Processed foods - 13th October, 2021.

One of the most miraculous inventions in human history has been preserving food; we process it in some way or form- heating, freezing, fermenting, or otherwise.

Processing has solved many hunger problems worldwide; we can transport food to remote places where we once couldn’t. We have effectively mitigated the problem of hunger by our ingenuity alone.

When humans come up with something beneficial to us, we also find a way to make it profitable and harmful. Hence, we are born the ultra-processed foods; rich in salts, fats, and sugars. These make up our breakfast cereals, chips, cakes, bread, and most stuff with a label. These are not good for us.

To appeal to our taste buds and to make us crave it often, researchers have perfected the right amount of salts, sugars, and fats in these foods. They give us a sense of satisfaction in a similar way when our hunter ancestors found foods rich in carbohydrates and fats. It signals to our brains that we have found something that will enrich us.

That is not the case with these foods. The amount of sodium and sugar, and fat that you get from them is horrifyingly high. Your body reacts erratically to these foods; they cause inflammation, obesity, fat to build upon your organs, and mental health issues. That is why you feel lethargic after eating a burger, chips, or any of the “Junk food,” as we call it.

You can eat these foods but beware of how much you eat because they never seem to fulfill us. There is always another bag and another burger. We’ve dealt with cravings and how addictive the foods themselves can become. These cravings go on and on as long as we eat.

But you can overcome them, and when you do, your body will thank you the more for it!