Thinking about saving time and having a delicious and meal convenience food is the best option. Convenience food also known as processed food is commercially prepared food created as an easy way to get and consume. Convenience foods are readily available at every store whether roadside markets or in big marts. There are variety of convenience food available in the market from morning cereals and parathas in frozen form to heavy dinner meals like processed meat and canned foods. Convenience food has becomes the integral part of our lifestyle and that is main culprit of unhealthy life. Most convenience foods provide little or no nutrition. Mostly they contain high amount of sodium, sugar and saturated fats, which can lead to several medical conditions. They are also loaded with emulsifier, preservatives, leavening, coloring, flavoring and thickening agents. Convenience food must not be consume more than 1-2 times a week. Especially people with medical conditions like hypertension, diabetes and heart disease should avoid every kind of processed foods. The body’s ability to digest these foods becomes difficult because they are highly processed. The most common types of proceeds foods used on daily basis are packaged chips, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables, bread, commercialize juices and frozen fast food items.

To obtain a healthy lifestyle it is very important to replace convenience food with healthy homemade food. Instead of package potato chips, fries can be make at home with organic potato. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables can be replace with fresh ones. Using fresh juices instead of package juice is also a healthy choice. It is a matter of choosing a healthy lifestyle. Although it is convenient for us but it is not convenient for our health. Media should have to play an important role to spread awareness among the nation.

KIRAN FATIMA,

Islamabad, March 4.