Junk or Food? What Are We Actually Eating?

Follow us on

Junk or Food? What Are We Actually Eating!! 

In this fast-paced world, where people have busy routines and busier social lives, it becomes difficult for working individuals to take time out to prepare food or wait for their meal in lavish restaurants. They turn to junk food to save time not really thinking what it does to their health in the long run. It is understandable that such eating habits can sometimes be unavoidable given individual circumstances.

 Junk food refers to the type of food prepared and served to the customers at very short notice, hence the term “Junk Food” and since it is so unhealthy it is called “junk”. To make food “junk”, most of the junk food is prepared beforehand and is then preheated or precooked when an order comes up.

The popularity of junk food chains all over the world especially among the working individuals and teenagers is undeniable. Like McDonald’s, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut do loads of business on any given day.

Effects of Fast Food on the Body:  

 It has a direct impact on how you feel as well as on your overall health. Junk food isn’t necessarily bad, but in many cases it’s highly processed and contains large amounts of carbohydrates, added sugar, unhealthy fats, and salt (sodium).

These foods are often high in calories yet offer little or no nutritional value. When fast food frequently replaces nutritious foods in your diet, it can lead to poor nutrition, poor health, and weight gain. Tests in lab animals have even shown a negative effect in short duration diets. Being overweight is a risk factor for a variety of chronic health problems including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, most people underestimate the number of calories they’re eating in a fast-food restaurant. A 2013 study published in JAMA Paediatrics showed that children and adolescents take in more calories in fast food and other restaurants than at home. Eating at a restaurant added between 160 and 310 calories a day.

Sugar and Fat:

Added sugars have no nutritional value but are high in calories. According to the American Heart Association, most Americans take in twice as much sugar as is recommended for optimal health. All those extra calories add up to extra weight, which is a contributing factor for getting heart disease. Trans fats are a manufactured fat with no extra nutritional value. They’re considered so unhealthy that some countries have banned their use. Often found in fast food, trans fats are known to raise LDL cholesterol levels. That’s the undesirable kind of cholesterol. They can also lower HDL cholesterol, which is the so-called good cholesterol. Trans fats may also increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.