Are you a junk food addict? Have you ever wondered why processed food is so cheap? If you said yes to both these questions then you should keep scrolling to read more. To be able to understand why processed food is cheap, you first need to understand what they are.
What are processed foods?
Processed foods are a convenient option. However, despite its convenience , they are quite bad for your health and the health of your loved ones. To store the food item properly, , a large amount of sugar, fats and sodium is added to the canned boxes and packets.
What are the types of processed foods?
There are a variety of processed foods easily available in the market. Some might even mistake it for being healthier as compared to other packed foods.
Here is a list of processed foods that you might be consuming regularly without realising how bad they are for your health:
● Cereal
● Cheese
● Milk
● Bread
● Cookies
● Chips
There are different ways of processing food and making sure that it stays with you for a longer period. That is exactly why it is not advisable to consume processed foods too often. Once a week is alright but if you are having processed foods every day for the rest of the week then there is an issue.
It is also important to know the different stages and levels that a portion of food goes through before being processed. There is one level on which the vegetables and fruits are only cut and cleaned. That also falls in the category of processed foods. Then there is the highest level of processed foods in which there are added preservatives to make it last longer than usual for human consumption. A great example of such processed foods can be found in the form of frozen food items or ready to cook meals for instant consumption.
There comes a time in everyone's life when food is the last thing on their mind. Not everyone wants to invest a lot of time and money in making a healthy meal. Not everyone likes spending time in the kitchen. Some people only like to eat just for the sake of it. Some people like saving time because of their hectic routines and just want to get done with the hassle of putting together a meal by either ordering in or taking out a meal from the drive-through. The choice at the end of the day is entirely yours. You can choose whatever you want for yourself. Desserts are yummy and they do give you a sugar rush. That sugar rush, however, comes with a lot of extra calories that might not affect your health too positively.
Why are processed foods cheaper?
People usually opt for processed food options because they are not just convenient to consume but are also cheaper than organic foods available in the market. There are artificial flavours and extra preservatives that are added to make processed foods and bring them to life. Preservatives are chemicals that are added to the food to make sure they stay put for a longer time and can be consumed whenever the person wants without having to run to the grocery store every time for something.
Here are the consequences of eating overly processed foods regularly:
● Risk of cancer: Every 10% increase in the consumption of overly processed foods leads to an increased risk of getting cancer.
● Excessive sugar, sodium and fats: One of the major consequences of consuming overly processed foods is taking sugar, sodium and fats in an unhealthy amount which eventually leads to health issues such as obesity, heart diseases, high blood sugar levels, etc.
● Less nutritional value: Such foods might seem appetising but do not have any significant nutritional value. They lack essentials such as vitamins and minerals that the human body needs for day to day functioning.
● Addictive: The truth is that such foods are usually quite addictive. This means that you will crave a certain type of unprocessed food once you are addicted to it. You would start feeling lethargic and cranky if your dessert cravings do not get satisfied on time, especially when you are sad or lonely.
● Gaining more calories: While you might be enjoying the taste of the food, you are also gaining weight and putting on unhealthy fats in your body through such food choices.
In the case of organic foods such as fresh meat, vegetables, fruits or dried spices, you will have to take care of a lot of factors before and after making the purchase. You need to be sure that you consume the food well within a specific time frame before it goes bad and you will have no other choice but to throw it away. The thing with organic food items is that they are also pricey when compared to processed food items. There are no chemicals added to their production.
Organic food items require expensive manoeuvre and land on which they can be grown. You can even grow a few organic vegetables and fruits in your kitchen garden or homeland if you have that kind of luxury. The point is, not everyone has that privilege and time to adapt to such a lifestyle. You will also have to take care of what you are sowing in the land. You will have to give it an adequate amount of water and sunlight, depending on what food item you want to grow. With processed foods, the process requires one dose of preservative and the food becomes good for human consumption.
One important thing to keep in mind, however, is the fact that organic foods are not only limited to unprocessed food items. They are real foods that are minimally processed and do not have heaps of fillers or any unnatural or unhealthy ingredients in them.
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