Processed meat, such as red meat, has been categorised with other cancer-causing substances like cigarettes, asbestos, added sugar, preservatives and alcohol.
The global body’s declaration has also brought to fore the impact of diet on health.
Nutritionists have warned us for the umpteenth time that processed foods have little or no nutrients; rather, they come with chemicals that could make us sick.
Consultant Nutritionist, Dr. James Ajibade, says that the term ‘processed food’ applies to any food that has been altered from its natural state.
“Many Nigerians may think this does not apply to them, but they must remember that suya is a processed meat. Killishi is also processed and it is worse because those preparing it add colourings and other carcinogenic preservatives and chemicals to make it attractive.
He says apart from processed meat, there are over 50 foods that have been said to be carcinogenic.
Ajibade says that any food made from flour such as spaghetti or white bread, which many people take for breakfast, soft drinks, juice and even imported chicken are categorised as processed foods.
You may know the healthy foods but may not be clear about the unhealthy ones. Not to worry, nutritionists at the Harvard Medical School in Boston, United States have compiled the following list of foods you should keep to a minimum for a better health.
They warn that eating these foods regularly in addition to healthier ones sets the stage for life-threatening illnesses such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancers.
Added sugars and soft drinks
Whether it is white granulated sugar, brown sugar, high- fructose corn syrup, corn sugar, or honey, sugar contains almost no nutrients and is pure carbohydrate. When you eat a lot of sugar, you are filling up on empty calories, causing your blood sugar to rise and fall like a roller coaster, and it keeps one from eating foods that have important nutrients and fibre.
Research cites soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages as the primary source of added sugar in the diet and a major contributor to weight gain and obesity. In fact, just one extra 12-ounce can of a typical sweetened beverage a day can add 15 pounds in a year.
That is not only because the drinks themselves add calories, but also because those liquid calories are not as satisfying as solid food.
Processed milk
Ice cream, whole milk, and cheese are full of saturated fat and some naturally occurring trans fat and therefore can increase the risk of the health problems, notably heart disease. The healthiest milk and milk products are low-fat versions, such as skim milk, milk with one per cent fat and reduced-fat cheeses.
Plantain chips and snacks
Cookies, plantain chips, snack cakes, doughnuts, pastries, and many other treats are hard to pass by, but nutritionists warn that these commercially prepared versions are packed with dangerous levels of processed carbohydrates, added sugar, unhealthy fats and salt.
Sweets, which contain majorly sugar, can impair insulin sensitivity and worsen blood lip, thereby leading to diabetes.
White bread and instant noodles
If you enjoy white bread, pasta, potatoes or instant noodles, you may need to overhaul your diet.
White flour in bread and rice is full of refined sugar, which has heavy calories that are not easy for the body to digest. Consider switching to the whole-grain versions of these foods instead. Whole-wheat contains good fibre and nutrients while imported turkey and chicken, processed meats and meat products, sweetened with preservatives such as nitrates and salts are not as beneficial as fresh animal flesh, bones, and offal. The nitrates and chemicals used to preserve these meats can form unhealthy, carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines when subjected.
Fresh meats should comprise the bulk of your meat intake. Factory-farmed meat intake should also be limited, as access and finances allow grass-fed/pastured animal products should be strongly favoured for their beneficial nutrient content.
Salt
Most condiments contain salts and sugars, which is simply another way to make bad food taste good by heaping sugar and/or bad fat all over it. If you get a low-fat dressing or condiment, it is undoubtedly loaded with sugar to make up for the missing fat. You cannot win, so it is best to just get rid of the stuff altogether.
Current dietary guidelines and the American Heart Association recommend reducing salt intake to 1,500 mg per day but most of us get 1 ½ teaspoons (or 8,500 mg) of salt daily. That translates to about 3,400 excess.
Your body needs a certain amount of sodium or salt but too much can increase blood pressure and the risk of heart disease and stroke.
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