Weight Loss - Processed Foods Can Cause Unnecessary Weight Gain
If you walk down the aisle of any supermarket you'll see shelf after shelf of processed foods, which offer convenience, quick preparation and sometimes great taste.
But with all the seemingly great benefits there is a price to pay beyond dollars and cents. In the process of creating these foods manufacturers resort to using ingredients that don't always provide the best nutrition or health benefits. These may be food colourings, flavour enhancers, preservatives and trans fats, which extend the shelf life.
Some of these ingredients are not only unhealthy when consumed regularly but they can contribute to weight gain and cardiovascular disease over time.
Food labels can be deceptive. For example, if a product contains.5 grams of trans fat the label can say it contains zero grams. Since you should limit your daily consumption to less than 2.0 grams you could easily exceed that amount without knowing.
Another example is genetically engineered ingredients. These don't appear on the label in a way that most consumers can understand. You'll only see the ingredients, which may seem healthy but you don't know what processing has gone on behind the scenes.
One of the best ways to make sure that the food you and your family eat is free of unwanted additives is to take control of the food supply that you provide at home.
Here are some tips:
Organic foods have become popular in recent years because organically raised livestock is not fed from the hormones and antibiotics that are often used to enhance and accelerate the growth of commercially produced products.
If you have a freezer, one option is to purchase your meat in bulk, which can save you money besides being a healthier choice. Check out the farmer's markets and local farms for availability.
If you have the space you can grow your own vegetables and freeze them for winter consumption. Freezing fruits and vegetables also preserves most of the vitamins and minerals. Recently some people have formed community gardens where everyone has their own plot of land where they plant the vegetables they like. Popular vegetables include lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, eggplants, squash, spinach and others.
By taking control of the food supply that you put on your table you can avoid the processed foods and eat a healthier diet.
But with all the seemingly great benefits there is a price to pay beyond dollars and cents. In the process of creating these foods manufacturers resort to using ingredients that don't always provide the best nutrition or health benefits. These may be food colourings, flavour enhancers, preservatives and trans fats, which extend the shelf life.
Some of these ingredients are not only unhealthy when consumed regularly but they can contribute to weight gain and cardiovascular disease over time.
Food labels can be deceptive. For example, if a product contains.5 grams of trans fat the label can say it contains zero grams. Since you should limit your daily consumption to less than 2.0 grams you could easily exceed that amount without knowing.
Another example is genetically engineered ingredients. These don't appear on the label in a way that most consumers can understand. You'll only see the ingredients, which may seem healthy but you don't know what processing has gone on behind the scenes.
One of the best ways to make sure that the food you and your family eat is free of unwanted additives is to take control of the food supply that you provide at home.
Here are some tips:
Organic foods have become popular in recent years because organically raised livestock is not fed from the hormones and antibiotics that are often used to enhance and accelerate the growth of commercially produced products.
If you have a freezer, one option is to purchase your meat in bulk, which can save you money besides being a healthier choice. Check out the farmer's markets and local farms for availability.
If you have the space you can grow your own vegetables and freeze them for winter consumption. Freezing fruits and vegetables also preserves most of the vitamins and minerals. Recently some people have formed community gardens where everyone has their own plot of land where they plant the vegetables they like. Popular vegetables include lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, eggplants, squash, spinach and others.
By taking control of the food supply that you put on your table you can avoid the processed foods and eat a healthier diet.
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