Dangerous snacks: This is how bad they are for your health!

Dangerous snacks: This is how bad they are for your health!

Whether it's a cozy evening watching TV or on the way to work - a snack in between is simply a must. But the latest findings make it clear: Consuming ultra-processed foods could have serious consequences for our health. Regular consumers of these products not only face an increased risk of chronic diseases, but also a shortened life. So reported Chip.de that an analysis in the British Medical Journal shows a clear link between consumption of such snacks and serious illness.

What impact do these processed foods have on us? According to this analysis, such products are linked to a higher risk of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease and even depression. A clear alarm that should not be ignored! A team from Deakin University in Australia studied almost 10 million participants and found that consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with sleep and metabolic disorders as well as increased mortality.

What are ultra-processed foods?

But what exactly are ultra-processed foods? These are products that are often made with additional ingredients such as sugar, salt, various oils and numerous industrial additives. Examples of this include sweet breakfast cereals, ready meals, soft drinks and frozen products. Each portion of these foods contains high amounts of sugar and saturated fats and at the same time has a low nutrient density. The German Society for Nutrition highlights that these snacks displace natural foods and negatively influence our eating behavior.

The dangers should not be underestimated: high consumption of these products is associated with up to 50% higher probability of cardiovascular diseases and around 21% higher mortality. Even if the negative effects appear gradual, they lead to serious health problems over the years.

The role of additives and healthy nutrition

In addition, many of these highly processed foods contain harmful additives that can promote inflammation and negatively impact the microbiome. An investigation of the NDR shows that every second item in the grocery store is highly processed. This should not be ignored the next time you go shopping!

The challenge for many is switching to a healthier diet. Fresh, unprocessed foods like fruits and vegetables should be at the top of the shopping list. The National Consumption Study II shows that this is not always easy: at the beginning of the 2000s, around 50% of the energy intake of adults in Germany came from highly processed foods.

It is crucial for our health to pay attention to the ingredient lists. The longer the list, the more processed the products are. The simple rule “the fewer ingredients, the better” may be helpful. Maybe it's time to fry your next schnitzel yourself or prepare a fruit salad. A little “clean eating” certainly doesn’t hurt.