Snack Foods in Packages
Avoid packaged and fast meals, especially those high in sugar, such as baked goods, candy, chips, and desserts. Packaged snacks, such as crisps, are commonly high in unhealthy fats. These snacks are typically composed of cheap, refined seed and vegetable oils that have been hydrogenated, leading in the creation of trans fats. Despite their widespread availability, vegetable oils are extremely hazardous.
A large percentage of your daily sugar intake is hidden in packaged and processed foods, many of which are marketed as healthy. Manufacturers routinely include health claims on their packaging, making certain meals look healthy when they actually contain a lot of added sugar.
Examples include the terms “natural,” “healthy,” “low-fat,” “diet,” and “light.” While low in fat and calories, these foods are usually heavy in added sugar. These labels are also available in eye-catching, vividly colored packaging that makes them easy to identify, and they are commonly available in two-for-one specials and discounts.
This ease of access to allegedly “healthy” foods may prove to be our downfall. Because of our fast-paced and demanding lifestyles, food preparation is often low on our ‘to do’ list. This encourages us to look for shortcuts, especially when it comes to eating. Because added sugar might be difficult to detect, the simplest way to prevent it is to eat less processed meals and more real foods. Prepackaged or processed foods are also high in salt, MSG, and artificial colors, and are low in fiber and minerals.
