Are Ready Meals Bad for You? 7 Things You Should Know
Ready meals are common in today’s busy world, where cooking may be difficult and obtaining freshly made meals with good nutritional content seems daunting. Ready meals can be ready to eat in minutes, making them a popular choice. However, the question is, are ready meals bad for you, or are they harmful?
This blog will look at the constituents of ready meals and how they can affect your health. And we will also take a look at some alternatives to ready meals.
1. Excessive Sodium Content
Ready meals often contain excessive amounts of sodium. Sodium is used to enhance the flavour and taste of packaged meals. It is also used to prolong the shelf life of foods. The amount of sodium in these types of food is unhealthy. When you consume too much sodium, it’s bad for you. Excessive sodium leads to high blood pressure, stroke, and some other health issues. If you are in the habit of eating ready meals, you are at risk of certain diseases.
2. Excessive Preservatives
Ready meals need preservatives to stay good for weeks or months. The additives ensure the packaged meals remain edible without refrigeration. Additives used to preserve ready meals are chemicals that are not safe for the human body. According to the Canadian Institute of Food Safety, artificial preservatives used in food preservation may cause some consumers to experience allergic reactions.
Some preservatives, such as sulfites, used to preserve canned vegetables and processed meats, have been linked to asthma attacks in sensitive individuals. The immune system may also be affected, as well as heart-related diseases. With so many health risks, ready meals with their preservatives are unhealthy and harmful. Relying on ready meals as your sole source of food poses great danger.
3. They Lack Nutritional Value
Ready meals offer little to no nutritional value. In a bid to make them cheap, the ingredients used in their production are unhealthy fats, sugars, thickeners, and chemicals. As a result, they contain no calories and simply fill the stomach. When a meal has no nutrients, it doesn’t benefit the body. The body is unable to grow well or stay healthy. The body doesn’t benefit in any way; rather, preservatives in such meals even hurt the body.
Many who regularly consume this type of food wonder if ready meals are unhealthy; the answer is clearly yes. They offer little to no nutritional value because the ingredients used to make them are mostly artificial.
4. Too Much Sweetener
Sweeteners and other sugary ingredients are also common in ready meals. Excess sugar contributes to weight gain and obesity. Obesity is one of the leading causes of type 2 diabetes. This is another key reason why ready meals should be avoided. In fact, individuals with health insurance for diabetes from Premier PMI are always encouraged to be careful with their diet. Many are advised against consuming ready meals. Instead, natural and fresh foods are encouraged for good health.
5. Processed Foods
Processed meals are highly unhealthy and not the best to consume, as they can lead to health challenges. Refined carbohydrates and trans fat replace fibre and other essential nutrients. As a result, the food contains few calories. Additionally, processed foods pose a danger, such as the possibility of developing heart-related diseases, type 2 diabetes, and more. Some studies link the consumption of processed meals to cancer.
If you don’t pay attention, you may unknowingly consume processed meals or drinks. Some types of meals to watch for include:
- Ice cream
- Chocolate
- Sweets
- Sweetened drinks, etc.
The list is exhaustive because processed foods have flooded the market. Pay attention to what you consume, as it can determine your future health. Individuals with health insurance for a pre existing condition are particularly encouraged to be more cautious to avoid worsening their condition. Instead, they want to keep a strict watch over their diet to prevent worsening existing problems or developing new ones.
Eat Healthy
Are ready meals healthy? By now, you know the answer clearly: no. In view of this, removing ready meals from your diet is the next step if you’re already consuming them. Instead of looking for a fast option, make the effort to eat healthy meals that will strengthen your body and help it develop correctly. Healthy meals usually contain vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein, etc. Apart from grains, nuts, and fruits, vegetables are also essential.
Eating healthy doesn’t always mean eating homemade foods. You can eat out, but choose restaurants that serve freshly made food made with organic ingredients rather than processed ones. Eating healthy also involves avoiding too much sugar and salt. Do not over-salt your food or consume too much sugar. When buying from restaurants, let them know your preference.
An ideal healthy meal should have this composition per meal:
| Food Class | Examples | Meal Percentage |
| Vegetables | Lettuce, swiss chard, spinach, mustard greens, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli. | 25% |
| Fruits | Oranges, grapefruit, apples, limes, and lemons. | 25% |
| Whole Grains | Brown rice, oats, barley corn, and rye. | 25% |
| Protein | Fish, meat, beans, and nuts. | 25% |
| Plant oil | Olive, soy, corn, peanut, canola, sunflower. | Moderately |
| Water |
Frozen Over Preservatives
One way to preserve food is to freeze it. Freezing your meal is a healthy way to keep it from going bad rather than using preservatives. Preservatives are often chemicals that can keep food intact for long, but are not safe for consumption. So, instead of preservatives, embrace freezing.
Freezing also saves you time, making it a healthy option. Some families often cook homemade meals in portions and store them in the refrigerator for future consumption. This means they can eat the meal later without having to start cooking from scratch.
Overall, are ready meals good for you? The befitting response is no. And why are ready meals bad for you? This is because these meals contain too many chemicals that are used as preservatives, sweeteners, and flavourings. Another reason is that they are mostly processed foods, which are low in calories and nutrients. They just fill your stomach but don’t give your body the nutrients it needs to develop and build a strong immune system. So, instead of relying excessively on ready-made foods, always lean towards freshly made meals with high nutritional value.
