Let us understand what processed food is. As the term suggests, processed food is a food item that has undergone many physical and chemical processes to change its form or preserve it. Processed foods are gone through changes like the addition of chemicals, added flavors, colors, etc. These processes are generally performed to preserve the food for longer, for which food preservatives are added. These preservatives are chemicals that help the food item to sustain its form for a longer period. The chemicals included in the food items are edible, but not necessarily healthy. Some of the chemicals added to the products may lead to certain issues and harm the physical body. More about processed food classification can be understood in the study by NCBI.
Processed food includes all the packed food items available in the market. Food products like breakfast cereals, cookies, whole-wheat bread, frozen meals, condiments, corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, soy protein isolate, aspartame, corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, soy protein isolate, or aspartame all come under the processed food list. It is advisable to stay away from processed foods as much as possible. It is important to go for fresher options. Even in fruits, many fruits are chemically produced. This makes the fruit filled with chemicals, which when taken in large amounts can be very harmful. We will discuss more about why processed foods are bad for metabolic health.
Impact of processed food on metabolic health
To understand the impact processed food has on our metabolic health, it is important to know what metabolic health is. According to the study by NCBI, the metabolism rate depends on various factors such as sex, race, exercise, diet, age, and diseases. The metabolic rate is different for different people.
Metabolic health signifies the balance in the rate of metabolism. It refers to a condition where there is no unhealthy spike in blood sugar during the metabolism. Good metabolic health can also be judged by the absence of metabolic diseases like high blood pressure, high blood fat, low levels of good cholesterol, high blood sugar, and a large waistline. We can understand more about metabolic health through the research by NCBI.
Processed food items, filled with chemicals and artificial products, are very harmful to the body due to a large number of factors, which we will discuss in the next section. The major factors that make it harmful to metabolic health are the content of added sugar, calories, and trans fat. Various food items claim to have no trans fat, but still, they have additional sugar, and artificial flavoring. These factors affect our body and cause an increase in body fat and blood sugar levels, which then affect our metabolic health.
Why avoid processed food
Let us now go through a detailed list of points why we should avoid processed foods. Due to the chemical and physical processes, there are a lot of changes made to the original form. This makes the derived product very different from the original form. In this section, we are looking into the drawbacks of the changes made, which make it unhealthy.
1. Low in nutrients
Processed food items are filled with chemicals. The nutrients in the raw substances are far more than what is derived after the processing. Processed foods are very low in essential nutrients. In some cases, the manufacturers try to add synthetic vitamins and nutrients to compensate for the nutrient loss, but it is still not enough.
To get the proper amount of nutrients, it is important to avoid packaged or processed food items and instead go for fresh, healthier options. Try to consume as less processed food as possible, and go for more whole foods.
2. Low in fiber
Fiber is a very important component of our body. If we have less fiber in a normal body, it would cause other health problems. Having products with less fiber content limits fiber intake and may cause various health issues. Fiber is very important for digestion. Instead of digestion benefits, Fiber slows down the absorption of carbohydrates, which helps us feel more full and satisfied. This in turn helps us intake fewer calories.
The lack of fiber content in processed food restricts the health benefits and makes us feel empty, leading to calories and impacting metabolic health. Fiber content has an indirect relation to metabolic disbalance, but it is very effective.
3. Added sugar
Various packed food products like ketchup, candy, chocolates, ice cream, yogurt, cakes, cookies, pies, packed beverages like cold drinks, and some fruit drinks contain a large amount of added sugar. The amount of sugar intake has a direct relation to adversely affecting the metabolism. There are various health issues due to increased sugar levels. Upon unhealthy increases in blood sugar, our organs get affected. This leads to various diseases like Diabetes. According to research by WHO, high blood sugar is the most common factor resulting in severe diabetes condition.
4. Refined carbohydrates
Carbohydrate is an important component of our diet. Natural carbohydrates derived from whole foods are healthier than refined carbohydrates. This is because refined carbohydrates are synthesized and broken down very quickly in our bodies. This produces a rapid increase in insulin levels, leading to a blood sugar spike. This sudden increase in blood sugar is very harmful to our bodies. This also increases food cravings and reduces our body's energy. This might also lead to a risk of type 2 diabetes.
5. Calorie content
The amount of calories in processed food is very high. A large amount of unhealthy calories results in a decrease in metabolic rate. This is also a reason for increased body weight and might lead to severe conditions like obesity. More about the nutrient contributions of processed food can be understood in the study by NCBI.
6. Artificial ingredients
If you might have noticed the ingredient list in the food packets, you would come across terms like added flavor, texture agents, or food coloring. There also might be some unrecognized substances that are chemicals. These artificial ingredients do not cause much harm in small amounts. But if you are habitual to processed food, this means you are taking these artificial ingredients every day, or maybe in every meal. This is when the problem arises and causes much harm to your body.
It is best to avoid the consumption of packaged food items as much as possible.
What to eat instead
Now we know why we should avoid eating processed food. But if it is not packaged food then what should you eat? This will be covered in this section.
Instead of packaged and processed food, we should eat fresh and whole foods. We should replace canned fruits with fresh farm fruits, replace ketchup with homemade sauce, and package snacks with freshly homemade recipes.
Some fresh and healthy, whole foods that should be a part of your diet are:
Farm fresh vegetables and fruits or frozen, or unsweetened dried fruits
grains such as brown rice, quinoa, and buckwheat
Homemade soup, instead of processed soup mix
legumes such as beans and lentils
starchy root vegetables such as potatoes, cassava, and sweet potatoes
meat, poultry, eggs, and fish
Olive and avocado oil
fresh or pasteurized milk and plain yogurt
Fresh homemade fruit or vegetable juice
herbs and spices
Green tea with fresh herbs
nuts and seeds
These are the food products that have no processing. You can get them anywhere in the market, but buying from the local market is advisable, which ensures freshness. These fresh and whole foods are what will help you increase your metabolic rate. It will be very helpful to stay away from various diseases caused by metabolic imbalance. Whole foods are considered healthy because they have minimal to no amount of processing involved, which means no added chemicals, preservatives, or added sugar.
Eating a healthier diet does not mean that you need to completely abandon all packaged food, and sometimes it becomes impossible. The only solution is to choose fresh food whenever available. It is best to minimize the use of packaged food. It is every day or every meal consumption that makes it harmful to your body. Eating packaged food sometimes will not specifically harm your body. Although, it is also important to note that if you are already suffering from metabolic disbalance, or diseases like high blood pressure, sugar, or diabetes, it is best to stick with fresh and whole foods. In that case please consult your doctor for food suggestions according to your condition.
Conclusion
Processed food is a food item that has undergone many physical and chemical processes to change its form or preserve it. Processed foods are gone through changes like the addition of chemicals, added flavors, colors, etc. The chemicals included in the food items are edible, but not healthy.
We understood more about metabolism and how processed food can lead to metabolic imbalance. Processed food items, filled with chemicals and artificial products are very harmful to the body due to a large number of factors like added sugar, synthetic carbohydrate, low nutrient and fiber, extra calorie content, and trans fat. These components lead to metabolic disbalance and health issues. The solution is to choose fresh food whenever available. It is best to minimize the use of packaged food. It is every day or every meal consumption that makes it harmful to your body.