The National Health Service (NHS) defines processed food as any food that has been altered in some way during preparation. The NHS also says that not all processed foods are bad because some foods need processing to make them safe, such as milk, which needs to be pasteurised to remove harmful bacteria.
The NHS said that what makes processed foods unhealthy are ingredients such as salt, sugar and fat, which are sometimes added to them to make their flavour more appealing and to extend their shelf life, or in some cases, to contribute to the food’s structure, such as salt in bread or sugar in cakes.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (TDN) at Ifako-Ijaiye General Hospital, Omogbai Rosemary, further explained that processed food is any food that has been altered in some way during preparation, such as milling, cutting, heating, blanching, cooking, canning, freezing— anything done to the food that changes its natural state.
Processing foods makes it last longer, taste better, or more convenient to eat. Processed foods can have many bad effects on health. They often have a lot of added sugars, salt, and unhealthy fats, which can lead to problems like obesity, heart issues, and diabetes. Also, the ways they are processed might take away important nutrients, making the food nutritionally inadequate, but palatable.
On what ultra-processed foods are, she said: “Ultra-processed foods are a type of processed foods that goes through even more changes than processed foods. They usually have extra things added like preservatives, sweeteners, colourings and flavorings. These foods often do not have much nutritive value and might increase one’s appetite because they taste really good.
“Eating too much processed or ultra-processed food can be detrimental to health. It can lead to the onset of metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity, high blood pressure, high blood triglycerides, low levels of HDL cholesterol, and insulin resistance, increase the chances of getting chronic diseases, among others. These foods also might not have the important nutrients the body needs.”
While advising people on reducing the consumption of processed foods, the dietitian said: “To eat less processed food, it’s a good idea to choose whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Reading food labels can help one avoid products with too much added sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats. “Cooking at home with fresh ingredients allows one control what is in his meals. Being aware of how much you eat, maintaining a regular eating pattern, and ensuring that one eats breakfast (the most important meal of the day) before 9 am are also important. It’s smart to limit sugary drinks and go for water or healthier alternatives like smoothies.”
Also, Consultant Public Health Physician at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr. Odusolu Yetunde, said: “Dangers of consumption of processed foods are that it usually leads to loss of some essential nutrients that were originally in the processed foods, although some companies may end up adding additives and some fortification to the processed food to augment or replace the lost nutrients during the process of production.
“In most cases, the processed foods will lose some of the original natural nutrients value or flavor although it may still retain part of the properties of the food.
Some vitamins/minerals needed for normal metabolic function of the body are lost during the preparation of some processed foods, which means that when such are eaten, the individual will not benefit from the gains that such vitamins or mineral components will provide in the natural state.
The health safety practitioner said: “The danger of excessive consumption of processed foods is that it can lead to predilection for occurrence of some non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes, cancer, among others, which are becoming rife in this modern technology and fast tracked generation.”
She added: “We are having an increasing incidence of epidemic of cardiovascular diseases and chronic diseases conditions because of heavy consumption of processed foods.
“Many people are eating processed foods laden with salts, sugar, preservatives, which in the long run, take a remarkable toll on the health of those who are always consuming it.”
On solutions, she said: “We should try as much as possible to add more foods in their natural state to our meals and savour them as they are unprocessed. This will help to prevent health conditions that were aforementioned. It is advocated that we should eat more of fruits and vegetables in half of our plate for a meal.”
