Processed food has become a staple in modern diets, offering convenience and flavor. However, when it comes to lasting weight loss, these foods can often sabotage your efforts in ways that are less obvious than mere calorie counts. Let’s review five reasons why processed food hinders sustainable weight loss and how understanding these factors can help you make better choices.
They Lack Nutrients. Your body needs certain nutrients but most processed foods are lack nutritional value. They don’t have the fiber, vitamins, or minerals your body needs like iron and Vitamin B, which are often lost during processing. Instead, they are loaded with unhealthy fats and sugars that bog your body down.
They’re High In Empty Calories. Specifically empty calories, which means calories that have no nutritional value. Even when compared to their portion sizes, processed foods are so dense with calories that it makes it impossible to eat in moderation. For example, a doughnut can have as many as 300 calories! Compare this to an orange, which only has 45 calories. Both are sweet and can satisfy that craving, but one is significantly going to contribute to weight gain more than the other.
They Represent A Familiar Lifestyle That’s Hard To Break. While it may sound like this is a bit of an oddball entry, it highlights that your pattern can influence your eating habits. If you grew up in a household where fast food reigned supreme, then you’re going to struggle to make changes as an adult, even if you want to lose weight.
They Interfere With Metabolism. They disrupt the good bacteria, and fungi in your system that help break down food and work with your immune system. Processed foods also decrease your insulin sensitivity, which means your body can’t use glucose for energy and that can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Your Body Digests Them Faster Than Normal Foods. When compared to whole foods, your body digests processed foods at a higher rate, which spikes your blood sugar, causing your insulin to increase. This creates more glucagon, which will be converted into fat in your body.
They’re Addicting. If you feel like you’re struggling to put down the processed foods, there’s actually a reason why, they’re addicting! How many cookies have you eaten while watching a movie or how many chips did you consume at an office holiday party? Chances are, probably a lot. Remember lasting weight loss is all about balance and eating in moderation. You can have cookies, but don’t eat the entire box.
They Can Lead to the Development of Obesity. A constant diet of processed foods, whether they be burgers, chips, or sugary snacks significantly contributes to the onset of obesity. If this happens, it’s not only going to be harder to lose weight, but it’ll take longer to do so.
Can lead to Overeating. Whole, unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins are naturally high in fiber and water content, which help you feel full for longer periods. Processed foods are stripped of fiber during manufacturing and often contain refined carbohydrates. These carbs are digested quickly, leaving you hungry soon after eating. A diet filled with processed food encourages frequent snacking due to lack of fullness and overeating leads to a calorie surplus, preventing fat loss.
These are just a few of the ways that processed foods can affect your ability to keep the weight off. By eating clean and making sure that most of your diet is comprised of whole food can make a big difference.
