There was a lot of time in people’s lives and fewer things to do daily in ancient times. Gradually, dynamics have rapidly changed. People have now started valuing time and doing more creative things.
Technology has occupied center stage, rigorous competition has begun, and the universe is starting to witness the finest of innovations as time passes by. In this speedy life, people can save time in petty ways.
Even your daily small chores of eating on the same plate, using buckets instead of showers for bath, etc., can create a lot of difference in saving time. One of the most surprising ways of saving time is consuming bottled and jarred packaged goods.
Cooking every day occupies most of your time, and you can save plenty of time by eating such foods often. People have also recognized these foods as an excellent means to save time and have a change in taste. It offers a wide variety of foods that you could not have otherwise experienced.
These foods include packed meat, milk, shellfish, vegetables, etc. There are other bottled goods like shampoo, cleaning products, gardening products, etc. But there is a pervasive thought that we should consume these things regularly? What are the advantages and disadvantages of such goods?
Advantages of Bottled and Jarred Packaged Goods
Understanding the different benefits and uses of bottled and jarred packaged goods is vital to conclude how often you should consume these goods. Following are the benefits of these goods.
- Savior for remote people: Packaged foods can serve as the best option for people who live away from their families. It is very popular among college students because the foods offer a great taste. It makes it easy for the students to adapt to the taste of the same quickly.
The storage of such goods is also effortless. The glass jar in which such goods are packed is also easier to carry and hold. They do not contaminate very easily.
- Cleanliness & hygiene: The containers in which the bottled goods are packed are very clean and protect the food against harmful bacteria and pathogens. These containers are airtight, which means there will not be enough passage for air to flow. This is the reason why they are more durable than regular cooked food.
- Environmental benefits: Packaged foods are indirectly leading to environmentally friendly consequences. Most bottled and packed foods come in glass. Glass is an eco-friendly product as organic materials like sand soda dolomite are used in glass manufacturing.
Disadvantages of Bottled and Jarred Packaged Goods
There are some disadvantages of bottled packaged goods.
- Wastage of resources: As mentioned earlier, packaged food is an eco-friendly option. But what remains the pre-effect of packaged food is a mere wastage of several resources. It involves several packaging materials, unlike unpackaged food.
- Expensive: When you compare packaged and unpackaged goods based on cost, unpackaged goods are a better option. As mentioned, a lot goes into the whole process of making and delivering packaged goods. This leads to an increase in the overall final cost of the product.
The extra cost bifurcation of packaged foods is accounted for by packaging, storage, and transportation. Packaging of the goods comprises between 10 to 50% of the prices of the goods.
- Harmful health effects: The most known destructive impact of packaged goods is their effect on health. These goods are full of artificial substances, food additives, and unnatural flavors. This degrades the quality as well as the taste of the food.
Consumption of these foods can lead to serious health effects. These are – allergic reactions, indigestion, raise in chances of lung and heart diseases, bad cholesterol, and several other health problems.
However, steps like approval of foods from the FDA have gained the trust of consumers. Through this, packaged foods convey to the buyers about the nutrients content, expiry dates, etc.
Types of Packaged Goods to Avoid & Neglect
There are certain packaged goods that you must not consume. These food items are stated as follows:
- There are several harmful effects of packaged vegetable oil on our health or body. These oils are mainly canola, soybean, vegetable, and corn oil. Such oils lead to various ailments, including indigestion, inflammation, cancer risks, etc.
- Agave syrup is a sort of sweetener used in many households. It has terrible implications on health and is often termed as worse than sugar. When it is heated, it can be more health-threatening as it can lead to fatty liver disease and belly fat. Moreover, it is also not a cost-effective option as a sweetener.
- Packed items like flour, bread, and pasta are counted very low on nutritional value. It leads to laziness or tiredness. These products are termed as ‘enriched’ products.
- Just like enriched items, fortified items such as fruit juice, milk, or any other item modified to make it healthy are also harmful. In other words, it means when there is an addition of minerals or vitamins in the product, it is known as fortified. This is often done to counterbalance the loss of nutritional value while making packaged food items.
Conclusion
When you are hungry, you do not care what to cook and eat. You open a drawer in the kitchen and open a packet of noodles and make it instantly. You do not realize the after-effects of such items immediately. But after 40 years, when diseases knock on the door, it is common to blame the past.
However, these food items have immensely helped people in metro cities where time has been crucial in daily lives. Packaged food items have their benefits and cons, but regularly consuming them can lead to severe repercussions.
Whenever you have a get-together party or an unplanned large family reunion, instant packaged food items are the best options to consider. Cooked items today will be slowly converted into mini packets of ready-to-make food items. Do not get surprised if you get to see ‘ready to make beans or lady finger’ after 5 to 10 years.
