Processed food: Good or bad?
Ms T takes a sneak peek into the average Pakistani menu to see how it has changed and what it means for our health.
Ms T takes a sneak peek into the average Pakistani menu to see how it has changed and what it means for our health.
The advancement of technology has benefitted women in many ways. From electronic appliances like grinders and espresso machines to food storage facilities like deep-freezers, technology has all but revolutionised the process of cooking all over the world. The chopper bade farewell to the traditional stone slabs used by our ancestors to crush spices (sil) and a few years later, the very spices and condiments the sil was used for were replaced by packaged masalas and flavour powders.
And women of today aren’t complaining! In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, who would be willing to toil away in the kitchen for hours every day? Technology and lifestyle changes have reduced the time we spend in the kitchen considerably. Craving a cake? Purchase a cake mix. Thinking of cooking some biryani? Just throw in some prepared masala and voila! Your dish is ready. Be it full-fledged foods or raw meats, ingredients and spices, cooking has been thoroughly simplified. But has it taken a turn for the worse?
The majority of the food we consume nowadays is processed and packaged, which is bad news not just for the environment but for us as well. These processed foods contain multiple chemicals which afford them their colour, taste, longevity and freshness for which, they often undergo energy-intensive processesing. In addition to this, cardboard packaging often contains chemicals called diisopropyl-naphthalenes (DIPNs) which can migrate into the food it carries, rendering it unhealthy for consumption.
Perhaps a good example of this would be the milk that we now buy off the shelves: all leading milk brands in Pakistan are UHT (Ultra Heat Treatment) treated. This involves heating milk at 135 degrees Celsius — above boiling point — and then cooling it back down for packaging. While the intense heat kills bacteria, it also causes the milk to lose its nutritional value, taste and smell and manufacturers are forced to add artificial chemicals to regain them. The process also involves homogenisation, which ensures that milk and water are not separated to prevent curdling. Once the liquid is processed, it is packed between six layers of cardboard, polythene and aluminium sheets to preserve it for a long time. The shelf-life of the average milk pack ranges between six to nine months, during which time chemicals like urea, found in the packaging, seep into the milk inside. In a nutshell, the milk provided to us is nothing but liquid sold as milk. The ‘pick-and-pour’ appeal of these milk packs pales in comparison to the harmful effects they can perpetrate and many like Mrs Aman-ul-Haque are now switching back to fresh milk. “I once found a thick layer of white solids collecting at the base of the milk box,” she says. “Ever since then, I buy fresh milk for my four children. It isn’t as convenient but at least we are safe from preservatives and other chemicals!”
As if milk was not enough, food chemicals have made their way to cold meats as well and many are growing apprehensive regarding the meat they purchase. “Chicken and beef are a staple feature of Pakistani cuisine without which our daily meals feel incomplete,” explains Shehla Shahid, a stay-at-home mother of four who likes to prepare the household food herself. “But there have been recent rumours about the animals being given hormone injections to make them bigger and reproduce more which have frightened me. I am unsure of where to buy meat from now!” Amir Nadeem from Sargodha agrees. “My family and I only purchase desi chicken and desi eggs now. God knows what happens to the animals at broiler farms,” he shares. Trans fats, saturated fats, sugar and sodium nitrate in large quantities are just some of the substances injected into processed meats. They may enhance colour, prevent oxidation and bacteria but also lead to cancer.
The arrival of prepared meals and heat-and-serve finger foods has been a blessing for many women like Tahira Bilal, juggling their homes and careers. “Having access to ready-made kebabs, wings, French fries, etc has been a blessing for me,” she admits. “Whenever I return home from work and am too tired to cook, I simply heat a few kebabs and serve them as dinner. Not only do they save time, they are also delicious and perfect for unexpected guests!” For Madeeha Azam, achieving the perfect biryani for her family seemed impossible, especially with a full time job but now, local biryani mixes save the day. “I never thought I could cook. Ready-made masala mixes are my saviour,” she exclaims.
Tayyaba Shabbir from Lahore however, holds a contrasting view. “I stay away from readymade frozen foods as there is some milaawat in everything. Terms like ‘hormone injection free’ and ‘fat free’ are nothing but marketing gimmicks by manufacturers, hungry for profits. There is no knowing what might be in their products.” Digging deeper into the products lends credence to Tayyaba’s claims as many of them contain ingredients like Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) which has been proven to perpetrate migraines and even autism and psychological disorders!
The rise of packaged food and ingredients is symbolic of the changes the average Pakistani household has undergone over the years. “When we were younger, we would wake each morning to the aroma of desi ghee ke parathay and fried eggs, made by my mother. We grew up strong and healthy,” reminisces Mrs. Malik Sulman, a grandmother from Islamabad. “Nowadays, mothers don’t seem to be bothered enough to get up in the morning and cook a nutritious breakfast for their children. Just boil some sausages or buy a packet of biscuits at the nearest grocery store on the way to school and that’s all. No health considerations, no nutrition. Nothing.”
One can consider it a generation gap but most elders admonish the consumption of packaged foods, saying they are neither healthy nor tasty. Of course, indulging in organic foods and natural produce is advisable in the long term but according to Shaheena Khilji, a mother of three from Islamabad, moderation is key. “I think the problem with the new generation is that they are either too little or too much,” explains Shaheena. “My own children are like that. They have very strong likes and dislikes about everything, including food and of course, most of them avoid vegetables and fruits like the plague! If people can simply regulate their consumption of processed foods, instead of relying on them alone as most youngsters do these days, the unhealthy aspects of these products can be countered.”
That is not to say all processed, pre-cooked and packaged food items are detrimental to the human body. Many products also contain vitamins and other minerals essential for a healthy life, just so long as the main vices — mainly MSG, artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, preservatives and artificial colours — are avoided. It is best to choose products with just a handful of ingredients, most of which can hopefully be recognised.
Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, February 16th, 2014.
And women of today aren’t complaining! In today’s fast-paced lifestyle, who would be willing to toil away in the kitchen for hours every day? Technology and lifestyle changes have reduced the time we spend in the kitchen considerably. Craving a cake? Purchase a cake mix. Thinking of cooking some biryani? Just throw in some prepared masala and voila! Your dish is ready. Be it full-fledged foods or raw meats, ingredients and spices, cooking has been thoroughly simplified. But has it taken a turn for the worse?
The majority of the food we consume nowadays is processed and packaged, which is bad news not just for the environment but for us as well. These processed foods contain multiple chemicals which afford them their colour, taste, longevity and freshness for which, they often undergo energy-intensive processesing. In addition to this, cardboard packaging often contains chemicals called diisopropyl-naphthalenes (DIPNs) which can migrate into the food it carries, rendering it unhealthy for consumption.
Perhaps a good example of this would be the milk that we now buy off the shelves: all leading milk brands in Pakistan are UHT (Ultra Heat Treatment) treated. This involves heating milk at 135 degrees Celsius — above boiling point — and then cooling it back down for packaging. While the intense heat kills bacteria, it also causes the milk to lose its nutritional value, taste and smell and manufacturers are forced to add artificial chemicals to regain them. The process also involves homogenisation, which ensures that milk and water are not separated to prevent curdling. Once the liquid is processed, it is packed between six layers of cardboard, polythene and aluminium sheets to preserve it for a long time. The shelf-life of the average milk pack ranges between six to nine months, during which time chemicals like urea, found in the packaging, seep into the milk inside. In a nutshell, the milk provided to us is nothing but liquid sold as milk. The ‘pick-and-pour’ appeal of these milk packs pales in comparison to the harmful effects they can perpetrate and many like Mrs Aman-ul-Haque are now switching back to fresh milk. “I once found a thick layer of white solids collecting at the base of the milk box,” she says. “Ever since then, I buy fresh milk for my four children. It isn’t as convenient but at least we are safe from preservatives and other chemicals!”
As if milk was not enough, food chemicals have made their way to cold meats as well and many are growing apprehensive regarding the meat they purchase. “Chicken and beef are a staple feature of Pakistani cuisine without which our daily meals feel incomplete,” explains Shehla Shahid, a stay-at-home mother of four who likes to prepare the household food herself. “But there have been recent rumours about the animals being given hormone injections to make them bigger and reproduce more which have frightened me. I am unsure of where to buy meat from now!” Amir Nadeem from Sargodha agrees. “My family and I only purchase desi chicken and desi eggs now. God knows what happens to the animals at broiler farms,” he shares. Trans fats, saturated fats, sugar and sodium nitrate in large quantities are just some of the substances injected into processed meats. They may enhance colour, prevent oxidation and bacteria but also lead to cancer.
The arrival of prepared meals and heat-and-serve finger foods has been a blessing for many women like Tahira Bilal, juggling their homes and careers. “Having access to ready-made kebabs, wings, French fries, etc has been a blessing for me,” she admits. “Whenever I return home from work and am too tired to cook, I simply heat a few kebabs and serve them as dinner. Not only do they save time, they are also delicious and perfect for unexpected guests!” For Madeeha Azam, achieving the perfect biryani for her family seemed impossible, especially with a full time job but now, local biryani mixes save the day. “I never thought I could cook. Ready-made masala mixes are my saviour,” she exclaims.
Tayyaba Shabbir from Lahore however, holds a contrasting view. “I stay away from readymade frozen foods as there is some milaawat in everything. Terms like ‘hormone injection free’ and ‘fat free’ are nothing but marketing gimmicks by manufacturers, hungry for profits. There is no knowing what might be in their products.” Digging deeper into the products lends credence to Tayyaba’s claims as many of them contain ingredients like Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) which has been proven to perpetrate migraines and even autism and psychological disorders!
The rise of packaged food and ingredients is symbolic of the changes the average Pakistani household has undergone over the years. “When we were younger, we would wake each morning to the aroma of desi ghee ke parathay and fried eggs, made by my mother. We grew up strong and healthy,” reminisces Mrs. Malik Sulman, a grandmother from Islamabad. “Nowadays, mothers don’t seem to be bothered enough to get up in the morning and cook a nutritious breakfast for their children. Just boil some sausages or buy a packet of biscuits at the nearest grocery store on the way to school and that’s all. No health considerations, no nutrition. Nothing.”
One can consider it a generation gap but most elders admonish the consumption of packaged foods, saying they are neither healthy nor tasty. Of course, indulging in organic foods and natural produce is advisable in the long term but according to Shaheena Khilji, a mother of three from Islamabad, moderation is key. “I think the problem with the new generation is that they are either too little or too much,” explains Shaheena. “My own children are like that. They have very strong likes and dislikes about everything, including food and of course, most of them avoid vegetables and fruits like the plague! If people can simply regulate their consumption of processed foods, instead of relying on them alone as most youngsters do these days, the unhealthy aspects of these products can be countered.”
That is not to say all processed, pre-cooked and packaged food items are detrimental to the human body. Many products also contain vitamins and other minerals essential for a healthy life, just so long as the main vices — mainly MSG, artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils, preservatives and artificial colours — are avoided. It is best to choose products with just a handful of ingredients, most of which can hopefully be recognised.
Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, February 16th, 2014.