Daily diet dilemmas: The 10 most processed foods impacting health

Nov 16, 2023

By: Ayush Mehrotra & Shagun Chaudhary

Breakfast Cereal

Many commercially available breakfast cereals often contain high levels of sugar, artificial flavors, and preservatives, making them highly processed despite their convenience.

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Packaged Bread

Certain types of bread, especially those that boast a longer shelf life, often contain added preservatives, refined flours, and sugars, contributing to their highly processed nature.

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Canned Soups

Convenience comes at a cost with many canned soups. They may contain high levels of sodium, artificial additives, and preservatives to maintain shelf life and taste.

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Flavored Yogurt

Flavored yogurts are often laden with added sugars, artificial colors, and sweeteners, significantly altering the nutritional value of the otherwise healthy yogurt.

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Processed Meats

Items like sausages, bacon, and deli meats often undergo extensive processing involving additives, nitrates, and high salt content, impacting their overall healthiness.

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Instant Noodles

Quick and easy but loaded with sodium, MSG, and other artificial flavors, instant noodles are a prime example of highly processed convenience food.

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Sugary Snack Bars

Many snack bars marketed as healthy are packed with added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives, making them more processed than their "healthy" label implies.

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Bottled Salad Dressings

Despite being marketed as fresh, bottled salad dressings often contain high amounts of preservatives, artificial flavors, and added sugars for extended shelf life.

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Frozen Dinners

Pre-packaged frozen meals often contain excessive amounts of sodium, artificial additives, and processed ingredients to maintain taste and longevity.

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Soda or Carbonated Drinks

Loaded with high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, and flavors, carbonated drinks are heavily processed and offer minimal nutritional value.

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