10 Horrifying Facts About Processed Foods You Probably Didn’t Know

Processed foods are cheap, easy to get and take a little amount of time and effort to prepare. Microwaveable meals and canned foods may be delicious and convenient, but they are not doing your health any favors. The FDA defines processed food as any food item that has been subject to milling, dehydration, freezing, cooking or canning. By this definition, most foods can be regarded as processed foods. These foods contain ingredients that are usually harmful to your body. This list contains 10 horrifying facts about processed foods you probably didn’t know.

Disgusting Ingredients

Titanium dioxide, which is usually used in sunscreens and paints, is also found in cake icing, coffee creamers and salad dressings.

Shorten Lifespan

Consuming a diet high in processed foods has been proven to take years off a person’s life.

Weight Gain

Studies show that the Western Diet that is prevalent in nations such as Australia, Great Britain and the United States will make a person fat. Sugary snacks, refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages and potato chips, in particular, are the processed foods that cause people to gain the most weight over time.

Chronic Diseases

According to studies, virtually all chronic diseases are caused by your modern diet of processed foods.

Microorganisms

The microorganisms residing in our digestive tract make an important inner ecosystem that influences several aspects of our health. Processed foods disrupt these microorganisms and can cause serious problems.

Calorie Burning

Consuming a diet high in processed food causes a person’s body to burn fewer calories.

Processed Meats

Sausages, hot dogs, pepperoni, pastrami, ham and bacon may be tasty, but the effects of consuming these processed foods can be devastating. According to several studies, consuming processed meats can significantly raise a person’s odds of developing type II diabetes and heart disease and can take years off their life.

Partially Hydrogenated Oils

Various processed foods can contain partially hydrogenated oils that are the main dietary source of trans fat in processed foods. This chemically-produced oil raises a person’s risk of diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

Calories

About 70% of a person’s calories come from processed food.

Dopamine

There is a reason people cannot stop consuming all those salty, sugary snacks: they are designed to keep people coming back. These foods stimulate feel-good dopamine that lights up the brain of a person in similar ways that drugs do.