What Are The Health Benefits Of Unprocessed Foods?

Food is any material taken from the living things to provide nutrition to an organism for a specified period of time. Food is generally of animal, plant or fungi origin, and has vital nutrients, including vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, and minerals, which are required for the growth and maintenance of an organism’s tissues and organs. The body needs food for the energy it consumes, for the fuel it uses for movement (metabolism), for the storage of energy (heat), for the storage of fat reserves (lipids) and for the manufacture of hormones and enzymes. All living organisms depend largely on food for their survival and growth.

During the last century and a half, food habits have changed considerably, with the rise of industrialization and the development of new industries, both at home and abroad. Some changes in people’s diets have been beneficial, such as the reduction of salt, sugar and fat in the diet; increased consumption of whole grains, fruits and vegetables; increased usage of legumes (especially beans); and the consumption of other foods, especially meat, which were thought to be healthy in the old days, but have now become detrimental in most instances. Another significant change in human food habits has come about due to the public’s increasing demand for processed food, sugary food, instant foods, diary products and packaged foods, all of which contain large amounts of artificial additives and colorings and are not regarded as real food by most people. These food items are known as junk foods.

Junk foods may also increase cholesterol levels and cause high blood pressure, digestive disorders and diabetes. Processed foods may cause cancer, stroke, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, obesity, tooth decay, tooth loss, cardiovascular disease, colon cancer. Unprocessed foods may help reduce obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, kidney disorders, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, liver disorders, pancreatic disorders, parasitic infection, sexually transmitted diseases, bacterial vaginosis and Alzheimer’s disease. This food group may also help prevent stroke, osteoporosis, colon cancer, gallbladder disease, Alzheimer’s disease, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and colon cancer. A well-balanced diet, composed of unprocessed foods may help prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, colon cancer and other chronic health disorders.