7 Characteristics of Unhealthy Foods You Need to Watch Out for
Characteristics of Unhealthy Foods You Need to Watch Out for. The food you consume every day can have a significant effect on your body’s health and overall quality of life. So, you should know what are the characteristics of unhealthy foods that can hurt your health.
Because if consumed continuously, unhealthy foods can increase the risk of disease, inhibit the function of organs, affect the level of brain intelligence, and many more. Therefore, always pay attention to the type of food you consume!
Characteristics of Unhealthy Foods to Avoid
A food or drink can be said to be unhealthy if it contains ingredients that can harm the body. In addition, healthy food can also turn out to be dangerous if processed in the wrong way.
So, know what are the characteristics of unhealthy foods and need to be aware of the following so that you can avoid or limit their consumption!
- Sugar-based Foods
Foods with high sugar content are one of the main characteristics of unhealthy foods that need to be avoided. High levels of sugar in foods such as soft drinks, candies, cakes, and other sugary foods, can make blood sugar spike quickly.
Thus, excessive consumption of sugar can increase the risk of diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. In addition, energy from sugar also does not last long, so it can make you tired and hungry faster.
- High Salt Content
Excessive salt consumption from snacks, fast food, and daily meals can increase the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. This is because excessive salt levels can cause water retention in the body.
Thus, the workload of the kidneys will increase and affect the electrolyte balance in the body.
So, limit your salt or sodium intake and choose foods that are low in salt to maintain heart health and optimal body function.
- Refined Carbohydrates
Foods containing refined carbohydrates such as white rice, white bread, and so on tend to be low in fiber and nutrients. In addition, refined carbohydrates can quickly increase blood sugar levels compared to complex carbohydrates.
That’s why, one of the characteristics of unhealthy food is refined carbohydrates. If consumed in excess, this can lead to weight gain, blood sugar imbalances, and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Therefore, you should opt for complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber such as brown rice, whole grains, and beans.
- Contains Trans Fat
Trans fats are produced through the process of hydrogenation, which turns liquid oils into solid fats. Examples of foods that contain these fats are fast food, fried foods, and packaged processed foods.
Excessive consumption of trans fats can increase the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, and obesity, and damage the function of cells and tissues in the body. So, limit your consumption of trans fats and choose healthier sources of fat.
- Charred Foods
Apart from fried foods with trans fats, foods that are burned too charred are also included in the characteristics of unhealthy foods. Because charred food can produce carcinogenic compounds such as heterocyclic aromatics and acrylamide.
These compounds can cause DNA damage and increase the risk of cancer. So, it is advisable to avoid burnt food and choose healthy cooking methods such as boiling, steaming, or grilling at lower temperatures.
- Contains Preservatives
Preservatives can indeed reduce the shelf life and maintain the durability of food products. On the other hand, excessive use of preservatives, especially harmful types of preservatives can cause health problems.
Examples of preservatives that can be harmful to health are sodium nitrite and nitrate used in processed meats. These ingredients can react with stomach acid and produce potentially carcinogenic nitrosamine compounds.
In addition, some other types of preservatives such as benzoate and sulfate can also cause allergic reactions in some people. Therefore, it is best to avoid processed foods that contain artificial preservatives.
- Contains Harmful Additives
Apart from preservatives, the last characteristic of unhealthy food is that it contains harmful additives. Examples include artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, synthetic colors, and other additives.
Some types of additives can cause allergic disorders, hormonal disorders, and even potentially cause cancer. In addition, artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose can disrupt the blood sugar balance in the body.
So, avoid foods that have various characteristics above and increase the consumption of healthy foods with balanced nutrition. By consuming healthy foods, the health of the body can be better maintained.
In addition, some types of healthy foods that are rich in fiber can also provide a sense of satiety for longer to reduce the desire to overeat. This is certainly very suitable for those of you who are on a diet program to achieve ideal weight.
So, always read labels and nutritional information on food packaging and choose fresh ingredients that are processed healthily. As a solution to avoid the characteristics of unhealthy food.