Dirty Facts about Processed Foods: Why You Should Cut Down

Between a bag of cookies and a big slice of whole wheat bread, what would you choose for breakfast? How about for lunch – which sounds more appetising, greasy burger or blunt pasta? And for dinner, what would you want to eat – pepperoni pizza or fruit salad? If you have troubles giving up processed foods over the healthier ones, it’s probably because you lack full understanding of how bad these foods really are. Here are the dirty facts about regular eating of processed foods that will surely keep you away from eating them day after day!

Processed foods cause chronic inflammation
Inflammation is the major cause of a wide range of illnesses, including heart disease, neurological disorder, respiratory failure, and cancer. Many studies have shown that the most common ingredients found in processed foods, such as refined sugar, vegetable oil, MSG, sodium and processed flour are responsible for inflammation epidemic.

They promote brain damage.
Researchers from Oxford University found that people who regularly consume junk foods are more likely to become irritable and angry. This is because the toxins and chemicals contained in these products cause critical damage to the brain. On the other hand, non-processed foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables have been found to promote brain health, elevate mood and boost energy levels in humans.

Processed foods are loaded with nasty GMOs.
Processed foods are loaded with genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) – chemical compounds that are linked to various health illnesses such as infertility, organ damage, gastrointestinal disorders, and cancer.

They ruin digestion.
Other than delivering toxins in your system, processed foods also strip off fibre and essential enzymes in your gut which in turn destroys your digestive health. Too much consumption of these foods can affect the balance in your internal ecosystem, destroying good bacteria (probiotics) and exposing your digestive tract to infections.

They contain tons of PESTICIDES!
You use pesticides to kill rodents, termites and bugs, and not really to poison yourself! But it’s what you are actually doing whenever you eat your favourite junk food. To grow the GMOs to be used in processed foods, farmers have to apply Roundups and other pesticides to their crops. Breakfast cereals alone have been found to contain 70 different types of pesticides!

They contain health-damaging phosphate.
Phosphate is the most common food additive that improves taste and texture and prolongs the shelf-life of foods. However, it has been known to cause serious health problems such as rapid ageing, kidney deterioration, and weak bones.

They’re expensive.
Many people think that the healthier the food is, the more expensive it becomes. But according to studies, whole foods that are prepared from scratch actually cost less than processed foods available in grocery stores today.

Processed foods are not foods – they are bits of waste.
Real foods have one downside – they rot easily. On the other hand, fake foods are those that retain their taste, texture, colour, and smell even for a long, long time. Beware of them because chances are, you are actually eating more preservatives, additives and chemical compounds than the real food!

Processed foods are only as good as their packaging.
Check the label and list down all the ingredients that are not familiar to you and search them on the internet. You will notice that food additives that are hard to pronounce are usually the most hazardous to your health.

They can cause severe allergic reactions.
Did you know that many processed foods get their red-colouring from ground-up insect shells which can actually trigger severe allergic reactions? So beware!

They are a product of ‘dirty processing’.
Animal feed that is supplied to factory-farmed cows contain rendered road-killed and euthanized cats and dogs (gross!) as well as plastic pellets! Yeah. Just imagine what kind of meat these cows produce after being fed with such trash. Worse, we eat them whenever we eat burgers, sausages, and all other processed meats!