In the presence of ultra-processed foods on market shelves and on shelves at home has grown rapidly in recent years. This is worrying information, as constant research links excessive consumption of these foods to a number of diseases, including early deaths. Therefore, check out other relevant data about what you have been feeding.
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Check out important information about the reality of processed foods.
What is a processed food?
A darling of consumers for its practicality and sellers for its long shelf life, the consumption of processed foods has increased dramatically in recent times.
By definition, processed food is food whose natural state has been altered. Therefore, most products consumed today are considered processed, as they receive additives or treatments such as freezing or bottling.
All this with the aim of increasing the shelf life of foods or adapting them to the different tastes of the public.
The origin of these foods
Processed foods can be differentiated into 4 levels, depending on the degree and type of treatment applied to them.
Thus, they range from minimally processed to ultra-processed, which require greater attention, as they are the main ones associated with health problems.
This is because this class of food is characterized by the use of additives, such as sweeteners and emulsifiers, in addition to have, in general, higher levels of sodium, fat and refined starch due to low concentrations of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
All this results in enticing and durable food, but without health benefits.
The danger of ultra-processed
The excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods has been strongly associated with the relative increase of several diseases such as: obesity; diabetes; hypertension; cardiovascular problems; depression and even some types of cancer; in addition to its association with an early death.
Therefore, be aware of the amounts ingested of this type of food both by you and by people close to you.
Identifying the excessive consumption of ultra-processed products is easy, in general, due to their high concentration of sugars and fats.
These foods result in a rapid accumulation of body fat and weight gain, as well as a loss of willingness to perform physical and mental activities.
Therefore, if you notice these trends, seek a doctor to take care of the consequences, as well as a nutritionist to help with food.
Another effective method to avoid processed foods is to make reading food labels a habit, giving preference, whenever possible, to natural and minimally processed foods.
