In today’s fast-paced world, the appeal of processed foods, in conjunction with doorstop delivery services, has never been stronger. But amid the convenience lies a looming question: what’s the true cost to your health?
It’s no secret that modern life has us juggling work, family, and the pursuit of balance, often leaving us with precious little time for preparing homemade meals. The question we need to ask ourselves is: Have we let the art of home-cooked meals slip through our fingers, replaced by quick convenience options? What hope does the next generation have in learning the essentials like cooking?
So, what are processed or ultra-processed foods?
Did you know that ultra-processed foods now account for more than half our total energy intake and more than 60% of total free sugars 1 ? The International Food Information Council defines it as “any deliberate change in food that occurs before it's ready for us to eat” 2. Ultra-processed foods are not your typical packaged snacks, generally considered to be inferior food products. These foods are far removed from what they were in their natural state typically being high in added sugar, salt, fat and an array of chemical additives. These ingredients are added for texture, flavour enhancement, stabilizer, improve the appearance, improve the nutritional value and extend self-life They contain a laundry list of additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients that impact our health.
The food that we eat has a massive impact on our overall health and can influence our gut microbiome.
The downside of processed foods
· Increased self-life
· High content of artificial additives
· Lack of nutritional value: They are often stripped of essential nutrients during the processing and contain added sugars, unhealthy fats, and high amounts of salt.
· Excess sugar: Sugar is a cheap way to improve the palatability, and textured, shelf-life of processed food and Is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Increased risk for:
· Nutritional deficiencies
· Weight gain and obesity
· Cardiovascular Problems
· Poor digestive health
· Mental health concerns
Understanding the health implications of ultra-processed foods is the first step toward making informed choices about your health.
4 Tips to Reduce processed foods:
1. Read food labels
2. Cook at home
3. Increased fresh fruit and vegetables
4. Reduce your weekly consumption
By prioritizing your health, you can take control of your health and well-being and improve your health outcomes. Your health is worth the effort, start with small changes these can lead to significant improvements in the long run.
Are you looking for personalised support, why not book a discovery call and see how I can support you in improving your health and well-being?
Reference:
1. Rauber, F., Louzada, M. L. D. C., Martinez Steele, E., Rezende, L. F. M., Millett, C., Monteiro, C. A., & Levy, R. B. (2019). Ultra-processed foods and excessive free sugar intake in the UK: a nationally representative cross-sectional study. BMJ open, 9(10), e027546. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027546 Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31662351/
2. de Araújo, T. P., de Moraes, M. M., Afonso, C., Santos, C., & Rodrigues, S. S. P. (2022). Food Processing: Comparison of Different Food Classification Systems. Nutrients, 14(4), 729. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14040729 Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8877594/
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