In the fast-paced workday, eating a quick, satisfying snack is the modern reality for many busy Indians who cannot manage the time to cook and consume fresh meals daily or pay out of pocket for expensive meals that can be ordered in daily. With over 60% of people consuming ready-to-eat snacks on a daily basis, it is necessary to know what exactly is in the snack packets stored in the kitchen cabinet or the refrigerator's frozen section. From instant noodles and frozen parathas, to packaged bhujia (fried potato) and makhanas, there are many ready-to-eat or cook options that offer an instant energy boost, but at what cost? What packages most often don't disclose, but research does, is the fact that long-term consumption of packaged, ultra-processed foods can lead to major health issues like obesity and heart disease. As urban families, students, and professionals are turning to these foods for convenience, it becomes necessary to know what ingredients are present in packaged snacks that can cause health problems.
What Is In Packaged Snacks?
Not all packaged foods contain health damaging substances, as certain packaged snacks can be healthy. The ingredients used to make packaged snacks determine how healthy a packaged snack can be. While the large majority of ready-to-cook snacks fall into the ultra-processed foods category, it is important to be cautious of the health risks. India has an ever-growing processed food market, which is indicative of the boom in the demand for ready-to-eat snacks.
The packets of convenience have the following components that can pose great health risks:
- A high amount of sodium and preservatives, namely, salt, nitrates, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and chemical stabilisers.
- Hidden sugars and fats, as even savoury snacks often contain added sugars and trans fats.
- Low nutritional value present in processed foods can decrease the energy levels gained by eating a nutritional diet instead.
- The main component that is lacking in processed snacks is the protein quality. This directly affects the satiety (the feeling of fullness) that people need.
- In addition, fillers like starch and refined flour present in packaged snacks can worsen their nutritional value.
- The additives and flavour enhancers, like artificial colours, emulsifiers, and taste boosters, actively harm the gut environment.
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Read Here: 5 Tips To Minimise Your Intake Of Processed Foods
Health Risks Of Ultra-Processed Snacks
The trio of high sodium, excessive sugar, and unhealthy fats present in packaged snacks can exponentially decrease the nutritional content. This high processing strips the snacks of the essential fibre content that is essential for digestion. The alteration in the gut environment increases the chances of developing certain diseases. These diseases can range from:
- Obesity: Obesity happens due to weight gain from eating calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods such as processed snacks. The expansion of the waist is a dangerous sign that exposes people to developing life-threatening diseases. These adverse health outcomes have been documented in studies that show that increased exposure to ultra-processed foods can increase the risk of developing non-communicable diseases, morbidity, and mortality.
- Heart disease: The presence of high salt, which can be checked by analysing the label of the packaged snacks, poses a significant health issue. The incidence of developing heart disease as a comorbidity (result of being obese or having unnecessary fatty deposits in the body) can multiply. The high saturated fat intake exposes people to plaque build-up in the heart arteries, thus increasing the chances of having a heart attack.
- Hypertension: When we talk about hypertension (a health condition where the blood pressure in the heart's arteries becomes too high), it is directly related to processed snack consumption. The extremely high sodium content present in snack packets, which is generally more than the recommended dosage of 1500 milligrams, is surpassed when multiple processed snacks are consumed simultaneously. This is what exposes the body to developing diseases such as heart conditions and hypertension.
- Diabetes: The risk of diabetes (a health condition when the body can't make insulin properly) can be greater when there is frequent consumption of processed snacks. The presence of refined carbohydrates and hidden sugars in snack packets can expose the body to developing chronic diseases such as diabetes.
- Digestive Issues: Processed snacks have extremely low fibre content due to industrial manufacturing practices. Alongside, the shelf life of processed snacks can be prolonged by a high concentration of preservatives, which can actively harm the good bacteria in the gut. This happens through alteration in the gut functioning and affects proper digestion. In a study from Nutrition (2020), consumption of ultra-processed snacks has a role in negatively impacting gut bacteria responsible for digestion.
- Cancer Concerns: Most processed non-vegetarian snacking options on the market, like ready-to-eat processed meats like salami and sausages, are linked to increased chances of developing certain cancers. The carcinogenic compounds present in the synthetic casings of these processed meat snacks can actively damage the internal system and lead to the birth of cancer cell growth. The way these popular processed meat snacks are prepared, the proteins in the meat get a processing treatment that changes their nutritional value. In the process of increasing flavour, texture, and feel, the nutritional value of consuming meat decreases.
After this detailed breakdown, it is important to know that processed snacks, on occasion, can be part of eating a balanced diet. But there is a way to ensure that the quality of the snacks is better than their generic counterparts on the market. This will significantly reduce the health risks that can arise from processed snack consumption.
Read More: Try These Healthy Alternatives To Popular Ultra-Processed Foods
Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
References:
The Detrimental Impact of Ultra-Processed Foods on the Human Gut ... (2025).
Leo, E., & Campos, M. (2020). Effect of ultra-processed diet on gut microbiota and thus its role in neurodegenerative diseases. Nutrition.
Lane, M., Gamage, E., Du, S., & Ashtree, D. (2024). Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses. BMJ.
Ready-to-Eat Meals - India | Statista Market Forecast. (2025).
Chassaing, B., Compher, C., Bonhomme, B., Liu, Q., Tian, Y., Walters, W. H., Nessel, L., Delaroque, C., Hao, F., Gershuni, V. M., Chau, L., Ni, J., Bewtra, M., Albenberg, L., Bretin, A., McKeever, L., Ley, R., Patterson, A., Wu, G. D., ... Lewis, J. (2021). Randomised Controlled-Feeding Study of Dietary Emulsifier Carboxymethylcellulose Reveals Detrimental Impacts on the Gut Microbiota and Metabolome. Gastroenterology.
Wang, M., Du, X., Huang, W., & Xu, Y. (2022). Ultra-processed Food Consumption Increases the Risk of Hypertension in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Hypertension.
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