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Why You Should Go for Fresh Foods

Toxic foods have become a serious problem and many are still ignoring the effect an unhealthy lifestyle has on the body. The United States of America is on the top of the charts when it comes to obesity; having over one third of the country’s population struggling with being overweight. The problem seems to be in food quality and inadequate lifestyles. Since a lot of Americans work from dusk until dawn, they don’t have the time to cook healthy meals and just go for fast food that wreaks havoc in their bodies.

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Health Risks
There are numerous health risks obesity loves contribute to and one of the most known ones is coronary heart disease. This condition causes plaque to form on the blood vessel restricting oxygen enriched blood from reaching the heart. This put strain on the heart which can lead to angina, or heart failure. Then we have high blood pressure which, over a long period of time, the pressure causes irreversible damage to your organs so it leads to many health issues. Overeating confuses the body because the cells don’t think they need so many nutrients so they signal the body to be resistant to insulin. Cancer is another serious threat as obese people as susceptible to uterus, breast, colon and gallbladder cancer.

Why Fresh? Fresh foods are less likely to contain ingredients like artificial colouring, processed sugars and preservatives that hinder the body’s function. Canned goods tend to lose some of their nutrients and because they are to be shipped they are picked while they’re not ripe so their nutritional value is lower than in fresh foods that are locally grown. Having a box of fruit around the house will get you to eat fresh foods more often. Whole foods are another must. They are characterised as being unprocessed so you are eating food in its natural state complete with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. They have also been linked to lowering the risk of cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

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Avoiding Processed Foods
Processed foods are defined as foods that have lost their nutritional values while being chemically processed. The reason for food being treated like this is mass consumption. Stores need foods that will have a long shelf life so they can still be edible after being packaged, shipped, delivered, bought and consumed by the customers. All those additives added to make the food last longer, taste and look better have an effect on your body. Some studies suggest that artificial colouring could contribute to hyperactivity in children and some reports suggest that the Yellow No. 5 has a negative effect on asthma. High fructose corn syrup is often used as a cheap substitute for sugar in America and based on this the alarming rise obesity, it is thought to play a role in weight gain and type 2 diabetes. Sodium nitrite is often used as a preservative in meat products and a lot of research showed that it did have a role to play in the rise in gastric cancer.

The human body wasn't built to deal with so many additives were consuming through various foods. Though it is hard to stay away from all the “good stuff” it is suggested that we try to limit their intake as much as possible.

Contributed by Mandy Underwood

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