Are Packaged Goods Really ‘Good’?

The inspiration for this blog comes from a girl sitting next to me eating Doritos for around 30 minutes. Truly saying, not only the munching sound was annoying, the smell of jalapeno-flavored Doritos was making me also all the more hungry.

We all know that parents aren’t really great fans of packaged food items, because they know that these goods are dangerous for our health. The material used for packaging, storing and processing of food items is harmful to human health. The use or I must say the overuse of chemicals to increase the shelf life of the products makes people sick, obese and lethargic..

The most common and all-time favorite member of the packaged goods is CHIPS.

As we all know that chips are everyone’s favorite snack, at any time of the day. They are inexpensive, easily available (at every convenience store), and tasty. But the fact we are unaware of is that eating chips have negative effects on our health. They are typically high in fat and calories. And this raises the risk of weight gain and obesity. According to SFGate, one ounce of plain potato chips (15-20 chips), contains about 10 grams of fat and 154 calories. Chips might help us fill our stomach, but they aren’t any good source of nutrition. They are low in vitamins and minerals and affect our eating habits. We no longer consume healthy food items, once we are full eating chips. The levels of sodium and cholesterol contained in them are not that healthy too. Frequent chips consumption contributes to high cholesterol levels in our body. Since they are deep-fried, they contain trans fats as well as saturated fats (present in oils used for deep-frying) which also contribute to high cholesterol levels. Also, the sodium content in chips adversely impacts our cardiovascular health. Potato chips generally have between 120 and 180 milligrams of sodium per ounce. The high levels of sodium trigger an increase in the blood pressure in our body, which can lead to stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease, and kidney disease.

Moving on, next in the list, we have aerated drinks, also known as carbonated drinks. Carbonated drinks have high sugar content, high-fructose corn syrup, preservatives like phosphoric acid, and chemicals to add color to these drinks. The high sugar content can cause diabetes and affect the heart as well as the liver. The phosphoric acid can cause bone loss and the citric acid can cause severe dental erosion. These drinks are also responsible for weight gain. According to CureJoy, having 1 or more soft drinks per day leads to a substantial weight gain and increased risk of type 2 diabetes in women. In men, having 1 or 2 servings of such drinks daily increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The story doesn’t end here. Aerated drinks can lead to osteoporosis and bone fractures. The excess amount of phosphoric acid intervenes with the proper calcium metabolism for proper bones. In addition to that, the amount of caffeine present in these drinks is highly addictive and interrupts our sleep and digestion.

Jellies and candies, which are every child’s favorite, are actually dangerous for their health. The preservatives and food colorings used in preparing these sweet toffees and candies pose a threat to children’s health. These contain saturated fat and sugars in risky amounts, which can cause dental cavities, weight gain, and poor nutrition. Eating candy on a regular basis adds to our calorie intake, ultimately leading to obesity, and other serious problems associated with it, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart diseases, and certain types of cancer.

Oh! And how can I forget to mention the frozen and ready to cook foods? Again, frozen foods are hazardous because of the preservatives used for a longer shelf life. These chemicals can cause nausea, tingling in limbs, headache, chest pain, fatigue, and serious breathing difficulties. They are carcinogenic (can lead to pancreatic cancer), can elevate blood pressure, and contribute to clogged arteries, due to the presence of Trans fats in them.

By this time, you will be wondering what should we probably eat then. First of all, packaged food items aren’t really dangerous if consumed in limited and healthy amounts. Also, there are alternatives available. Baked potato chips and tortilla chips are healthy alternatives. Although they do not have a lesser amount of salt (sodium level), they are not deep fried and are lower in calories and fat. Also, we should try to consume more fruits, which are natural sources of sugar, and not give candies to the kids. Parents should develop healthy eating habits in their kids, and should not depend upon any sort of packaged food.