Processed foods – How and Why we should cut back?

The love for processed food is hard to resist and how can one! They are convenient, they are everywhere we go and mainly a staple for most of the people. We all know that Processed foods are loaded with unhealthy fats, sugar, salt and chemicals which contribute to chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease and yet you don’t stop!

So how can you reduce the intake of processed food?
Here are a few ideas on how you can cut back and give your diet a healthy reboot.

• Plan ahead

Isn’t it more convenient to grab packaged food rather than preparing a real meal? But shouldn’t we be avoiding these? We understand how it is to live in a hustling world, hence we always look for an easy option and affect our health. To avoid this start planning ahead by adding more fresh fruits and vegetables, carry healthy snacks with you so that there’s no room for any other temptation. Being prepared will help you in cutting out the foods that aren’t good for you.

• Cook smarter

Try to save your precious time in the kitchen by cooking an easy alternative. You can also batch your cooking. This way it will help you cook smarter while still eating healthy.

• Use substitutions

Find ways to substitute the processed food items in your pantry and refrigerator. For instance, limit your salt consumption by substituting spices, garlic, or herbs. Opt for whole grains over processed grains such as brown rice instead of white rice or whole wheat bread instead of white bread. Try buying a rotisserie chicken that you can shred in many different meals instead of eating processed meats like bacon, sausage, or lunch meats.

• Eat less

We know it is difficult to avoid processed foods entirely and if you have that one food you just can’t give up on try limiting it. If you cannot resist the cravings of your favourite pizza take half portion of it instead of totally cutting it out. Yes, you’re still eating processed foods, but in a limit so that’s a start!

Over to you.
Removing processed foods from your diet completely is a great way to improve your overall health in the long run. Yes, no doubt it can be difficult to cut out the convenience processed foods provide you, but when you plan ahead and learn to love cooking, you’ll have success within a month!