Dietitian/Nutritionist, Gurgaon
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22 years experience
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Processed foods and convenience foods offer no benefits whatsoever
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Without food processing, we could not have eaten many foods which we can now eat. Processing extends the shelf life of foods. Tinned fish is an example of processed foods which is good for your health in moderate quantities. Convenience and processed foods ensure the safety of foods as well. The additives in them help prevent rancid (useful fats going off) and growth of harmful fungus and bacteria.
Which of these are health problems caused by convenience foods?
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In spite of its convenience, convenient foods such as noodles have very high sodium contents and saturated fats. These increase the risk of high blood pressure and other heart related illnesses. Processed foods are genetically modified, the result of which can be gastrointestinal problems and infertility in the long run. Asthma is another health scare from convenient foods because of their high trans -fat and sugar contents.
By which of these ways can you identify healthy convenience foods?
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Always compare nutrition labels on the packages of convenience foods. Comparing nutrition labels for fat, sugar and sodium can help you choose a better product. Sodium level should be 140mg per serving or for 50g of the food. If the sodium content is between 300-400mg, stay away from it. If the foods have 2.5g-4.9g of fiber per serving, go for it.
Organic processed foods are better for you
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When it comes to processed foods, "organic" is just used as a buzzword. Organic brown rice, wild rice and organic peanut butter can be beneficial for your health. But certain other organic foods such as cookies and crackers might contain added sugar or salt. Even organic labeled products may contain some amount of inorganic ingredients which make them just as bad.
Convenience foods such as yogurt and other dairy products are perfectly healthy
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Though yogurt is generally considered a safer option among other foods in the processed category, it can still contain some unhealthy ingredients. All the good benefits of the live cultures and good bacteria present in frozen yogurts can be offset by the added sugar and fruits. The extra sugar can result in possible yeast overgrowth in the body. While going for such convenience foods, make sure you choose the organic yogurt without the fruits or sugar.