Processed Foods Should Not Be Banned In American Grocery Store

Thousands of years ago people survived without refrigeration and heating; if they needed to preserve their foods they would do it natural ways with salt and other ingredients. Today during an average trip to the grocery store most people do not second think the many processed items they buy; this careless and innocent act could have extensive negative effects on your body that you may not realize. So should processed foods be banned in American grocery store’s for their unhealthy properties? Yes, without a doubt, processed foods should not be eaten because of the many harmful effects they have on people’s bodies.

First of all, what are processed foods? Processed foods are foods that have been changed from their original state by adding

The most common processed foods contain sugars in them that can be very harmful to a person’s body. Many foods people eat contain high- fructose corn syrup, aspartame, and table sugar. Consuming large amounts of high-fructose corn syrup can lead to diabetes, weight gain, and many other health problems (Jacob). Aspartame, or NutraSweet is an alternative to sugar that is hard for people’s bodies to break down. During the breakdown of this sweetener, a person’s body releases methanol which can lead to the production of formalyde. Consuming too much aspartame can lead to birth defects, multiple sclerosis symptoms, and fibroglycemia (Haas). Another ingredient in many foods are grains; in order for our body to be able to digest grains they have to be highly processed from their original states when harvested. Grains contain phytic which blocks many necessary mineral from being absorbed, such as calcium; this can lead to osteoporosis and other bone problems. Grains, such as flour and wheat, are made in factories now and are no longer left to sprout. Picking the gains too early do not allow them to develop completely, leaving out many needed nutriants

Coloring agents are often added to foods because of the idea “that we ‘eat with our eyes’” and more color is more appealing. These coloring agents, some from coal tars, are used to preserve color that is often lost in processing and from the heat, this also means that the nutrients in the foods have been lost. Some of the effects of the these unnatural colors are inflamed skin conditions, ADHD, and asthma. People should check the ingredient lists when buying food and not buy foods that are highly processed (whfoods). Another problem with processed foods is the preservatives that food companies add to processed foods to increase the time that the food with still be edible; the two most common preservatives are butylated hydroxytoluene or BHT and sulfites. There have been many controversial experiments with BHTs and how they affect the body. Although there is no proven evidence that BHTs are harmful, the growth of tumors have been found in animal livers and stomachs and also damage red blood cells when consumed in large quantities. The other most common preservative is sulfites, which can not be used on foods containing vitamin B and is also not allowed to be used on fruits or vegetable;this is because the sulfates kill the nutrients. The main consequence that sulfites