Before serving yourself a new portion of food, think twice, as it can mean a very important decision for your future health.
Consuming too much processed food is highly detrimental to the average individual, and unfortunately we cannot visit a fast food place without submitting to processed foods. You can develop from diseases associated with weight gain to cardiovascular problems. And although buying the most delicious snacks is a very pleasant temptation, in the end it may not be worth it.
For these reasons, you must be aware of the consequences that processed food can cause in our body .
4 dangers of processed food
1. Weight gain and obesity
Although there is no concrete evidence that consuming processed food is one of the causes of obesity, there are relationships between both factors. In fact, an analysis published in Current Obesity Reports has concluded that 4 out of 5 studies conducted on the subject have resulted in an obvious relationship between processed food and the development of obesity , metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure levels and increased of bad cholesterol (Poti, Braga and Qin, 2018).
To counteract obesity, you can eat a diet rich in fiber instead of empty carbohydrates.
2. Cancer
It’s unbelievable to believe, but according to the American Cancer Society , some processed meats like bacon and hot dogs have a dangerous connection to the possibility of colorectal cancer , and have been classified as carcinogenic. This is because this type of meat goes through different processes to be salted, cured, fermented or smoked to increase its flavor and prolong its duration.
A study published by the British Medical Journal , conducted on 105,000 participants, has found that the consumption of processed products has an association with high levels of possibility of contracting any type of cancer, specifically breast cancer. However, the participants had the possibility to monitor their own food, so the results are subject to modifications (Fiolet et al., 2018).
3. Stroke
The causes or antecedents of strokes are usually diets with a high content of processed foods, which tend to contain high levels of sodium, another component associated with the possibility of contracting a stroke, since it increases blood pressure. In this sense, a study has suggested the relationship between processed meats and an increase in your chances of suffering from this condition (Lakkur and Judd, 2015).
When the blood pressure gets too high, the blood that should flow through the arteries is restricted, and once it is blocked, the stroke occurs. However, there is a way to control the effects of sodium , through the incorporation of fruits and vegetables in your diet.
4. Death at an early age
JAMA Internal Medicine has published a study of approximately 44,000 middle-aged people and found, in a follow-up 7 years later, that there is a direct relationship between the consumption of processed products and an increased risk of dying prematurely (Schnabel et al., 2019)
What’s more, another study published in BMJ found that high amounts of processed food; that is, eating more than 4 products per day is associated with a 62% increase when it comes to death. In addition, the same study states that with each additional portion of processed food consumed per day, the risk of death increases by 18% (Rico-Campà et al., 2019)
However, you have to remember that none of these foods necessarily cause a stroke, rather it increases your chances of getting one, so if you eat a balanced diet, you should be in good health.
How to avoid processed foods
- Eliminate processed meats and packaged snacks from your kitchen.
- Stock up on fruits, vegetables, fish, and whole grains.
- Instead of finishing your meal with an artificial dessert, choose a fresh fruit.
Conclution
Although processed foods can increase your chances of getting some diseases in the long term, it doesn’t mean you don’t need them. As long as you create a balance between them and other natural foods, you will achieve a balanced diet.
References
- Fiolet, T., Srour, B., Sellem, L., Kesse-Guyot, E., Allès, B., Méjean, C.… Touvier, M. (2018). Consumption of ultra-processed foods and cancer risk: results from NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort. BMJ . doi: 10.1136 / bmj.k322
- Lakkur, S. and Judd, SE (2015). Diet and stroke: recent evidence supporting a Mediterranean style diet and food in the primary prevention of stroke. Stroke. doi: 10.1161 / STROKEAHA.114.006306
- Poti, JM, Braga, B. and Qin, B. (2018). Ultra-processed Food Intake and Obesity: What Really Matters for Health – Processing or Nutrient Content? Current Obesity Reports . doi: 10.1007 / s13679-017-0285-4
- Rico-Campà, A., Martínez-González, MA, Alvarez-Alvarez, I., Deus Mendonça, R., De la Fuente-Arrillaga, C., Gómez-Donoso, C.… Bes-Rastrollo, M. (2019 ). Association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and all cause mortality: SUN prospective cohort study. BMJ . doi: 10.1136 / bmj.l1949
- Schnabel, L., Kesse-Guyot, E., Allès, B., Touvier, M., Srour, B., Hercberg, S.… Julia, C. (2019). Association Between Ultraprocessed Food Consumption and Risk of Mortality Among Middle-aged Adults in France. JAMA Internal Medicine. doi: 10.1001 / jamainternmed.2018.7289
