Many microwave meals may be low in the calories department but high in things that aren't good for you, such as salt. Too much salt, as well as other preservatives, can have a negative impact on your blood pressure and lead to problems with your cardiovascular system down the road.
Cheap microwavable meals are unhealthy because of the chemicals and preservatives added to them. To keep the food safe cheaply, companies tend to use loads of preservatives and chemicals during the manufacturing of microwavable meals. All of those can directly harm your health when consumed in high amounts.
The most heavily processed foods often are frozen or premade meals, including frozen pizza and microwaveable dinners.
Fast food is generally very high in saturated fat and salt, very low in nutrients and served in portions far greater than the average person requires. Microwave dinners, in general, are somewhat healthier, as they usually contain a small amount of vegetables, less fat and are served in more reasonable portions.
But a new study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that people who regularly ate frozen meals consumed 253 fewer calories and 2.6 less grams of saturated fat per day than people who ate fast food.
Frozen Meal Eaters Get More Essential Nutrients
The same study showed that those who reported eating frozen meals had higher amounts of key nutrients in their diet compared to fast food diners, including essential nutrients like: Fiber.
There are many types of frozen meals out there that make it easy to heat up anything from macaroni and cheese to chicken enchiladas within minutes. However, frozen foods are often highly processed, may be higher in calories and contain harmful additives that you may want to limit in your diet.
Examples of unhealthy processed foods
Here is a short list of some unhealthy processed foods to avoid: Sugary beverages such as sweetened coffee and tea, energy drinks and soft drinks. Deli meats, hot dogs and sausages. Frozen pizza and frozen meals.
"Processed foods" include those that have been cooked, canned, frozen, packaged or nutritionally altered by fortifying, preserving or preparing it in different ways. In other words, any time we cook, bake or prepare a food, we're creating a processed food.
Unprocessed or minimally processed foods: Think vegetables, grains, legumes, fruits, nuts, meats, seafood, herbs, spices, garlic, eggs and milk.
Any food which is altered during preparation is being processed - the greater the alteration, the more processing involved. A loaf of homemade sourdough bread, for example, is more processed than a bag of pre-cut green beans.
Not all frozen foods are fully cooked or ready-to-eat. It can be difficult to tell when foods are not-ready-to-eat when they have browned breading, grill marks or other signs that normally show that a product has been cooked.
On most days of the week, you'll want to rely on fresh meals — or tasty leftovers. “At the end of the day, I would limit frozen meals to no more than twice a week,” notes Taylor. But when you need the convenience of a frozen entrée, these tips can guide your choices.
Processed foods
that have added ingredients such as oil, sugar, and salt. However, some are worse than others. The top offenders for inflammation include fast foods, frozen entrees, and processed meats like lunch meats, hot dogs, and bacon.
With a conventional oven your food will actually come out more evenly cooked. The downside that comes with cooking a frozen meal in an oven is that it takes a lot longer to heat the food. With a microwave, you can zap food and within three to five minutes it's typically ready to be eaten.
Just a few minutes in the microwave - and viola! But are they healthy? Here's the catch. Ready meals are often quite unhealthy due to being high in fat, salt and calories.
Ready-Made Meals Can Keep Calories Low
The Nestle USA study found that adults who consumed frozen ready meals typically consumed "253 fewer calories per day than fast food eaters and ate 25% more total vegetables and 61% more whole grains." As such, frozen ready meals are a healthier and less calorie-dense option.
The worst processed foods for your diet are typically ready-to-eat and low in nutrients. They include cookies, sugary drinks, deli meats, and frozen pizza, salty snacks like chips, and most breakfast cereals. These foods may taste good, but they're loaded with added ingredients that aren't good for you.