The modern food industry has prioritised convenience over everything else. In some cases, the aspect of health is overlooked. This is mainly due to the increasing use of processed foods. While most vegetables and other such food items can be kept raw, other items might require processing to keep them fresh and ensure digestibility. Food processing also improves the appeal of the item by enhancing factors like colour and flavour.
As health became a more important factor, processed food companies started incorporating this new demographic by including healthy products and processes. These include everything from providing ready made meals to being more transparent with ingredients.
Including Processed Food in a Healthy Diet
Avoiding processed food completely is not possible as they are everywhere and are used for almost everything. However, this is also not necessary as processed foods are also offering healthy options. Here are some ways to pick out healthy items in processed foods.
Food Labels: Reading labels are the only way to know what ingredients are being used by the manufacturer. Go through the labels and avoid high amounts of sodium, added sugars and unsaturated fats. Some companies also include nutritional facts on the products, which help integrate the item into a diet.
Frozen Foods: Frozen and canned foods are almost as good as fresh food as they contain very less additives. They are also very nutritious and can contribute to one’s diet. Keep in mind to avoid items with salty sauces and sugary syrups. Frozen foods also have labelled info to help choose products with less sodium and added sugars.
Eating Out: Make sure to pick restaurants that compliment a healthy diet while going out to eat. Communicate with the staff at the restaurant to know about the items that are prepared to order.
Benefits of Eating Healthy
Maintaining a proper diet is very important in having a healthy body. Measures like reducing foods with trans fat and pre planning healthy ready-made meals can be taken to achieve this. But why is eating healthy important? Here are some of its benefits.
Heart Health: Almost 80% of heart ailments can be prevented by making lifestyle changes. Diets can be adjusted to help in reducing blood pressure and maintaining heart health. Foods recommended for this are vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. Reducing sodium and sugar intake can also be helpful.
Reduced Cancer Risk: Foods rich in antioxidants can be very beneficial in preventing cancer. These include food items like berries, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, pumpkins and carrots. In addition, some phytochemicals in these foods also act as antioxidants and help towards the same cause.
Gut Health: The human colon has a lot of natural bacteria which are vital to its functioning. Fermented foods and a diet including lots of vegetables, fruits and legumes can help maintain these good bacteria. Some probiotics can also help with this.
Strong bones: Including enough sources of calcium and magnesium in one’s diet can reduce the risk of bone issues like osteoporosis later in life. Manufacturers often include products like cereals with calcium content for the same. Magnesium is easy to consume as it is available in various foods like leafy vegetables, nuts and whole grains, to name a few.
Sleep: Eating proper meals at regular timings can help in inducing sleep. Unhealthy diets can also cause sleep apnea. Reducing caffeine intake can also help with maintaining a sleep schedule.
Despite all the changes happening to how food is being processed, maximum effort should be taken to maintain a healthy diet.
