Avoid Processed Junk Food

All the processed junk foods in the diet are the biggest reason the world is fatter and sicker than ever before.These foods have been engineered to be "hyper-rewarding," so they trick our brains into eating more than we need, even leading to addiction in some people (15). They are also low in fiber, protein and micronutrients (empty calories), but high in unhealthy ingredients like added sugar and refined grains.

Reasons to Quit Processed Foods:

1. Processed foods may raise your cancer risk

   Foods that are ultra-processed—foods that contain artificial colors and flavors, additives, and emulsifiers—are linked to an increased risk of cancer.



2. They’re loaded with added sugar, sodium, and fat

   Too much sugar, sodium, and fat in your diet can lead to serious health issues, including obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. Unfortunately, processed foods are often packed with these ingredients.



3. Processed foods are designed to make you overeat and become addicted them.

   Studies show that the “reward system” in our brain can sometimes allow us to consume more of our favorite foods than our bodies actually need. Processed food manufacturers, according to Medical News Today, know this lucrative fact, so they purposely include ingredients—most commonly sugar, salt, and fat—that make their products highly rewarding to us. These ingredients lead us to overeat—and then buy some more.



4. They contain lots of artificial ingredients.

   If you’re looking at the label on a box of your favorite junk food, there’s probably a bunch of ingredients that you can barely pronounce. If that’s the case, your cookies are packed with artificial preservatives, colorants, and flavorings that could be negatively affecting your health, even if it’s been deemed as safe by the FDA.Some of these ingredients have been linked to an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, blood clots, and obesity, while others may aggravate ADHD symptoms in children.



5. Processed foods are high in carbs and low in nutrients and fiber.

   Processed foods are often packed with refined carbs, which can cause your blood sugar to spike too quickly, thus leading to a drop a few hours later that will make you feel even hungrier.And on top of that, processed foods often lose their nutrients during processing, so synthetic nutrients are added in, which aren’t as effective. The fiber is often stripped away as well, which your body needs to properly digest food.



6. Processed Food Groups to Avoid:
   • Deli meat, bacon, hot dogs, and sausages
   • Sodas and sweetened beverages
   • Quick meals
   • Commercially baked goods

Processed foods are altered in some way during preparation to make them more convenient, shelf-stable, and/or flavorful for consumers. It’s important to remember that the processed foods discussed here are chemically processed in addition to being mechanically processed. For example, if apples are peeled, cored, and cooked to make apple sauce, it’s considered to be mechanically processed and would count as a healthy option. But if sugar and artificial flavors and/or colors are added to the apple sauce, it would be considered chemically processed.

Here are a few tips to avoid junk food:

1. Read the ingredients label


2. Increase your consumption of whole foods.


3. Buy your bread from a local bakery.


4. Go for the whole-grain option.


5. Avoid store-bought products containing high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS).


6. Don’t order off the kids’ menu


7. Visit your local farmers’ market
8. Eat all the junk food you want as long as you cook it yourself

Suggested Reading:

Stay Away from These 6 Foods and Beverages - Learn more here.

11 Ways to Stop Cravings for Unhealthy Foods and Sugar - Learn more here.

Processed Foods: What's OK and What to Avoid - Learn more here.

10 Processed Foods to Avoid - Learn more here.