Although not as beneficial as fresh food, convenience foods, and drinks in bottles or cans are always present in our daily lives due to their convenience.
We can consider bottled beverages as industrially processed drinks that are packaged in bottles or cans, excluding bottled water.
According to Dr. Hoàng Thị Đức Ngàn from the National Institute of Nutrition, fast food, convenience foods, and bottled drinks are high in fat, oil, salt, and sugar but low in fiber and other micronutrients.
“Consuming a lot of these foods is a cause of increasing health issues such as overweight, obesity, blood sugar disorders, blood fat issues, high blood pressure, and a host of other chronic problems,” the expert stated.
On the other hand, these products also pose significant harm to the environment. However, they are increasingly consumed, especially among young people and busy individuals, due to their convenience, low cost, and appeal to community tastes.
Thus, choosing appropriate canned and bottled foods and beverages can help us maximize benefits while minimizing risks associated with these food groups.
Limiting Fast Food and Convenience Foods is the Best Advice
Dr. Ngàn assesses that home-cooked meals are always healthier than fast food and convenience foods. Additionally, home-cooked meals often ensure better food safety. This is also an opportunity for family members to strengthen their bonds.
“If you cannot eat at home, everyone can prepare meals to take to school or work. This will gradually form a healthy eating habit, reducing meals from convenience foods,” the expert noted.
Canned food and bottled drinks are becoming essential in modern life. (Illustration: congy_yuan).
Meanwhile, limiting the purchase of convenience foods or bottled drinks for storage at home or work is also a way to significantly reduce the frequency of consuming these products.
Dr. Ngàn remarks: “During breaks at work or home, we tend to snack on items like potato chips, snacks, cakes, candies, dried fruits, bottled fruit juices, coffee, and milk tea… Some busy individuals often choose instant noodles to save time.”
Therefore, limiting the purchase or keeping these products out of reach is another method to reduce their usage.
“This is particularly relevant for children, as their eating habits often follow their preferences and they may not know how to regulate their intake to protect their health,” Dr. Ngàn emphasized.
In cases where it is too busy to eat at home or when snacks are necessary, preparing alternative foods is a good solution to limit the use of fast food, convenience foods, or bottled drinks.
The expert suggests: “When going out, always carrying a bottle of water is a good preparation. If you need to buy a drink, opting for a bottle of water instead of a bottled soda is a better choice. Or when craving something sweet, we should substitute dried fruits with fresh fruits.”
Dr. Ngàn explains that the sweetness of fruits can satisfy cravings. Additionally, sugars from fruits are healthier as they also provide fiber and micronutrients. In contrast, candies and sweets lack these benefits.
“A yogurt is better than an ice cream. A glass of freshly squeezed juice is better than a glass of bottled fruit-flavored drink. When drinking coffee with milk, instead of using condensed milk, opt for fresh milk…” the expert suggests some alternatives.
Read Labels if You Must Use Canned or Bottled Foods
According to Dr. Hoàng Thị Đức Ngàn, in many cases, consuming fast food, convenience foods, or bottled drinks is unavoidable. At this point, making informed choices about these foods is an important recommendation.
“First, everyone should read the food labels on the packaging of convenience foods, fast foods, or bottled drinks. Food labels may be presented differently depending on the regulations of each country,” the expert advises.
Common nutrition label on canned food packaging. (Photo: National Institute of Nutrition).
Specifically, the steps for reading food labels and some basic notes include:
- Number of servings or weight in each food package: In the image above, one can of food provides 8 servings. Clearly distinguishing the number of servings in each package of convenience food will help us consume it more reasonably.
- Energy provided: As mentioned in the image, each serving provides 230 calories. This means that one can provides a total of 230 x 8, which is 1,840 calories. If one does not pay attention to the energy index, consuming the entire can means consuming eight times the energy and other nutrients listed on the label.
- Fat content in the product: According to recommendations in Australia, consumers should choose foods containing less than 10 g of fat per 100 g of food.
Among the types of fats, the saturated fat or trans fat content should be as low as possible.
Specifically, the saturated fat content should be below 3 g per 100 g of food. Meanwhile, we should choose foods that do not contain trans fats.
- Total carbohydrate content: Many food labels only provide the total carbohydrate content. However, some labels will provide detailed information on each type of carbohydrate.
From this, Dr. Ngàn advises the public to choose foods high in fiber and low in added sugars.
“Completely avoiding sugary foods is not feasible. Therefore, when selecting foods, we should only strive to choose products with low sugar content,” the expert stated.
- Total sodium content: Choose foods that contain low sodium. A product with less than 400 mg of sodium per 100 g of food is good. A number lower than 120 mg of sodium per 100 g of food would be the best choice.
- Products with added nutrients such as vitamins, iron, calcium… (as shown in the image) are better than those without these nutrients. In some nutrition labels, other components such as preservatives, food additives, and stabilizers are also often listed.
Additionally, in some convenience foods and bottled drinks, consumers may encounter information such as “fat-free,” “sugar-free,” “calorie-free.”
“This means that the product contains none of these substances or has them at low levels that do not affect human health,” Dr. Ngàn explains.
The expert gives an example of a product labeled “calorie-free.” This means each serving of that product provides under 5 calories. Similarly, a product labeled “sugar-free” or “fat-free” means each serving provides under 5 g of sugar or fat.
Likewise, a processed food item with information like:
- “Low fat”: The food contains less than 3 g of fat per serving.
- “Low saturated fat”: The food contains less than 1 g of saturated fat per serving or no more than 15% of calories from saturated fats.
- “Low sodium”: The food contains less than 140 mg of sodium per serving.
- “Low cholesterol”: The food has less than 20 mg of cholesterol per serving.
- “Low energy”: The food has total energy less than 40 calories per serving.
According to Dr. Ngàn, correctly understanding the information on nutrition labels will contribute to making more informed choices when consuming convenience foods, fast foods, and bottled drinks.
On the other hand, after purchasing fast food, convenience foods, or bottled drinks, the expert also suggests some tips for selecting and using these products wisely, thereby limiting any negative impacts on health:
- Limit the use of entire seasoning, sauce, and dipping packets in processed foods to reduce the intake of salt and sugar: For example, when eating instant noodles, use less water and salt than the recommended amount, do not use the entire sauce packet, avoid consuming all the broth, or add vegetables to your bowl of noodles.
- Order smaller portions: When craving bubble tea, instead of buying a large cup, opt for a smaller one, add more ice, and choose less sugar instead of the full amount as per the shop’s recipe. Avoid purchasing combo meals at fast-food restaurants and only select the dishes you truly enjoy.
Limit the use of dipping sauces, seasonings, and dressings in processed foods or fast food. This helps reduce the intake of salt, oil, and fats in your body. - Fruits and vegetables, along with fluids, are natural foods that are beneficial for health and can help eliminate and reduce the absorption of excess fats and salts in the body. Therefore, increasing the intake of green vegetables, fruits, and drinking enough water is also a way to limit the consumption of fast food, processed foods, and bottled beverages.
“Foods retain their nutrients at their maximum level when consumed in their closest form to their original state. Any food that undergoes industrial processing may lose its natural nutritional value,” emphasized Dr. Ngan.
