Ready Meal Health: Hidden Dangers Revealed

Supermarket shelves are stocked with microwave meals touting health benefits like high protein and fiber. However, a dietitian highlights significant nutritional concerns, primarily the reliance on processed ingredients. Many meals marketed as high protein are surprisingly high in sugar and salt.

The Inspired Cuisine Meatball Pasta contains high sugar and salt from processed meatballs, while the Press Healthfoods Bolognese offers a better balance but has a small portion size. The Pollen+Grace Burrito Bowl, despite its vegetable content, is very high in sugar and salt. The Bol Coconut Lentil Daal stands out as a winner for its ultra-high fiber and balanced ingredients.

Other meals like the Be Good To Yourself Fish Pie are low in sugar but contain moderate salt and limited fish. High Protein Katsu Chicken Curry and Counted Chicken Hotpot are also flagged for high salt. The Gym Kitchen Meat Feast Pasta is energy-dense with high sugar and salt. Nutrient Dense Romesco Chicken is high in protein but also fat. Myprotein Chicken Tikka Balti Bowl is exceptionally high in salt and added sugars.

However, the Nutrient Dense Cauli-Rice Prawn Paella is low in calories with good protein and fiber. High Protein Pulled Pork Carnitas is high in fat, and Cod Mornay, Mash and Peas has a good protein-to-sugar ratio but high saturated fat from its sauce.