When it comes to dieting, ultra-processed foods are often said to be bad for your health. Latest health news: Action 7 News’ Health Beat. Dr. Avinash Akrekar, a health expert from KOAT and the University of New Mexico, explains what to avoid eating. “Ultra-processed foods are foods that have undergone a lot of industrial processing. They often contain additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients that you wouldn’t normally use in a home kitchen. Examples include sugary cereals, sodas, chips, and frozen pizza,” Akrekar said. “They’re very common because they’re cheap and made to taste really good.” Akrekar also said that this type of food makes up about 60% of the average American’s diet. For children and teenagers, the percentage is even higher, making up about 66% of consumption. It’s important to understand the potential health risks associated with these processed foods. Akrekar said there is still research being done on the subject. “More and more research suggests that eating ultra-processed foods leads to health problems like obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even depression,” Akrekar said. “These foods tend to be high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats and low in nutrients like fiber and protein.” One key to focusing on this is to eat more whole foods. Whole foods include fresh fruits, vegetables and homemade meals. Follow Akrekar on Facebook and Instagram.
When it comes to diet, we often hear that highly processed foods are bad for your health.
Latest Health News: Action 7 News Health News
Dr. Avinash Akrekar, a health expert from KOAT and the University of New Mexico, explains what to avoid eating.
“Ultra-processed foods are foods that have undergone a lot of industrial processing. They often contain additives, preservatives and artificial ingredients that you wouldn’t normally find in a home kitchen. Examples include sugary cereals, sodas, potato chips and frozen pizza,” Akrekar says. “They’ve become very common because they’re cheap and made to taste really good.”
Akker also said these types of foods make up about 60 percent of the average American’s diet, and that percentage is even higher for children and teens, accounting for about 66 percent of consumption.
It’s important to understand the health risks posed by these processed foods, and Akrekar said research on the issue is still ongoing.
“More and more research suggests that eating ultra-processed foods is linked to health problems such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even depression,” Akrekar says. “These foods tend to be high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats, and low in nutrients like fiber and protein.”
One key focus is to eat more whole foods, which includes fresh fruits, vegetables and meals made from scratch.
