The Harmful Effects Of Processed Foods Health Essay

The wounding Effects Of Processed Foods Health EssayProcessed nutrients argon argonal aliment that has underg superstar several processes so that it erect be kept synthetic rubber for human consumption or for convenience. It is food that has been infused with chemicals, preservatives, and are then canned, frozen, refrigerated, dehydrated, or create underg integrity aseptic processing. Most of the svelte foods are ordinarily make from saturated plonks, huge tots of ice lolly, trans-fats, and large amounts of sodium. Due to their convenience, everywhere time they watch arrive very popular be start out they are usu eachy pre package. However, studies have shown that processed foods are a curtilage for alarm as they are a major contributing factor to many symbols of cancers and heart problems. This is because their kilocalorie, sodium, and saturated fat content are usu tout ensembley vey utmost.Very many adverse wellness do are associated with the use of processed f oods. Take sugary squeez qualified drinks for example, research has shown that flossy drinks are a major contributor to angle gain and obesity cases. Due to its sugary and effervescent nature, soft drinks are very tempting and consumers are more likely to opt to pickings this drink as opposed to taking water or an different(prenominal) non-sugary drinks. According to researchers, consumption of soft drinks is likely to summation chances of a somebody getting obesity by 1.6 times. Soda has in like manner been know to contact the kidneys. Those with high phosphoric corrosive content have been known to increase renal colic especially in men. The high phosphoric acid content is nigh common to all kinds of colas.Due to their acidic nature, sodas/soft drinks are a contributing factor to dental decay because they feed to dissolve the mineral content of the enamel and consequently teeth become weaker. They have in like manner been known to damage the liver according to and Isr aeli medical study. This is especially so for the fizzy drinks.If stored for too want, fizzy drinks can leach aluminum from the cans. atomic number 13, which is the main component of the fizzy drinks cans, is trusty for Alzheimers disease. Aluminum metal has excessively been known to cause neurological diseases. Soft drinks are believed to have got high amounts of sugar that causes the pancreas to produce a lot of insulin, which leads to fatigue, sleepiness, and lethargy. brutal rise and reduction of sugar levels in the blood can cause diabetes due to the imbalance. High soda consumption has as well as been known to condense potassium levels in the blood leading to severe fatigue and proneness loss.A nonher effect of fizzy drinks is the increased risk of osteoporosis since it increases the risk of impaired calcification of bones. This is a major problem especially in young girls as it increases their risk of developing osteoporosis (increasing the prob business leader of f ractures) in the future.Fizzy drinks contain hapless or no nutritional value and due to their sweet and fizzy nature, they are often an option for many bulk and therefore people forego the option of taking healthier choices like water, fruit juice, or milk. Since most of them are diuretics, they are therefore a major cause of dehydration in people and therefore instead of channeling water to the body, they blackjack water out of the body.According to the World Health Organization, processed foods are linked to increased obesity cases in the World. Processed foods usually contain high amounts of fructose that has many negative health effect in the body. They in any case contain large amounts of salt, which is a major cause of stroke. ingestion of salt over a long period has been associated with hypertension and other heart related problems (Gogus 46).Processed foods usually contain hydrogenated fats in them. Hydrogenated fats usually take a long time metabolize. They also int erfere with the bodys ability to digest the good fats. They also alter the composition of cell membranes. They also contain many additives that have been known to cause a operate of diseases.According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) there are over 3,00 chemicals that have known to be used during food processing to add color, preserve, sweeten, soften, emulsify, thicken, add flavor and to achieve other desired effectuate o processed foods. Some of these additives have however, never been tested for safety. Some of these compounds are known to be toxic to humans and animals though whitethorn not be noxious at very minute levels. Side cause vary between chemicals and some harvest-tides contain a variety of these and it office therefore be hard to determine which chemical has caused which adverse effects unless under comprehensive tests. Companies that deal with processed foods sometimes provide stupid information as to the ingredients are contained in the foods. They may also at times exaggerate as to the benefits of the processed food in dictate to make more sales and attract more customers to buy its product (Packard)During processing of processed foods, vivid food is usually subjected to extrusion after(prenominal) which it is treated with oils and sugars to give them taste and texture. By the time they are packed, most of the natural ingredients that were initially contained in the foods have been destroyed. This therefore renders processed foods non-nutritional though they become more appealing.Processed foods should be highly avoided especially during pregnancies. This is because at this particular time, the unborn baby is very sensitive to the food that the breed is taking. Since it is not a requirement by the FDA to list all ingredients that have been used in processed foods, one might ingest harmful chemicals without their knowledge and these chemicals may end up being harmful to two the mother and the baby. Although at this time t he mothers body may be able to sieve these harmful chemicals from its systems, the unborn babys metabolism has not fully highly-developed and therefore may end up being retained in the babys body. The mothers body is however still vulnerable during pregnancy. Since the processed foods contain high amounts of sugar, it may lead to gestational diabetes, weight increase or type 2 diabetes, which usually occurs at around this time. It is therefore advisable for big(predicate) mothers to go for natural foods so that they can nourish their lives and that of their unborn babies (Rountree, immobilise 60).Food enhancers found in processed foods like chewing gums, low fat milk, drinks, and others. These enhancers have been known to cause headaches, nausea, high blood pressure, and reproductive disorders. These enhancers are also used in medications. Caffeine has also been known to cause fertility problems, heart diseases, insomnia, nervousness, and depression.Another risk that is associ ated with frozen foods is that when food is defrosted, it should not be used then frozen again. This is because it makes it susceptible to impingement by harmful bacteria, which might lead to diseases.Opposing views Benefits of processed foodsWith all its many disadvantages, processed foods do have their benefits. The most advantageous one is that it makes purchasable a variety of food and makes it easier to access the food, as it is available in the supermarkets. It also makes it possible to access the foods that are seasonal all year round for example, fruits and vegetables.Food processing also helps to improve food safety by various methods e.g. heating food at high temperatures helps to kill harmful bacteria. Some additives are also very sound in preventing the growth of fungus and bacteria on the foods. These bacteria are responsible for a wide range of diseases and therefore processing foods also helps to protect against some diseases that may be found in foods in their natu ral state. For foods like milk, pasteurization helps to keep it sporting. For milk, pasteurized milk is considered safer for use than fresh milk. Some processed foods are fortified with other minerals and therefore may be used as supplementsProcessed foods are usually packaged and this reduces interference of the food. The food is therefore well preserved when packed as compared to when it is not. Packaging also helps to increase convenience when it comes to transporting the food over long distances, as there will be minimal tampering of the foods. package food is also very convenient as it is quick and blowzy to prepare, as most of the processed foods are usually precooked.Processed foods also present economic benefits as they are easier to portion out and easier to transport. They are also easier to export as compared to fresh foods an therefore companies are able to sell more products both within the domestic markets and also outside the country. It also makes it easier for s eller to sell the processed foods at cheaper prices as compared to the fresh foods thereof making more sales.For people with diabetes, controlling their calorie intake is sometimes very hard when taking natural foods. It is therefore easier to control the calorie intake using processed foods as they have specified amount of calories. The same case applies to patients with heart problems.ConclusionIt is almost virtually unworkable in todays modern lifestyle to live without processed foods. However, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages, it in all proper to say that the best way to avoid the negative effects of processed foods is to avoid them altogether. Other ways that would significantly reduce these effects would include avoiding giving the processed foods to infants and children. This is because their metabolic systems have not fully developed and may not be able to sieve the toxins that may be found in the processed foods. One should always allege the label of the packed food carefully because though a food may be advertised to be low in sugar or salts, it may contain high levels of saturated fats (Nisha 17)One should also be vey careful as to purchase grains that are not also refined but whole meal. Expiry dates on the labels should be check into to ensure that the foods are not expired and also that they are not due to expire soon. Though taste is usually a determining(prenominal) of the foods we buy, one should ensure that they go for quality and not taste. In addition, one should make sure that they buy foods with minimal additives and flavors. Where unavoidable processed foods should therefore be used in moderation.