In our fast-paced lives, junk food seems appealing because it is easy to prepare and readily available in the market. Another motivating factor is the advertising done by junk food marketers, and on top of that, they taste great. Scientifically, it has been proven that the nutritional value of fast food is less than the required amount, and its consumption leads to several disorders. Let’s find out the bad effects of junk food on your health.
Junk food: Introduction
What is junk food? Well, the term “junk food” actually refers to food that contains a lot of calories, excess spices, sauces, and deep-fried preparations with little to no nutritional value. Why is junk food bad for you? Most junk foods, also known as fast foods, are not as innocent as they seem, as they contain trans-fats in the form of white flour and sugar or syrups, etc. Junk foods have very low nutritional value, but it is high in saturated fats, sugar and salt, which lead to obesity and heart disorders.
Packed and processed foods like chips, cheese puffs, and cookies contain preservatives, colouring, and artificial flavours, all of which are harmful to your body system. When junk foods are consumed very often, the excess carbohydrates, fat and processed sugar present in them give rise to cardiovascular disease, obesity, weight gain, diabetes, and other chronic health problems.
Impact of junk food on the body
Let’s have a look at the bad effects of junk food:
Obesity: Obesity is one of the main unpleasant effects of eating junk food. Weight gain results from the consumption of excessive amounts of sugar, calories, and fat found in junk food. Diabetes, heart disorders, and joint discomfort are a few conditions that can occur due to obesity. Scientific research demonstrated that eating junk or processed food increases your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Depression: The presence of a lot of sugar and fat can affect the brain’s chemistry and impair cognitive function. Consuming these substances in excess might cause your body to lose essential minerals and amino acids. Depression may occur because of these symptoms, which might affect your brain in a way that makes it incapable of coping with the stress.
Loss of memory and trouble learning: Those who eat junk food excessively tend to have poor cognitive skills. The consumption of junk meals may cause a fast onset of inflammation in the hippocampus (a region of the brain that is responsible for memory and learning). According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, consuming junk food continuously for five days may significantly impair your memory. The part of the brain involved in memory may become inflamed due to such a hazardous diet.
Worsen digestion and appetite: Consuming excessive junk food can impede your brain cells’ ability to function. Excessive sugar intake, often resulting from overeating, can interfere with blood sugar levels and lead to the brain’s craving for more food. The body begins to have difficulty digesting a lot of junk food as a result. Therefore, junk food is considered bad for the digestive system since it causes the process of digestion to slow down and leads to bloating. Also, fast food generally lacks certain enzymes that the stomach requires to digest meals. The intestines require fibre and water for excreting the digested food, but they lack these nutrients, which leads to poor digestion and irritable bowel syndrome.
Inadequate growth and development: One of the many harmful effects of junk food is that such food lacks essential vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and nutrients are vital for the growth and development of the body. The growth of the brain, as well as other body parts, can be affected by unhealthy eating habits, even if they only consume junk food in moderate amounts, accompanied by an imbalance of fatty acids and a lack of nutrients. Furthermore, consuming too much soda or sugar can also affect bones and cause tooth decay.
What do the junk foods offer?
Saturated fats: The trans-fats found in junk foods are considered the biggest food processing disaster. Junk foods are prepared using unhealthy saturated fats, which are difficult to digest and can release a lot of toxins into the body. Junk food, such as hamburgers, chips, fried chicken, and pizza, is typically high in saturated fats, which can lead to weight gain. Obesity poses a significant risk to heart health and can also contribute to other diseases.
Sugars: Biscuits, soft drinks, cordials, lollies, and cakes are loaded with sugar, which is what makes them taste good. However, excessive consumption leads to weight gain, negatively impacts tooth health, is detrimental to blood health, and may contribute to other diseases. Junk food lacks essential nutrients that the body needs for good health. It contains some fat, salt, and sugar, which are necessary for energy to burn during activities and work; however, excessive amounts of these substances are detrimental to health. Some people tend to settle for fast food as a meal option to save time. Junk food contains more sugar, and a large amount of sugar doubles the number of Amyloid plaque deposits. Eating fast food not only makes you prone to diabetes but also susceptible to heart disease and high blood pressure.
Refined grains: Refined food grains are processed to remove bran, but the processing also removes fibre, iron, and vitamins. Thus, they are starchy and less nutritious than whole grains. Refined grains are practically devoid of any natural fibre.
Salts: High sodium content of fast foods can be dangerous for overall health, as it can trigger a stroke. The preserved foods, such as bread, breakfast cereals and biscuits, contain salt and are harmful, as they raise blood pressure, forcing the heart to work harder. Moreover, excessive salt in junk food is bad for health.
Calories: Consuming a high amount of unhealthy calories from fast food can be disastrous to your health. The calories contribute to the exponential increase in obesity and related complications.
How to take junk out of the junk food?
Now that you know the bad effects of junk food, here is a list of a few good reasons to cut down on the intake of junk foods.
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- Select eateries providing healthier alternatives to fast food
- Instead of soda or a doughnut, grab fruit juice or crunchy fruit
- Avoid white bread and go for healthier whole wheat bread
- Avoid sweetened beverages
- Do not get influenced by the fast-food commercials
- Replace your bowl of chips with a variety of nuts
- Stock your refrigerator with fresh yoghurt, fruits and ranch dip to control your hunger.
Thus, by following these tips, you will be able to curb your temptation towards junk food and lead a healthy life.
Verdict!
After knowing about the effects of junk food on your health, set an aim for high fibre foods, limit sugar and salt, and eat calcium- and iron-rich foods. Make food choices that help improve overall health because, in the end, we all know that health is wealth!
