The Effects Of Processed Food
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Types of Processed Foods
Processed And Preserved Foods
In processed foods, the amount of fat, sodium, and carbohydrate is more. Arterial and coronary diseases are more in the western part of the world.
Chemicals In Food Production
Most produce (fruits and vegetables) is grown with artificial fertilizers, hormones, pesticides. Animals are injected with high doses of hormones and antibiotics. Because of inorganic nature, these foods carry toxic residue, which blocks the channels (Srotas).
Freezing
Time is at a premium in western countries creating a habit of cooking one large meal and freezing the leftovers. By freezing the food, water molecules in the food become ice molecules. Ice has a bigger volume than water, so ice breaks the bonds between food molecules making it lifeless.
Āyurveda considers stale food Tamasic.
Chemical Preservation
Food, which is preserved chemically, is worse than frozen foods. Many chemicals are carcinogenic. If we use such foods for prolonged periods of time, it may cause various cancers.
Raw Food
Many people live on raw foods, thinking that cooking destroys food’s natural enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. But raw foods aggravate Vata, causing more anxiety, nervousness, and dryness in the body. The body can’t digest too many raw foods, so they become useless for nourishment.
Fermentation
Fermentation provides a popular way of flavoring food. Our everyday diet includes many fermented foods such as vinegar, alcohol, soy sauce, yogurt, cheese, yeast bread, crackers, pickles, and ketchup, etc. Fermentation means a chemical transformation of an organic substance by agitation or intense activity.
In fermented food, the disintegration process has started even before we eat them. When we ingest this food, it disturbs the sweet and sour phases of digestion and aggravates the pungent phase. This type of food creates dullness of mind. Alcohol offers a good example of the effects of fermented substances on the quality of the mind.
Refined Food
Often, we eat refined foods. In this process, a fibrous covering is separated from the food. Removing the roughage diminishes food’s holistic benefits. The fiber surrounding the nutritive component is essential for peristalsis in the colon. Constipation is one of the most common results of eating refined foods. The refining process yields end products, which are small and highly potent, and which aggravate vāta. Children who eat too much refined sugar (candies, chocolates, cookies) become hyperactive due to excess vāta.
Fried Food
Frying is another popular way of cooking. Though, frying enhances taste, the oil in the food makes it heavy and difficult to digest. Also, it creates acidity and increases Tamasic and Rajasic influence on the mind. When oil is heated beyond its boiling point, it changes its natural structure and may become carcinogenic.
Used Oil for Frying
It is very important to discard the oil which is used for frying. Never reheat the used oil.
Carbonation
A significant number of people in western society take a large percentage of their fluids in the form of carbonated beverages. The carbonation process injects carbon dioxide into flavored, sweetened water. It enhances the taste but vitiates vāta and produces hyperacidity in the GI tract.
Microwaving And Genetic Engineering
Microwaving and genetically altering (engineered foods) change the nature of the food and it directly affects us. Microwave breaks the bonds between the food molecules and the life energy in the food is lost. Genetic engineering alters the basic structure of food, which causes serious effects on us.
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