When one is unable to cook meals or wants some ready-to-use ingredients, they use processed foods. Mostly it is the type of food that has the tag of being unhealthy, and many people like to avoid it for health reasons. The tag is not entirely wrong because it has additives and is processed to have a longer shelf-life.
But, apart from these reasons, in today’s fast-moving life, these processed foods have somehow become a constant part of one’s life. It is not always true that every processed food is bad. The component that makes it unhealthy is the preservatives/ additives in the food.
Processing methods used
Some of the common ways of processing food at food processing company in India are:
- Pasteurization and heat treatment are used for food articles like fruit juices and milk.
- Using honey and sugar for the preservation of foods like canned fruits.
- There are also canned products such as sardines, tuna, beans, etc., available.
- Drying is another method used for preserving dates, raisins, etc.
- In frozen foods such as carrots, peas, corn, freezing is the preservation technique.
- Cheeses are preserved by fermenting them, which also increases their shelf-life.
- Sometimes, refining can also be used as a preservative method. It is seen in foods like flour and rice.
- Pickling and using salt also help in preserving foods.
- And the most heard method, adding chemicals that are preservatives/additives. To increase the life of fish and meat, this method is used.
A few reasons, other than increasing the shelf-life, why some foods get processed are:
- To make it convenient for people to use the food items.
- To keep the food fresh and nutritious throughout its shelf-life.
- Processing helps in containing the food’s texture.
- So, the food item is available at all times, irrespective of seasons, production, and supply chain difficulties.
- Some preservatives also enhance the taste of the processed foods.
Choosing processed food
It not necessary that every processed food will harm the health. The decision of food product manufacturers in India depends on the nutrients level, few ingredients, and one’s diet plans. Few tips on how to choose the right processed food:
- Avoiding processed food that has too much fat, salt or sugar is the right decision. Instead, look for processed foods with plenty of dietary fibre, vitamins, protein, and minerals.
- Keep a check on the frequency at which one consumes processed food. Too much of anything is never right.
- Form the habit of always checking the NIP (Nutrition Information Panel) and ingredient list on every processed food. Reading it will tell one the nutrient and ingredients used in the processed food.
- In beverages and fruit drinks, check the sugar level. It is always advisable to avoid too many sweet preservatives. Some companies use different terms for sugar, such as maltose, sucrose, corn syrup, etc. One should familiarize themselves with these terms.
- When on any particular diet, don’t forget to balance the amount of fresh produce and processed foods.
There is a large portion of processed food items in the current food market, and one can avoid them only if they grow their fresh produce. So, instead of running away from them, make careful choices and try reading the labels of these foods for better information.