Reasons for Using Seasoning Cubes on Meals

Seasoning cubes are soup or better still are flavors processed into cubes, which are used in adding flavors to stews, soups, and other dishes. 

However, seasoning cubes over the years have gained popularity due to their sweet-tasting flavor most people can’t cook a complete meal without adding seasoning cubes. 

Seasoning cubes are now an integral part of ingredients needed when cooking.

In this article, we’ll be highlighting some benefits and effects of seasoning cubes that you may not know.

Seasoning cubes add sweet and great flavors to whatever it is added to, it improves the taste and aroma of any dish by 100%.

Talking about seasoning cubes, there are lots of different seasoning flavors in the market, different brands come up with different flavors. 

Although almost all the seasoning cubes from all brands taste the same the fact remains that most people have the brands they take as their favorite.

As these seasoning cubes come in different flavors and tastes, flavors for different soups and dishes are also processed. 

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You may see flavors like Chicken flavor, Stew flavor, Soup Flavour, Soya flavor, etc. There are several seasoning cubes out there in the market.

Unfortunately, our traditional seasoners and sweeteners have been replaced with these processed seasoning cubes, some even use them in place of salt. 

Seasoning cubes have great benefits but also they have side effects. We’ll be looking into that as we proceed further.

Processed seasoning cubes contain compound and artificial preservatives, making them a bit bad for our health.

 People tend to use these processed cube flavors without considering the effects that they may have on their health.

Although, it changes the entirety of dishes like the taste and aroma long-term use or excessive use of these cubes may have some effects on your body. 

That is why it is advised you look at the ingredients of seasoning cubes before making use of them.

Ingredients of Average Seasoning Cubes

Below are the ingredients that will be contained in a seasoning cube:

• Salt
• Monosodium
• Glutamate(MSG)
• Sugar
• Hydrogenated Palm Oil
• Corn starch
• Dehydrated Beef or Fish
• Caramel color
• Natural flavor
• Disodium inosinate
• Spices
• Tumeric
• TBHQ – preservative.

A good example of a seasoning cube is the Maggi seasoning cubes. Maggi seasoning cubes are very popular and used by most Nigerians in preparing their dish. A Maggi cube contains a high amount of sodium and MSG.

It is now very clear that all these seasoning cubes are nothing but processed artificial flavors which when too much of it is consumed may be very bad for your health, due to its contents, as it contains chemicals, additives, and artificial preservatives which may conflict with the normal functioning of your body.

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The topmost concern here is the high salt content in each cube of seasoning flavors. 

You should know that some seasoning flavor cubes contain as much as 2.50g of salts which is high, which means that each seasoning cube contains 40% salt content. 

From a medical perspective, an average adult should and must not contain more than 5g of salts per day.

At least, you are expected to consume two cubes of seasoning cubes a day. 

Unfortunately, most people use 2-4cubes per dish. Some even go ahead and use 3-4cubes in all three dishes in a day, flooding their body with high salt content. 

It is very bad and may also contribute to high blood pressure.

Another unfortunate truth is most people still go ahead in adding salt after adding 3-4cubes of seasoning cubes in their dish, some do it out of the fact that the seasoning cube may not be enough to make the food taste good. 

You should know that excess consumption of salt may lead to serious health problems some of which are high blood pressure and kidney problems.

High intake of sodium may also lead to heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and kidney disease.

These processed flavored cubes are also made of hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenated oils are oils that have been processed into unhealthy trans fatty acids. 

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Hydrogenated oil will undergo processing to enhance its taste, texture, and shelf life. This process forms trans fats, which are not good for your health. 

This may lead to an increase in LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol, and a decrease in HDL, or “good,” cholesterol.

They also contain monosodium glutamate (MSG). there are different opinions surrounding the effect of MSG on the body. However, its intake should be monitored.

Generally, it is not advised to take lots of something that are not natural to your body. toxic effects of MSG include obesity, cancer, numbness, asthma.

Another content is sugar, although it occurs only in small quantities. So using too many seasoning cubes in your food may greatly increase the amount of sugar in your food. 

if you are someone who is reducing your sugar intake, you should see that you reduce the number of seasoning cubes you use.

If you must continue to use seasoning cubes, then you should make moderation your topmost virtue. 

At least you can make use of two cubes a day. Try as much as you can to avoid fast foods as they contain high salt contents and others. Your health should be your topmost priority.

Instead of using artificial seasoning flavors, you can make use of other spices like garlic, ginger, curry leaves, turmeric. 

If you want something more, you can decide to go traditional by using healthy Nigerian spices like locust beans, ogiri, dawa dawa, crayfish, and onions.

Using salt is not bad, but too much of it is bad.

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