Why Isn't it Healthy to Eat Processed Food?

by Sukhsatej Batra, Reposted by YevoFoodClub.com     

Control your intake of sodium, sugar and fat by cooking food at home.

Except for raw vegetables and fresh fruits in the produce section of your grocery, most foods that you buy are processed. Processed foods usually come in a bag or box with a nutrition facts label. Some of these may be minimally processed, such as frozen vegetables, ready-to-eat salads, roasted peanuts and bagged spinach. These do not pose any risk to health because they contain very little or no food additives. Most health concerns arise from frequent consumption of heavily processed foods such as cookies, luncheon meats, pasta sauces and frozen dinners, which often contain large amounts of food additives.

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High in Sodium

Salt, or sodium chloride, is one of the most common additives found in processed foods. It is an excellent preservative that prevents growth of bacteria, adds flavor, enhances color and gives processed foods a firm texture. Processed foods are the main source of sodium in most American diets and intakes often exceed the recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams per day. A high sodium intake puts you at risk of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, stomach cancer and kidney disease, according to the American Heart Association.

Extra Sugar

Many processed foods contain added sugar. It may be listed as high fructose corn syrup, maltose, brown sugar, honey, fruit juice concentrate, molasses, lactose, fructose, dextrose, sucrose or cane sugar on the ingredient list of food labels. These sugars improve color, maintain freshness, enhance flavor, act as preservatives and make foods more appetizing. In addition to causing dental health problems, sugars from processed foods add to total calorie intake. This may lead to weight gain, obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to the American Academy Family Physicians.

Rich in Fat

Fats give processed foods the crispy or moist texture, rich aroma and gratifying taste often associated with fast foods, baked products and snack foods. As your intake of heavily processed foods increases, so does your intake of calories from fat. Extra calories from fat can cause weight gain and obesity, which may increase your risk of breast cancer, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems.

Other Additives

Processed foods contain other food additives that increase your risk of cancer, such as nitrites and nitrates in processed meats. While preservatives, such as BHT, BHA and EDTA may be carcinogenic or cause allergic reactions, others such as sulfites and artificial food coloring and flavoring may cause allergies or asthma. On a positive note, not all processed foods are unhealthy. Fortification of foods with vitamins and minerals, such as milk with vitamin D and some juices with calcium, may help you meet your daily requirement of these essential nutrients.