I am fitness enthusiasts but I cannot credit fitness alone for the health and shape of my body. I encourage myself and my loved ones to eat healthily and exercise. Now not all of them are as willing as I am to exercise every day, so I simply push them towards healthy eating habits so that they live a long and healthy life. The sad part is, that not everyone these days has the time or resources to eat healthy every day. But when I tell you some dirty facts about that easy, ‘ready-to-eat’ meal you’ve been consuming, you’ll be shocked. Research has shown that 70% of calories in an average human body is coming from processed food alone these days. Sure, processed food is easy and time-saving but have you ever realized how they are made and what makes them so delicious? You are about to find out. Here are 15 really disgusting facts about processed food. I will also include processed food to avoid in the future, which will eliminate a bad eating habit and allow you to live a healthier life.
1. Processed Food is Addictive
I recently found out the daunting fact about processed food, which is- they contain chemical elements that affect a neurotransmitter known as dopamine. These chemicals are just like drugs and when consumed, these chemicals light up the brain and the effect is very similar to any other drug. Experiments have shown that the brain reacts the same way for sugary products the same way it does for cocaine. So, this is why we are left with the craving for more burgers, fries, chips, etc.
2. They Contain Unhealthy Oil
Consuming an excessive amount of processed food is not healthy eating as they contain partially hydrogenated oil which is not even real oil. It’s synthetic and chemically made, especially for making processed foods. Recent studies indicated that for this reason processed food is very unsafe and may cause heart disease and diabetes.
3. They Can Increase The Risk of Cancer
Some of the dangerous processed foods to avoid are canned foods, dehydrated foods, and microwavable items as they contain PHOs (partially hydrogenated oil) and chemically produced ingredients such as Butylated hydroxyanisole and diacetyl which are major causes of cancer.
4. They are the Reason For Obesity
One very obvious fact about processed food that we all know is that it’s the biggest cause of obesity. The reason for this is because most processed food contains MSG (monosodium glutamate), corn syrup, refined carbohydrates and, of course, artificial sweeteners. All of this is the reason for obesity.
5. Processed Food Causes Imbalance in the Inner Ecosystem
Our inner ecosystem is formed by microorganisms in our digestive tract and it has been found that processed foods can influence the health of your inner ecosystem. Our inner ecosystem maintains numerous aspects of our health and bad eating habits can disrupt that cycle.
6. Processed Food Increases Craving for Food
As mentioned above, processed food contains a chemical called dopamine which forces consumers to get addicted to that bad eating habit, there are other ingredients that make us crave for more processed food. Processed food contains less nutritional ingredients and too much sugar, salt and fat that sends our brain to a happy place. This is why we crave for more and more of it.
7. Processed Food Can Cause Blood Pressure to Rise
Research showed that 75% of the sodium consumed by Americans was delivered through processed foods alone and we all know that excessive consumption of sodium is the biggest cause of high blood pressure, which can also lead to heart diseases and stroke. To steer clear, processed foods to avoid are canned goods, packaged and frozen foods.
8. Processed Food Causes Mood Swings
Depression, mood swings, and unhappiness are generally the results of overconsumption of processed or fatty foods. It is said that processed food can cause problems in the digestive system hindering the serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that controls mood and feelings of happiness is found in the intestine, blood palates, and the nervous system. This is why we are always advised to eat healthy for a healthy brain function.
9. Processed Foods Encourages People to Eat On-the-Go. Result: Over-eating
In general, it’s a bad eating habit to have your meal on-the-go. Processed food is the reason people become so casual with their food and depend on eating on-the-go. This bad eating habit disconnects you from your body and you end up eating more than your gut needs.
10. Processed Food Labels are all Wrong
Even the biggest food companies know that the ingredients they mention on their processed food labels are not EVERYTHING. Most labels do mention ingredients like artificial sweeteners, corn syrup, preservatives but they can’t mention all the harmful chemicals they contain. So, my rule is if I don’t know what I am eating I’d rather not eat it.
11. They Make You Gain Weight Really Fast
All that fat and sodium pack on pounds really fast in the body. All the chemical and consumption of fat in processed foods also makes it really difficult to cut calories that are the reason the obesity rate has increased in recent times.
12. Red Color Comes from Dead Bugs
A popular red dye called Red 40 is used as a coloring agent in many food industries. The disgusting part is that many types of research have found that this dye is made from cochineal bugs. Red 40 is also banned in many countries as it was linked to ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) especially in young children. Another reason to keep your kids away from this bad eating habit.
13. Processed Food is Linked to Many Diseases
Recently, over 100 different clinical studies indicated that processed foods are responsible for nearly every modern disease. Harmful ingredients present in processed foods can completely destroy your natural bodily function, which is why more and more research these days are advising people to tone down on their consumption of processed foods.
14. Processed Foods are Made of Disgusting Ingredients
This is an important fact about processed food that you should remember every time you think about this bad eating habit. All these canned goods and packaged flavored foods are made of scary ingredients, most of which are not even edible.
– Lanolin: very oily substance extracted from sheep’s wool. This is an addictive used in gums.
– Sodium bisulfite: this is also a food additive used in potato chips. And get this, Sodium bisulfite is also used for cleaning toilet bowls.
– Silicon dioxide (also known as Silica): an estimated 95% of silicon dioxide produced is consumed in the construction industry. This chemical is used in most fast foods, frozen foods, and chili, as well as used as a wine, beer, and juice fining agent.
– Titanium dioxide: this chemical is found in salad dressings, cake, marshmallows, and coffee creamers and disgustingly, the same chemical is found in paint and sunscreens.
15. Processed Foods Can Shorten Your Life
Overall, eating too much processed food can shorten your life. This is a very well-known and ugly fact about processed foods. Just imagine ingesting all the engineered chemicals and what it is doing to your body. It’s sad that food industries know all the facts and still let young people consume processed food.
There are many ways to stop your craving for processed food and the best way is to indulge in a healthy eating habit. I have shared and will continue to share all my health tips, healthy eating habits, best exercises to lose weight on my blog. Be sure to check them all out and start your health journey today.
