Excessive consumption of these things is dangerous, ICMR advises

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has included some foods including bread, butter and cooking oil in the category of ultra-processed food in its guidelines, calling them harmful for people’s health.

According to ICMR, Group C food items include foods like bread, cereals, cakes, chips, biscuits, fries, jam, sauce, mayonnaise, ice cream, protein pack powder, peanut butter, soya chunks, tofu made in factories. ICMR has also placed things like cheese, butter, meat, processed flour of cereals, millets and beans made with additives, energy drinks, milk, cold drinks and juices in the Group C category.

What is ultra processed food?

The answer to why ultra processed food is not healthy is that flour of different grains is made by grinding it on high flame in the factory, which does not spoil for many days, for this artificial ingredients and additives are added to it. Similarly, fresh fruits are kept frozen for many days so that they do not spoil. Milk is also pasteurized. All types of processing that make these healthy foods ready for consumption, take away nutrients from the food items. Whereas to keep the product fresh for taste, color and for a longer time, factories add things like artificial sweeteners, color, additives in those food items which are dangerous for health.