugar, which are constantly problem.
Processed foods are not a modern-day convenience– they’ve been around because the first barrel of salt-beef cruised across the Atlantic. They provide convenience and give us access to foods that would otherwise perish in transit.
Enjoy them in small amounts, and use your good sense. Examine the nutrition labels to prevent anything high in fats, sugars, and chemicals you cannot pronounce.
Make certain to make fresh, basic active ingredients the focus of your diet!
Have a Good Day! I Wish You To Be Healthy!
