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Food, we can’t do without it. It’s a matter of life and death. While a human being can survive for over three weeks without food, none can survive much more. But that’s for solid food. It takes a really short period to survive without water as the body relies on water for normal body functions. Usually between two days to a week. unfortunately though, some are foods that are killing you slowly.
As has been expressed in some quarters though, man should not live to eat. But you certainly must eat to live. Choosing what to eat however can also determine the quality of your life and how long you live.
While most foods are good for you, there are many that are either not good at all or whose consumption must be limited in other to protect your body from their harmful effects. otherwise, they may be killing you slowly. What’s really unfortunate in all of these is the fact that some of these foods are tasty delicacies we all enjoy. The following are some of the foods we enjoy every day that may be killing you slowly.
5 Red meat
Most of us can’t do without meat. We simply love it. Man has eaten meat from way back in our history. Meat plays a key role in our diet and daily living. Meat is generally good for the body as you may have been taught back in school. Unfortunately, you may not have been told the whole story. Consuming red meat frequently can be bad news for your health.
Conclusions reached after a recent study by the national Institutes of Health-AARP which studied more than half a million of older Americans showed negative results. It showed evidence that people who ate the most red and/or processed meat over a period of ten years were likely to die sooner than others who ate smaller amounts. 4 ounces of red meat consumed every day was more likely to cause death resulting from cancer or heart disease.
4 Dairy products
Everyone needs milk to be healthy, right? Not when you are not a calf! Well if you are shocked to hear that it means you have bought in to the sweet talk peddled by the milk production and marketing companies. Not your fault though, after all they all have to be approved by regulators before producing and distributing these products.
Unfortunately, those responsible for protecting us may not be living up to expectation. It’s a societal and global problem. But at least, you can educate yourself and make the right decision for you. Milk and other dairy products are not good for your body according to scientific findings about health. Any nutritionist or dietician worth their salt will tell you that. What’s important for you to note is that dairy products such as milk, butter, cheese, yogurt and ice cream contain high amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat. Saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease and other serious health problems.
3 Fruit juice
Imagine yourself at the dinner table, sitting out while reading your favorite book or just chilling out with your chill glass of fruit juice by your side. It can sound like a fantasy. Only that that juice may not be so good for you. Commercial fruit juice is often loaded with as much, if not more, sugar and calories as sugary soft drinks.
If you want to take fruit juice, the safest option is to make it at home or walk into a juice shop where you can get natural freshly squeezed juice.
You may also like: Simple Ways to Plan, Enjoy a Healthy and Balanced Diet
2 Potato chips
Potato chips are a delicacy most cannot resist. but they are also part of foods that may be killing you slowly. The process of preparing them however, can make them bad for your health. They are usually deep-fried. This adds fat and calories that may increase you risk of gaining weight. Frequent consumption of potato chips may also increase your risk of developing coronary heart disease and type 2diabetes. That’s according to a research by scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health, and Harvard Medical School.
Acrylamide is also a substance found in potato chips that may increase your risk of nerve damage and getting cancer.
1 White bread
Most of us are guilty of this one. For some of us, bread is a daily part of our diet. The problem is white bread usually does more harm than good to our bodies. It is always at the stage of processing that our foods lose most of their natural content. But it is a necessary evil as most cannot be consumed without processing. However, better processing methods can preserve as much of the nutrient content in food as possible.
When grain is refined in the process of making four for white bread, it is stripped of both its outermost and innermost layers. This strips it of its fiber and about 25% of its protein. Not even human additions of B vitamins and iron can make up for the lost natural nutrients.
White bread leads to a rise in blood sugars which increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, weight gain, etc and their attendant consequences.
