21 Benefits of Real Foods Over Processed Ones

See Reasons Why You Should Eat Real Organic Foods

Real foods contain all the wholesomeness you need. They are usually not processed, which automatically makes them free of chemicals and unnecessary food additives. Real foods are packed with rich nutrients. In other words, real foods are naturally grown, harvested, and cooked without any form of industrial or chemical processing. They are foods that were consumed exclusively by humans for thousands of years before the advent of food chemicals and processing.

In the 20th century, when processed foods became too common, diets that contained many organic and real foods began to tilt towards processed and ready-to-eat foods.

Processed foods can be fast and convenient, they can also come in handy and save you a lot of stress, but all these short-term benefits are at the detriment of your health. Processed foods are capable of harming your health. In order to maintain good health and healthy growth and development, adopting a healthy diet is one of the most relevant things you should do first.

Dieticians have identified certain reasons why it is best to eat real natural foods instead of processed ones. The following are 21 reasons you should not give process foods a second thought;

Real Foods are Packed with Essential Nutrients

Unprocessed foods give you all the vitamins and minerals you need for stable health. These unprocessed foods include both animals and plant-based foods.

For example, consuming 1 cup of blended red bell pepper, oranges or broccoli would supply you with 100% of vitamin C RDI. On the other hand, animal liver and eggs contain choline – a nutrient that is essential for a healthy brain.  On the other hand, Brazil nut provides you with your required daily intake of selenium.

All whole foods contain vitamins, minerals, as well as other nutrients.

Low Sugar

Excess sugar has a number of side effects on the body and can expose you to certain health risks. Most processed foods contain a dangerously high amount of sugar and unhealthy sugar substitutes like saccharin and aspartame. These sugary processed foods can increase your risks of developing health issues like insulin resistance, heart disease, and obesity. Studies show that real, unprocessed foods are low in sugar. Though certain natural fruits are high in sugar, but also contain water and fiber to balance out the equation.

Heart-healthy

Real foods contain antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and other nutrients like magnesium and healthy fats that are healthy for the heart. One of the major triggers of heart disease is inflammation. Real foods contain natural properties that can prevent inflammation and safeguard the heart.

Good for the Environment

The abundance of people in the world increases every passing day, which invariably increases the demand for food—the need to create more food sources to feed this growing number of people increases with time.

The need to produce foods for billions of people can affect the environment as a result of the destruction of forests to create agricultural lands, and the need for fuel and pesticides take tolls on the environment. Encouraging sustainable agriculture based on real food can help improve the health condition of our planet through the reduction of energy needs and non-biodegradable wastes that are produced by humans.

High Fiber

Some of the health benefits of fiber include; improving the digestive system and metabolic health. It also brings about the feeling of fullness. Foods that are large in fiber include; avocados, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and blackberries, and legumes.

Getting the required amount of fiber your body needs from whole foods is much better than getting them from supplements and processed foods with added fiber.

Blood Sugar Regulator

According to research, over 400 million people have diabetes worldwide and are expected to hit and pass 600 million in the next 25 years. Foods that are particularly high in fiber, like unprocessed animal foods and plant-based foods, can help lessen blood sugar levels in people who have high diabetes risks.

Healthy Skin

fresh skinReal foods help nourish the skin and provides optimum protection for your skin. Certain real and unprocessed foods like avocados and dark chocolate help protect the skin against damage. Adding fish, vegetables, beans, and olive oil to your diet would help improve the condition of your skin, reduce wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity, and every other age-related skin change. In addition, eating real foods over processed one can help reduce or prevent acne.

Lowers Triglycerides

Unprocessed foods like vegetables, lean meats, fatty fish, and nuts have been discovered to reduce triglycerides. Triglycerides increases in the body when you consume excess carbs and sugar. Cutting down on unprocessed foods will reduce your sugar and carbs intake to a healthy level.

Provides Varieties

Real foods provide you with varieties of delicious, nutritious, and healthy choices to pick from. Hundreds of varieties of meat, fish, vegetables, legumes, nuts, whole grains are 100% available in the world, and you can get to choose as many as you want of them as your meal.

Cheap and Affordable

Most processed foods are expensive compared to natural, unprocessed foods. This is as a result of the cost of producing and processing them. In addition, processed foods leave you with health issues that make you spend so much money on your health. But when you eat organic, natural, and unprocessed foods, you will be healthy and barely visit the hospital for health issues, thereby saving yourself some money.

Provides Healthy Fat

Unlike trans fats that are packed in vegetable oils and other processed foods, real foods provide you with healthy fats. For instance, virgin oil contains monosaturated fats that are heart-healthy. In addition, coconut oil contains healthy fat that encourages fat burn and weight loss.

Omega 3, on the other hand, is a healthy fatty acid that helps combat inflammation and safeguards the heart. Fishes such as cod, salmons, tuna, and sardines are great fish sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Other foods that contain healthy fats include; whole milk, dairy, avocados, seeds, and nuts.

Reduces Infection Risks

Increasing your real food intake can help strengthen your immune system, thereby helping you fight off diseases and infections. Balanced foods and natural fruits help reduce cancer risks and heart disease risks.

Contains Antioxidants

Antioxidants help combat free radicals-molecules that destroy some cells in the body. Antioxidants can be found in real foods like whole grains, vegetables, nuts, fruits, seeds, and legumes. Also, egg yolks help prevent eye-related illnesses like macular degeneration and cataract.

Prevents Overeating

Have you noticed that consuming processed foods increases your urge to eat more food? And eating more and in excess increases your risks of being obese and overweight. Unlike processed foods, real and unprocessed foods do not contain properties that would make you want to overeat.

Reduces Sugar Cravings

Eating real foods will reduce your cravings for sugary foods like cookies, candies, and cakes. When your body gets used to whole foods, your sugar craving reduces.

Improves Dental Health

The sugar content of processed foods can cause decay to the teeth. A combination of sugar and acids, especially in soda, is likely to cause tooth decay by supporting the plaque-causing bacteria that live in your mouth. Staying away from processed foods would help you maintain proper dental health. Cheese is known to fight off cavities. It does this by hardening the enamel of the teeth and increasing the pH level in the mouth.

In addition, green tea, according to studies, helps protect the enamel. Drinking green tea will drastically reduce the level of erosion that occurs from drinking soda and vigorously brushing the teeth.

Beneficial for Your Gut

Eating real food preserves and protect the friendly bacteria that live in your digestive tract.

Helps You Set a Good Example

teenagerAsides from improving your own health and maintaining awesome wellness, eating natural, unprocessed, and organic foods would encourage those around you to adopt the same. Thereby helping them live healthily and quality lives just like you.

Supports Farmers

Buying natural foods from farmers would not only improve your health but would also encourage farmers and make them see profits on their agricultural produces.

Delicious

Above all, natural foods are delicious and taste really nice. They provide natural flavors and beautiful aromas when cooked.

In conclusion, real food is better in every way than processed foods as they provide numerous health benefits compared to processed ones that are filled with chemical additives.