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The frozen food aisle at the grocery store can certainly be tempting. They’re full of mozzarella sticks, mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, and more. But it shouldn’t come as a shock to hear that these addictive frozen treats are way too easy to make and typically terrible for your overall health. Eating too much of them can lead to unwanted weight gain. To learn more about ultra-processed frozen foods to avoid, we checked in with nutritionist Lisa Richards, creator of The Candida Diet, and Trista Best, registered dietitian. They said frozen pizza and pizza rolls and frozen pot pies are highly processed and ruin your metabolism. Find out more below!
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Frozen pizza and pizza rolls
There's no denying that frozen pizza reigns supreme in the frozen food category. Walk into any grocery store and you'll see DiGiorno pizza, Totino's pizza, or even Trader Joe's famous roasted garlic and pesto pizza. Even though these frozen pizzas and pizza rolls are tasty, convenient meals, Richards says they can do some serious damage to your health if you eat them too often.
"They're loaded with sodium, saturated fat, and preservatives," Richards says. All of these ingredients can cause inflammation and be detrimental to your gut health over time. When inflammation becomes chronic, it can cause a range of digestive issues, including a leaky gut. Additionally, the lack of nutrients also poses a health risk.
"Their nutrient content is nearly void and their processed nature makes them a highly inflammatory food," she continues. "You may save money on food but you'll make up for it and more in healthcare costs if this is a staple in your freezer," Richards warns.
Frozen pot pies
On a lazy evening you may be tempted to reach for a frozen comfort food meal but before doing so, take a good look at the ingredients list. According to Best, frozen chicken pot pies are the worst thing you can stock up on.
Even though the protein from the chicken may be promising, Best warns, "The health aspect as it relates to treating the common cold or flu is the cysteine content of the chicken. Cysteine is an amino acid present in chicken and is the primary reason chicken pot pie seems like an effective remedy for the common cold. Unfortunately, this is where the healthy characteristics end and can certainly be obtained through more nutritious chicken recipes."
Best says the fat content alone in chicken pot pie is enough to raise a red flag. She explains, "While chicken is a lean animal protein, the other ingredients like milk, butter, and oil are high in saturated and trans fat. A diet containing large amounts of these fats can lead to heart disease and obesity." Instead, reach for a healthier (not frozen) meal--one that you can pronounce all of the ingredients.
Luckily, there are healthy alternatives to frozen pizza and frozen pot pies. You don't have to give up these tasty meals altogether; you just have to get a little creative in the kitchen to make your own with healthier ingredients. For pizza, dietitians recommend making it from scratch with a cauliflower crust. And, for pot pies, just making your own with fresh, natural ingredients is so much better than its frozen counterparts. Sounds perfect!
