With the flood of processed foods in the market and the recent controversy of lead found in noodles, it is a general concern which foods are safe to consume. Not all processed foods are really bad. But, what are processed foods?
Processed foods are packaged food items which have gone through a method of preservation to increase shelf life. This includes breads and cookies, along with protein and dairy products.
The good foods –
1) pasteurized milk – although processed to make it safe, pasteurized milk is free from any additives or preservatives and hence totally safe.
2) cheese – just like milk, cheese also goes through a process during its creation. However, looking at its health benefits, it is advised to keep them in your diet. However, cheese has high content of fat and sodium, so keep a watch on the amount you intake.
3) frozen foods– these are actually better than fresh foods stored in a refrigerator, since foods meant to be frozen are proceeded immediately to be frozen, without much of environmental exposure which can degrade the food over time, even though refrigerated.
The bad foods –
1) sugar-rich foods – store bought foods with sugar are very harmful for health. Keep foods like yogurts, pasta sauces, savory snacks etc out of your diet as much as possible.
2) frozen entrees – even if they claim to be with low calories, frozen foods are not good for health. They have too much of preservatives, fillers and sodium, with hardly any’real food.
3) store bought baked goods – pre-baked cakes, cookies and muffins are easy to buy and eat but are not healthy options at all. They have ingredients which are at times unheard of and, unhealthy. Homemade baked goods are much healthier versions.
4) condiments – bottles sauces are packed with preservatives as they need to have long shelf life. They have an overdose of salt and sugar, making them extremely harmful for your health.
5) yoghurt – is a safe and healthy food if it is not flavoured with any sweetened fruit etc. Greek yoghurt, which is low in fat and high in protein, can be considered a healthy option.
If you have any further questions, ask at Lybrate
