Processed foods, artificial sweeteners, and hydrogenated fats have invaded our store markets at an extremely fast pace.

These chemicals are added to natural foods to make them tastier and prolong their shelf-life.

Unfortunately, they can also be devastating for your body, as they interfere with several biochemical reactions and act as toxins.

The reason it’s difficult to stop consuming these products resides within their addictive properties that stimulate our brain’s pleasure center (i.e., nucleus accumbens) and make you want more.

Over time, the harmful substances may lead to debilitating medical conditions, including a wide range of cancers, especially colorectal cancer.

Like any addiction, there is no magical way to stop consuming processed foods, and the best way is still to gradually stop buying them while switching to whole foods in the process.

For instance, instead of buying canned tuna, it’s better to get fresh fish and cook it yourself at home. This way, you’ll avoid being exposed to all the harmful toxins and learn to enjoy making your own meals.

Oxidative stress and processed foods

In our bodies, the cells stock compounds known as reactive oxygen species or free radicals, which are used to destroy the components of foreign pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses, fungi).

However, reactive oxygen species have one major flaw:

The inability to distinguish between foreign pathogens and self-tissues.

As a safety net, the cells stock antioxidants (intrinsic and dietary) to maintain balance. Unfortunately, this process is not perfect, as the number of free radicals often exceeds that of antioxidants, leading to a metabolic state known as oxidative stress.

This pathological process predisposes people to premature aging, as well as a wide range of maladies.

Oxidative stress is significantly higher in individuals who consume large amounts of processed foods, which is another reason to cut them from your diet.

Takeaway message

Processed foods are extremely damaging to the human body and should be avoided. While doing so, try to switch to whole foods as they carry more nutritional value as well as health benefits.