Are you an avid food label reader? Do you know that most of the spicy foods in your pantry could be dangerous for your health? Maybe you are very distracted by work, tilting to offer your children a convenient and alluring pre-packed food which could be an on-the-go snack that you and your kid can enjoy anywhere.
To satisfy your taste buds, fancy meal alternatives could be the worst snacking of the day, consisting of zero nutritional value. Harmful ingredients lurking in pre-made food are the major culprits of diabetes, making you obese and lazy. They could be very damaging for your kid’s health, including hyperactivity in which many children become irritable, cranky and aggressive.
Here is a list of five “silent-scary ingredients” in processed food which are extremely hazardous for health:
- Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Artificial Colors
- Trans Fat (Partially Hydrogenated Oils)
- Preservatives
MSG (Monosodium Glutamate)
Remember before grabbing any prepared food with powder packets, junk food, instant noodles, sauces and premade soups, infant formulas and baby food, it contains MSG (Monosodium Glutamate). MSG, a taste enhancing substance, stereotypically associated with Chinese food is widely being tested on rats and mice causing brain damage in animals. By omitting real food with MSG, the glutamate industry ensures that the product is a lot tastier without tinkering with it. MSG is a neurotoxin! Children brains are four times more vulnerable than an adult’s brain to this neurotoxin which excites brain cells to death. It interrupts the appetite of the baby because it damages the part of brain which controls appetite. MSG crosses the blood/brain barriers causing nerves to misfire. Chronic MSG ingestion by children may be one reason behind the nation’s falling test scores. No safe limit of MSG has been determined till date.
High-fructose corn syrup (Hfcs)
High-fructose corn syrup is developed from a mundane ingredient (i.e. corn dent or corn starch). It is processed by glucose isomer to convert some of its glucose into fructose. Fructose is considerably under speculation for some several metabolic anomalies in kids and as well as in adults. High-fructose corn syrup is a manmade concoction and it possibly contributes to behavioral issues such as autism or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, better known as ADHD, higher obesity rate, less learning abilities, high blood pressure and over-excitements in kids. Some infants might experience more infant colic due to their inability to absorb the carbohydrates in high-fructose foods. Diabetes is a consequence of heavy consumption of Hfcs.
Trans fat
The hazardous substance food manufacturers are using to improve texture and make their products last longer is trans fat. Trans fat is formed through an industrial process which adds hydrogen to vegetable oil, which causes the oil to become solid at room temperature.
This partially hydrogenated oil is less likely to spoil, so foods made with it have a longer shelf life. Trans fats have found their way into most of the packaged foods bought by uninformed and unsuspecting consumers. The trans fats wreak havoc in cell metabolism and accumulate fat on the abdominal tissue, the riskiest place to carry extra padding. Trans fats can elevate blood cholesterol levels, raise the levels of LDL cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol. Trans fats reduce levels of HDL cholesterol, which is the good cholesterol. Raising the bad cholesterol and lowering the good cholesterol in the blood spells double trouble as the risk of cardiac arrest increases.
Preservatives
Nitrate, sulfate, sodium and anti-oxidant preservatives are chemical compounds widely being used to prevent bacterial growth. They also prevent oxidation and discoloration of food but it may cause adverse health effects as they tend to destroy the vitamin B1 present in food. Ingesting a large amount of these preservatives at one time may cause you to experience abdominal pain, muscle weakness, bloody stools and fainting, increase risk for diabetes, diarrhea and respiratory tract infections in children.
Contributed by Hifza Imtiaz.
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