As your great-grandmother once said, everything that’s edible is not food. This holds even today. Several so-called foods that you intake these days are processed to such an extent that your bodies don’t get the proper nourishment they should. These processed foods have artificial ingredients contained in them and that can prove to be quite harmful to your system. Several people are simply addicted to them and as a consequence, they develop physical disorders like obesity, which later lead to diabetes. Take a look at the following five processed foods that are gradually taking you closer to death.
Reduced Fat Dairy
A majority of people believe that the fat present in dairy products is not good for you. On the contrary, it’s healthy. It’s the reduced fat dairy that you need to maintain a safe distance from. Dairy products with reduced fat generally contain some artificial ingredients that give a false impression of fat. Yogurt and similar products often have high sugar content to make up for the absence of fat. Women, who intake low-fat dairy products are more prone to infertility and that’s a concern.
Margarine
Margarine is nothing but vegetable oil solidified by applying the process of hydrogenation. People think it’s healthy, but it’s not. Low-fat products like margarine gained a foothold in the market because people think fat is ‘bad’. You might like to believe that since it comes from vegetables, it ought to be healthy, right? Wrong. Margarine contains trans fat and research says that trans fats can increase the risk of having a heart attack. Another drawback of margarine is that it lowers the good cholesterol HDL and raises the bad cholesterol LDL. You also become prone to diabetes as well.
Lunch Meat
Meat and animal products are considered to be healthy. Many people turn vegetarian because they feel healthier, being on a plant-based diet. There might be some personal reasons as well. But, grass-fed and high-quality meat is always good for your health. With that being said, deli meats are high in nitrites, since food manufacturers treat the meat with sodium nitrite to eliminate bacteria. When sodium nitrite combines with the amines present in meat, nitrosamines are formed, which are carcinogenic. Deli meats also contain a high percentage of sodium, which has detrimental effects on your body.
Soda
Soda has a high percentage of sugar and that’s a known fact. Excess sugar leads to diabetes and obesity. Artificial colors and flavors are present in soda and these are considered to be poisons for your health. Soda is said to be associated with kidney issues, heart diseases, asthma, as well as reproductive problems. The enamel present in your teeth might get dissolved. If you want a healthy lifestyle, steering clear of soda is an absolute must. Soda is not at all recommended for people who have high blood sugar and pregnant women.
Commercial Fruit Juice
Fruit juice is healthy. Fruits offer a wide range of benefits and are healthy for your system. You might have heard that several people go through detoxes and juice cleanses. However, the juice available at a majority of grocery stores is not good for you. Most of these juices are heat pasteurized, which steals away the nutrients from them. Aside from that, these juices contain artificial colors and HFCS. So, when you are laying your hands on commercial fruit juice, you are buying just plain sugar water and nothing else. So what do you need to do? Opt for a juice that doesn’t contain any kind of added ingredients and is preferably not pasteurized. Moreover, it should not come from concentration. You can visit a local juice bar too because there are high chances that the juice wouldn’t be pasteurized at all.
These five foods can have a deteriorating effect on your body. Innumerable people are not aware of these products and happily shell out money to consume them. Now that you know what all the negative consequences consumption of such modern foods can have on your system and your life as well, refrain from gorging on them if you want a healthy and hassle-free lifestyle.