Sausage is one of the people's favorite processed foods. Processed foods are foods that are produced by changing the shape and taste of the original ingredients for reasons of practicality and durability. But unfortunately, some processed food ingredients contain excess fat, sugar and salt for the body.
Some processed foods are actually healthy foods. But unfortunately most of the well-known processed foods on the market tend to contain excess additives, so their consumption needs to be limited. Pay attention to the following facts and guidelines so that consumption of sausages and other processed foods does not become a source of disease.
Understanding the Process of Making Sausage and Processed Meat
Sausage includes processed meat that has gone through processing such as smoking, salting, or adding preservatives. Generally, sausages are made from beef or chicken which are packaged in wrappers made from beef intestines or synthetic wrappers with additional spices.
Apart from sausages, most of the products sold in supermarkets are also included in the processed food group, for example bread, cheese, cereals, canned vegetables, drinks, or snacks. The manufacture of processed foods is very diverse, ranging from canning, roasting, freezing to pasteurization.
Research has found that consuming too much processed and red meat may be linked to an increased risk of colon cancer and heart disease. Therefore, you are not recommended to consume sausages and other processed foods in excess because they can interfere with health.
Additives in Processed Food
Processed products generally use a lot of additives, such as sugar, salt, and fat to preserve, as well as add flavor and structure to the product. The amount of content often escapes the attention of consumers and makes them unable to control the number of calories that enter the body. This is what can be one of the risk factors for disease, including gastrointestinal cancer.
One study has revealed that the sodium nitrate contained in some processed meats can trigger constriction of blood vessels and have an impact on the way the body processes sugar. This condition makes you more at risk of developing diabetes. In addition, the content of saturated fat and high salt can also interfere with heart health.
Healthy Ways to Eat Processed Food
There are several ways that can be done to eat processed foods intelligently, in order to get maximum benefits while reducing the risk of diseases that may arise. For example, always read the nutrition label on the packaging of processed products to ensure the levels of sugar, fat, and salt.
In addition, also pay attention to information on energy (kJ/kcal), saturated fat, and protein from these foods. Then how many levels of content are called high and low? Here are some guidelines for sorting them out:
- Total fat content is considered high if it exceeds 17.5 grams of fat per 100 grams and is considered low at 3 grams or less.
- Saturated fat content is said to be high if it exceeds 5 grams per 100 grams and low if it is written at 1.5 grams or less.
- Salt levels should not exceed 1.5 grams or 0.6 grams of sodium per 100 grams. Meanwhile, the sugar content should not exceed 22.5 grams per 100 grams.
In order to maintain nutritional needs, you are encouraged to add seafood to the daily menu of processed foods. Also make sure you don't consume more than 70 grams of processed meat per day or the equivalent of one slice of meat the size of a piece of white bread.
Actually, instead of consuming processed meat, it is more advisable to process your own food ingredients from their natural form, but still in reasonable portions. You can also try a vegetarian sausage made from a combination of tofu, beans and vegetables.
Although it has a number of negative effects on the body, it does not mean you are not allowed to consume sausages and other processed foods. You can eat processed foods, but limit the amount. What must be known, processing fresh food is still more healthy than consuming processed food.
