Americans consume one-third more processed or packaged food than they do foods that are fresh, according to an article published in the April 3, 2010, issue of "The New York Times." The lure of processed food comes from the convenience factor. You may find yourself eating processed food in place of a meal made primarily with fresh ingredients because of your busy lifestyle. While you do not need to give up all processed foods, dropping some of the most unhealthy ones may help you improve your diet.
Rationale
The rationale for dropping some processed foods when trying to improve your diet involves the heavy use of sodium, chemical additives, fat and sugar used in many of these foods. Consuming high-calorie, high-fat and high-sodium foods can lead to obesity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity in turn often leads to high blood pressure, various types of heart disease, mobility problems, high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes. Eating less processed foods and more natural foods may help you consume fewer calories, sodium and saturated fats, which can lessen your risk of some of these diseases.
Breaded and Fried Meats
Highly processed, fried breaded meats such as chicken nuggets, country fried steak and fried fish contain far more calories and fat than the same meats baked in an oven or grilled. You can find these types of processed meats in the freezer section of your grocery store, and in many restaurants. A single chicken breast fried at a restaurant contains 568 calories and 35 g of fat, while a baked chicken breast with no skin has 142 calories and 3 g of fat. In restaurants, choose grilled or roasted meat without skin or breading, and at home, avoid frying meat.
Hot Dogs and Processed Meats
Hot dogs and meats processed for use in sandwiches or wraps contain high levels of sodium and often contain unhealthy nitrates. If you eat highly processed meat frequently, you may be inadvertently increasing your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to a study published in the June 2010 issue of the American Heart Association journal "Circulation." A single beef hot dog has 170 calories, 15 g of fat and 600 mg of sodium, which is about 40 percent of your allowed sodium for the day. Two slices, or about 3.4 oz. of turkey luncheon meat has 1,152 mg of sodium in 108 calories. More natural alternatives for a healthy diet include slicing your own grilled turkey for sandwiches, and having a grilled vegetable burger instead of a hot dog at outdoor social events.
Processed Sweets
The occasional piece of cake at a social gathering will not cause you to suddenly gain weight or develop high blood pressure, but a steady diet of processed sweets can contribute to health problems. Processed sweets that you should consider dropping from your diet include prepackaged sweet cakes and rolls, cookies, candy bars not made from 70 percent dark chocolate, icing-filled sweet cakes and full-fat ice cream. A single cream-filled chocolate cupcake has 200 calories, 8 g of fat, 19 g of sugar and 166 mg of sodium. Eating processed sweets takes up calories you could be getting from healthier foods, and the sweets do not keep your from getting hungry. A 21-oz. chocolate milk shake at a fast food restaurant has 627 calories, which is about one-third of your calories, if you consume 1,800-calories a day.
References
- "The New York Times"; Factory Food; Hannah Fairfield; April 2010
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Prevention and Preparedness
- USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory: Chicken, Hot Dog, Lunch Meat, Cupcake, Milkshake
- "Circulation"; Red and Processed Meat Consumption and Risk of Incident Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke, and Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis; Renata Micha, et al.; June 2010
- American Heart Association; Sodium (Salt or Sodium Chloride); August 2011
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