Exposing most supermarket ready meals: Avoid if you suffer from these conditions

Huma Khurshid: Consultant Nutritionist and Qualified Health & Fitness Writer
Exposing most supermarket ready meals: Avoid if you suffer from these conditions - The Meal Prep Market

This article will discuss what type of meals and foods should be avoided when facing certain health conditions. Of course, there are no ‘bad’ foods in general, every food consumed moderation can be healthy, as a rule of thumb. If you face a serious condition, however, you may need to be more careful over certain nutrients and foods though.

We’ll cover the following topics:.

  • The Problem With Most Supermarket Ready-Made Meals
  • Health Concerns To Look Out For
  • Diabetes
  • Heart Disease
  • High Blood Pressure
  • High Cholesterol Levels
  • Obesity
  • How to Avoid Diseases And Stay Healthy While Eating Prepared Foods

The Problem With Most Supermarket Ready-Made Meals

The problem with most low-quality ready-made meals is that supermarkets require a long shelf life so that they can be displayed for a longer time on their shelves and to avoid the products having to be thrown away if they remain unsold. Therefore, manufacturers of ready meals often stuff their meals with high levels of sodium, sugar, artificial flavours and added preservatives. Animal research also proves that artificial flavors (sweeteners) can cause weight gain, brain tumors, and many other health concerns. [1] On the other hand, meal prep and meal delivery companies prepare their meals on order, therefore they do not need longer shelf lives and thus they prepare their meals with fresh ingredients and great nutritional credentials without the need to add any nasty preservatives.

Exposing supermarket ready meals

Health Concerns To Look Out For

It is not good to consume any of the low-quality ready-made meals if you suffer from any following conditions:

1. Diabetes

Some ready-made meals are not considered healthy for diabetic patients because they are high in sugar and fat. They alsodon't provide the proper nutrients that a diabetic patient needs.

According to research, limiting sweetened foods or drinks is crucial in controlling diabetes. [2]

If you have diabetes, you should avoid ready-made meals with lots of sugar. Instead, you should opt for whole such asfruits or high-quality meal prep meals with lots of veggies and fibre.

2. Heart Disease

People with heart diseases should avoid foods that are high in salt and sugar.

According to MayoClinic, heart patients should not eat

  • High salt items include canned soups, tomato juice, mayonnaise, and frozen foods.
  • Fatty proteins include full-fat milk, organ meat, deli meats, and bacon.
  • Trans fat food items
  • Grains such as White, refined flour, doughnuts, cakes, buttered popcorn, and high-fat snack crackers.

It would help if you opted for healthy food such as whole foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish and healthy fats.

On The Meal Prep Market, which is a mobile app to order from high-quality meal prep and meal delivery companies, you can find lots of heart-friendly options!

3. Hypertension

Facing hypertension and eating high in salt does not ring a bell! If you're still ordering meals made with low-quality high-fat oils and high-fat meat, you're just inviting heart attack and stroke risks.

If you have hypertension, your goal should be eating foods that aim to keep your blood pressure regular. Consume meals high in potassium, magnesium, and calcium and has low sodium and glycemic index foods.

Moreover, according to HarvardHealth, foods such as fish, whole grains, vegetables and fruits, nuts, legumes, and low-fat dairy products can help beat hypertension.

4. High Cholesterol Levels

If you're facing high cholesterol issues, some ready-made foods high in cholesterol can harm your health and lead to various health complications such as heart attack and stroke.

The best way to keep your levels from becoming too high is to add more cholesterol-free foods to your diet.

Order meals containing food items such as citrus fruits, apples, grapes, soybeans, oats, barley, eggplant, and kidney beans.

5. Obesity

Obese patients should not eat high-fat ready-made meals daily because they are high in calories and low in nutrients.If you are obese, look for low-fat meals such as tofu soup, mustardy lentil salad, Vegan fajita bowl, etc.

In a study, researchers found that consumption of 2 or more ready-meals per week does not link with a higher prevalence of obesity. [3] Researchers suggested that for people who find difficulty cooking meals by themselves, ready-made meals consumed occasionally could assist in maintaining diet quality and weight status.

How to eat conveniently, but healthily

The NHS says that poor diet is now the biggest risk factor to ill health in the UK.

It is just that important to eat wholesome meals and it is time to ditch supermarket ready meals, especially if you already suffer from a serious health condition.

Eating meals 3 to 4 times a day that are nutritious and have the optimal calories, nutrients, and minerals that your body needs explicitly saves you from developing health issues.

However, if you're already facing some, we prefer you to get professional advice from your medical practitioner or nutritionist before making any changes to your diet.

Being busy while trying to keep up your health is a tough job. The fear of getting ill from eating ready-made foods can even cause more negative effects on your health. Thankfully, especially sinceCovid-19, there are now many wholesome and nutritionally rich ready-made meal prep options.

Hundreds of meal delivery providers in the UK offer meal prep services, even for people facing health conditions.

These companies ensure to provide you with meal options that can meet your dietary requirements and fitness goals. However, everyone is different, so always read and check the nutritional information before purchasing and consuming.

Key to Food products

Summary

Most supermarket meals are unhealthy for most people who are already on high calorie diets like most people in developed Western societies- however just like anything, one once in a while won't be necessarily bad for you.

However, in recent years many new independent meal manufacturers have started to make much healthier ready meals and don't forget about mea;l prep companies if you're into fitness and saving time!

Before purchasing any meal, however, don't fall in to branding or any assumptions, simply read the nutritional information. Scan the macros and scan the ingredients list for any nasties.

At The Meal Prep Market, nutritional information is always clear along with macros and allergens. The Meal Prep Market choose only to list genuinely healthy meals - whether those are meal prep fitness meals or more comfort home-style ready meals. We make eating healthy easy, so that you can choose your favourite food prep company because The Meal Prep Market is the world’s #1mobile app and marketplace to order from meal prep and meal delivery companies!

References:

[1] Tandel, K. R.(2011). Sugar substitutes: Health controversy over perceived benefits. Journalof pharmacology & pharmacotherapeutics, 2(4), 236.

[2] Senadheera, S. P. A.S., Ekanayake, S., & Wanigatunge, C. (2016). Dietary habits of type 2diabetes patients: variety and frequency of food intake. Journal ofnutrition and metabolism, 2016.

[3] Soriano, G., DeBarreto, P. S., Rolland, Y., Plessz, M., Goisser, S., Guyonnet, S., ... &Sourdet, S. (2019). Ready-meal consumption in older people: association withobesity and dietary intake. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research, 31(6),855-861.

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