Content
Frequent consumption of ready-made foods can be harmful to health, because the vast majority have high concentrations of sodium, sugar, saturated fat and chemicals that improve and guarantee the taste, in addition to increasing the shelf life of the food.
Thus, due to the amount of sodium, fat and preservatives, ready-made foods can favor weight gain, increased pressure and increase the risk of heart and intestinal problems.
Health risks
Ready-made foods, which may or may not be frozen, can have several negative health impacts, because the foods that are used in their preparation most often lose quality during the freezing process, in addition to which preservatives and salt are usually added to guarantee the taste of the food and increase the shelf life.
Thus, some of the main risks related to the long-term consumption of frozen ready foods are:
1. Weight gain
When frozen frozen foods are frequently consumed, it is possible that there is an increase in weight and the amount of body fat, because most of these foods have a large amount of calories. In addition, as they are often not nutritionally rich, they do not guarantee satiety and, therefore, the person feels like eating more and more often throughout the day.
2. Increase in blood pressure
The increase in blood pressure is usually related to the large amount of sodium present in ready-made foods and spices, especially in lasagna, powdered soups, instant noodles and diced spices.
A 300 g serving of lasagna, for example, has more than 30% of all the salt an adult can eat each day, while a cube of meat seasoning has twice as much salt as an adult can eat the whole day. Thus, it is easy to overdo the salt when consuming industrialized products, which increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. Find out what the daily salt recommendation is.
Here's how to consume less salt by watching the following video:
3. Increase in cholesterol
In addition to the large amount of sodium, ready meals are also rich in saturated fat, which is primarily responsible for increasing bad cholesterol and reducing good cholesterol.
Thus, due to changes in cholesterol levels, there is also a greater risk of developing cardiac changes, such as heart attack, stroke and atherosclerosis, which is the clogging of blood vessels due to the presence of fatty plaques, in addition to increasing the chance of having fat in the liver.
4. Intestinal problems
Due to the high content of chemicals, such as preservatives, flavorings, dyes and flavor enhancers, frequent consumption of ready-made foods can also lead to health problems such as stomach irritation, colon cancer, headache, tingling, kidney stones , nausea and reduced absorption of vitamins in the intestine.
In addition, food additives such as monosodium glutamate leave the palate addicted to the artificial flavor of the food, which causes increased consumption of this type of product.
How to choose frozen food
Although frozen food is not the best choice for a meal, in some situations its consumption can be considered. Thus, it is important to pay attention to the food label, giving preference to foods that have less fat and sodium. Other tips for choosing frozen food are:
- Avoid frozen foods with sauces or gravies;
- Do not defrost the complete box, removing only the necessary portion;
- Avoid buying unhealthy frozen meals, even if they have been prepared fresh.
Even in the case of vegetables and fruits it is important to check the ingredients, as only the fruits and vegetables themselves must be mentioned, any other ingredients may indicate that they have preservatives that can be harmful to health.
Are frozen fruits and vegetables healthy?
Frozen fruits, vegetables and legumes are healthy as long as they have been frozen shortly after they have been harvested, as it is thus possible to maintain their nutrients and health benefits. In fact, some fruits and vegetables, such as strawberries, peas or beans, lose vitamin C much more quickly when they are fresh than frozen.
Learn how to properly freeze food to ensure its benefits:
Created by: Tua Saúde Editorial Team