New Delhi, April 2 (IANS). In today’s fast paced life, everyone is short of time. Between office, studies, traffic and everyday hustle and bustle, cooking sometimes seems like a burden. In such a situation, ready-to-eat and packaged foods become our easiest companions. Just open the packet, heat it and the food is ready, but this convenience is gradually weakening our body.
Flavored curd, instant oats, noodles, frozen vegetables, everything claims to be healthy and tasty. Words like low fat, high fiber or 100 percent natural are written on the packet, which assure us that we are making the right choice, but the reality is a little different.
Actually, to keep these packaged foods safe for a long time, preservatives, excess salt, sugar and artificial flavors are added to them. These things enhance the taste, but gradually have a bad effect on the body. Just as excess salt can increase blood pressure, excess sugar increases the risk of weight and diabetes.
They also lack nutrition. The vitamins and minerals present in fresh food are largely lost during processing. Because of this, it fills the stomach, but the body does not get real nutrition.
Once we get accustomed to these easy options, home-cooked food gradually begins to seem bland. This is the biggest danger. For the sake of convenience, we change our eating habits and these habits later affect our health.
This does not mean that you should completely stay away from packaged food. It is okay to eat them occasionally, but it is not right to make them a daily habit. Try to eat as much fresh and homemade food as possible. Even if you have to take packaged food, read its label carefully because it is important to know what is included in it.
–IANS
PIM/VC