What we're exploring: What are the invisible dangers in food?
What's new: What does group IV of ultra-processed products mean?
What we will learn: How to identify ultra-processed foods?
1. The largest cluster of risk factors was dietary composition, which was associated with 26% of deaths and 14% of DALYs. [1].
2. High body mass index and diet were the leading risk factors for DALYs. For example, dietary risks accounted for 529,299 deaths in 2016, with 83.9% of these deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, and the rest to a combination of neoplasms and diabetes, as well as diseases of the genitourinary system, blood and endocrine system. [2].
3. Ultra-processed foods are not "real food." Ultra-processing makes them highly profitable, extremely attractive, and inherently unhealthy. [3].
4. The mousetrap is triggered. The hidden dangers of takeout and fast food are similar to how a mousetrap works. The attractiveness of take-out and fast food as bait is openly demonstrated to the victim through the impact of advertising on his senses - sight, taste, smell, touch. As soon as a person is seduced by the colorful image of food, its aroma, and taste, then touches the colorful packaging, he shows his ignorance of the hidden dangers of this food (see figure). A program of unconscious behavior is triggered in him, the goal of which is to enjoy takeaway or fast food - the mousetrap has slammed shut. Therefore, to make an informed choice, it is worth learning about the invisible dangers lurking in refined and processed foods. Such food is harmful to health, and if you do not pay attention to the invisible danger, then such eating behavior ends in chronic diseases, often with the risk of death: "Today, eating processed foods and fast foods may kill more people prematurely than cigarette smoking". (Fr. 6. 1, 2). [1, 2, 4].
5. Refined and processed foods. Sometimes these two concepts are not distinguished, however, there are certain differences between them in essence. The word "refining" is defined as "the purification (of something, such as metal, sugar, or oil) of impurities or unwanted materials." The word "processed" is defined as "subjected to a special process or treatment (as in a manufacturing process)—similar to how processed foods have been stripped of their nutrients" [5]. So, food refining indicates the purpose and degree of food purification, and food processing indicates the technology of this process. However, in scientific research, only the term "processed" is used for food, regardless of where it was prepared. (Ibid.). Thus, the reason for refining and the harm caused to human health when consuming refined foods is missed. What is the reason for refining food? Refining food products allows transnational corporations to constantly increase profits due to the concentration of food products in one package, their convenience and compactness, their readiness for consumption, increasing shelf life, improving taste and relative cheapness, and therefore mass consumption [6]. However, this method of increasing profits requires special food preparation technology, which significantly reduces their nutritional value.
6. Special technology. The peculiarity of this technology is that the integrity of grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits is violated in the process of cleaning them from dietary fiber and other parts of the food product, which are removed due to the specific smell and taste characteristic of whole foods. This includes a short shelf life, inconvenience of storage and transportation in its natural form, etc. As a result, protein, some vitamins, and microelements, as well as antioxidants and phytochemicals contained in dietary fiber and other removed parts of foods are partially or completely removed [4]. Using this technology, refined vegetable oils and refined carbohydrates are produced: white flour and products made from it (bread, pasta, commercial baked goods), sugar, white rice, and juices. Medical research shows that consuming refined foods is associated with a risk of non-communicable diseases. These include obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some types of cancer, and depression [4, 7, 8]. In turn, refined products are widely used in the preparation of convenience foods, takeaways, and fast foods, which become even more dangerous to human health due to their further processing.
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Kurgu OlmayanDedicated to the individual. On Fridays, continuation of the story. For those who are tired of controlling their diet, calories consumed, and physical activity. For those who have lost faith in diets and the help of various specialists. However, he...
