In the last few decades junk foods have become quite popular. They taste good, are cheap, and easy to grab on the go. But junk foods, including processed foods and fast food, are bad for us. There are no redeeming qualities to speak of with fast food and junk food. They are high in fat, salt, sugar, and added chemicals that do nothing but make us unhealthy. Below are the reasons you should be avoiding junk food completely.
Obesity: The consumption of fast food and junk food has led to a rise in obesity rates among both children and adults. People who eat high amounts of junk food consume more carbohydrates, salt, sugar, and bad fats than those who avoid it, and they get far less fiber than they should. And of course the calorie intake far exceeds what is recommended for a healthy individual. The obesity epidemic creates many health problems, including diabetes, disease of heart, and other syndrome.
Diabetes: When you consume processed sugars and too many carbohydrates, your blood sugar levels are increased. This forces your body to produce more and more insulin to remove that sugar and store it. Eventually this leads to insulin resistance and the cells no longer respond. The sugar cannot get into the cells and this leads to damage to the kidneys, arteries, and heart.
Cardiovascular Disease: Fast food and junk food contain high amounts of saturated and trans fats. Over time this leads to high cholesterol in the body. This creates fatty deposits along the walls of the arteries, blocking blood flow to the brain and the heart, eventually leading to heart disease, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and stroke. High levels of sodium in this bad food cause an increase in blood pressure, putting pressure on blood vessels and your heart, leading to heart attack and stroke. The high levels of sugar can also contribute to heart disease and stroke by damaging healthy cells due to insulin resistance.
Depression: Recent studies have shown a correlation between a diet high in fast food and junk food and depression. These bad foods are high in carbohydrates, fats, and sodium but very low in minerals, vitamins, fiber, and other essential nutrients. Without proper nutrition the hormones and neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine no longer do their jobs properly. Scientists aren’t sure of the exact mechanism, but there is a direct link between people with depression and poor diet.
Food Quality: In the case of fast foods, there is the question of food safety and quality. If these foods aren’t handled or cooked properly, we run the risk of eating contaminated food and suffering food poisoning. Other contagious diseases can also be spread by food handlers not practicing proper hygiene or safe handling. In the case of packaged food, there is a risk to the safety as they may contain cheap chemical preservatives and additives which may affect our bodies.
Just based on the reasons above, it is best to avoid junk food completely. They offer no nutritional value and only increase the potential for serious health problems.
