12 Harmful Effects of Eating Junk Foods Regularly
Introduction
Do you love eating junk food? Are you addicted
to these types of non-nutritious foods? Do you know the harmful effects? How
they harm our health? Are they healthy or not?
Yes! Today we will discuss what happens if we eat junk
foods regularly.
In the 21st century, one thing that has
been a staple to our daily life worldwide is junk foods.
With our busy schedule, today we have to juggle
multiple jobs, friends, family, traveling and we do not have enough time to
take proper food and a healthy diet.
In that case, junk foods serve as an easy medium to
fill our stomach in a short time, and so, they have taken the place of a healthy
diet.
These foods are prepared and served quickly because
they consist of some pre-cooked stuff, and why they are also known as fast
food. They are pocket-friendly, easy to carry, and of course tasty.
But it does not mean that they are good for our
health. In fact, they are very harmful than we can imagine. They are tasty
poisons.
Nutritional Profile of Junk Food
Junk foods are the least or non-nutritious stuff. Due to quick
preparation, most of the ingredients are fried and contain too many calories.
They are rich in unhealthy fats (such as trans or
saturated fats), higher amounts of simple carbs, and sodium salt, excess refined sugar, etc. But the dietary fibers, proteins, healthy fats,
vitamins, and minerals are absent.
The fizzy beverages contain highly concentrated sugar
only. So, these types of foods and beverages that contain no significant
nutrients but high-calorie content, known as empty calorie.
These foods produce several harmful effects and invite
various metabolic problems.
Fast Food List
There are so many unhealthy, non-nutritious, high
caloric foods and fizzy drinks are present in the fast-food list.
The list quite wider, tasty, rich in both veggies, and
non-veg food items.
So, the most popular junk foods are pizza,
burgers, French fries, noodles, pasta, sandwich, potato chips, taco bell,
chicken nuggets, some well-known desserts, such as pastry, cookies, ice cream,
muffins, doughnuts, etc.
The list also rich in frosty, smoothies, sugary soda
water, and fizzy soft drinks.
Junk Food Harmful Effects
1. Unhealthy Weight Gain & Obesity
Unhealthy weight gain is the major side effect of
junk foods. If you ever looked at the nutritional profile of any food and
drink label, you have noticed that every factor is based on a 2000 calories
diet.
Because of this number of calories, you should consume
daily to maintain a healthy body weight (However, it depends on certain factors,
like age, sex, and height). But in general, the more calories you consume, the more
weight you gain.
Here, junk foods play some dangerous roles in our
health. They contain a lot of calories that is much more than the daily
requirements. These extra calories do not burn through normal daily activities
and convert into body fat.
According to the health experts, every unused 7
calories convert into 1 gm of fat, which stored and makes you obese.
On the other hand, empty calorie-rich foods instant
satisfy hunger, but not for long, due to the absence of fiber, and protein. So,
they increase food craving and enhance excess food intake.
The study found that those who eat junk food
frequently, generally have higher BMI* (body mass index), and are more likely to
be overweight than those who do not.
*BMI
is a ratio of body weight (in kg), and height (in meter square) of an
individual.
Higher BMI indicates overweight or obesity. If your
BMI less than 18.5, then you are underweight. If your BMI 18.5 to less than 25,
your body weight is normal. If your BMI is 25 to less than 30, you are in the overweight
range. A BMI higher than 30, indicates severe obesity.
2. Increases Heart Problems
Another common junk food harmful effect is
increased heart problems.
Unhealthy fats and high calorie-containing fast foods
increase bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower good cholesterol (HDL) levels. It can
cause plaque deposition in the arteries and leads to atherosclerosis, heart attack, etc.
Junk Food Increases Heart Diseases
On the other hand, too much salt in these foods
increases blood pressure.
So, the combination of trans fat, high sugar, and a
lot of sodium salt makes junk food tastier as well as dangerous for health.
3. Risk of Diabetes
Higher amounts of sugar and little to zero fiber
content of junk food enhance the risk of type-II diabetes.
Most of these foods contain higher amounts of simple
carbs, which break down through the digestive system and release glucose
(sugar) into the bloodstream. As a result, Elevates blood sugar level.
Junk Food May Increase Blood Sugar
The consumption of excess simple carbs, artificial
sugar increases insulin production to prevent a dangerous spike in blood sugar
levels.
On the other hand, empty calorie-rich foods cannot
fill the satiety, enhance hunger, and increase your tendency to eat more sugary
foods and beverages.
Eating too much sugar puts your metabolism under
stress. This stress damages the ability of insulin secretion from the pancreas,
it is called insulin resistance.
So, type-II diabetes will occur if you eat these foods
regularly.
4. Reduces Control Over Hunger
Junk foods can affect the hunger center in the brain. Excess
consumption of trans fat through fried and processed foods may send mixed
signals to the brain.
These signals making difficult to process what you may
have eaten and how hungry you are. This is why you do not end up overeating.
On the other hand, for proper signaling, the brain
needs healthy unsaturated fats.
The regular consumption of these foods may displace
healthy fats with trans-fat, may activate pleasure centers of the brain, and create
a craving.
All of these enhances addiction toward fast food
and decreased hunger control.
5. Increases Digestive Problems
Digestive problems are the common harmful effects
of junk food. They can lead to digestive issues, such as indigestion,
constipation, GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Syndrome), and IBS (Irritable Bowel
Syndrome).
Deep-fried junk foods may deposit oil in the
stomach results in acidity.
Dietary fibers are the most important nutrients for
gut health. So, the lack of fiber and too many spicy foods cause irritation in
the stomach lining.
These types of foods are really unhealthy for our
digestive system and making the stomach bloated.
On the other hand, a diet rich in highly processed
foods, and large amounts of refined
sugars alter gut flora as well as reduce the number of healthy gut bacteria.
6. Risk of Liver Damage
The regular consumption of fast foods can be
highly toxic for our liver, and other visceral organs.
Studies have shown that these foods can damage the
liver as the way alcohol does, results in non-alcoholic fatty liver. It can be
dangerous even for those who are not overweight.
The higher amounts of fat and salt-containing foods
are also responsible for swelling and fluid build-up in the liver.
7. Increases Respiratory Problems
Junk foods are closely related to unhealthy weight gain and
obesity. Both of these adverse health conditions alter our respiratory health.
The extra body fats put the lungs under stress and
lead to breathing issues, such as shortness of breath, asthma, etc.
Those who eat fast foods regularly have been noticed
that have difficulty breathing when they are walking, climbing stairs, or
exercising.
The conditions are even worse in the case of children.
Those who eat these types of high caloric, unhealthy foods at least 3 times a
week have a higher risk of getting asthma, and other respiratory issues.
8. Induces Reproductive Issues
Junk Foods may have a harmful effect on both male, and female
fertility.
According to the study, these types of foods processed
a chemical toxin, called phthalates which interact with the hormonal activity
of our body.
The higher level of phthalate may alter the balance
between reproductive hormones and lead to infertility.
Another research suggests that consuming too many
fries, cheeseburgers, and other fast foods can increase the risk of male
infertility also.
On the other hand, obesity lead by regular eating of
junk foods also change the reproductive hormonal balance and make the female
body harder to conceive.
Some other junk food harmful effects also
present even after conception, or during pregnancy. These unhealthy foods can
increase the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, gestational diabetes, and
genetic abnormalities of the fetus.
9. Increases Memory & Learning Problems
Not only physical, but there are some mental harmful
effects of junk food also present.
Regular eating of these unhealthy foods may hamper our
memory and cognitive health. Study shows that the individuals who ate fast
foods for 5days in a w week, they performed poorly on cognitive test*.
Junk Food Reduces Memory Power
The toxicity of junk foods may produce inflammation in
the hippocampus of the brain which responsible for memory, and special
recognition. So, regular eating of fast food can deteriorate our memory.
On the other hand, high sugar and trans-fat are also
unhealthy for the brain. They can suppress the function of the brain peptide,
called BDNF** that helps to learn and memory formation.
*Cognitive
tests measure the thinking, concentrating power, speed of our brain as well as mood.
**BDNF is a Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, a brain peptide that is
essential for the growth, maturation, and maintenance of brain cells.
10. Decreases Focus & Productivity
As we know, junk foods have harmful effects on the
nervous system.
When we talk about focus, energy, and overall
productivity, foods have a substantial impact on day-to-day life.
Our body processes different foods in different ways,
and choosing some unhealthy, like junk foods can leave us feeling
lethargic as well as sluggish.
Because they quickly release glucose and provide
energy instantly. But after a short time, the energy subsides.
On the other hand, fatty meals, such as cheeseburgers,
pizza, etc. provide more sustained energy, but to digest them, our gut has to
work hard and consumes more energy (or oxygen) than the other body parts.
Further, it leads to reduce brain oxygen levels and
makes us feel sluggish as well as confused.
So, regular eating of junk foods decreases our focus
and overall productivity.
11. Induces Depression
Although these unhealthy foods are delicious to eat
and may satisfy our hunger in the short term, the long-term results always
harmful.
Junk Food Increases Depression
So, another harmful effect of junk food
is depression and anxiety.
According to a Spanish study, individuals who eat fast
foods regularly are 51% more likely to be depressed.
12. Increases Dental Decay
Due to the presence of excess salt, and added sugar, junk
foods are harmful to our oral health.
The starch and sugar content of these unhealthy foods
tend to stick to our teeth and stay for a long time. These ingredients allow to
build up acid in the surface of teeth and promote decay as well as cavities.
On the other hand, after taking fast food, food
particles settle in the teeth and promote bacteria in the mouth. The bacterial
colony leads to infection, and also decay.
Not only decay or cavities, but the bacterial
settlement in our teeth also forms plaque, and tarter, which give way to
gingivitis and other oral problems.
So, keep in mind the harmful effects of junk food
and try to avoid them.
Now, The Conclusion
Many harmful impacts are present when we eating
junk food regularly. They affect almost all the vital organs in the body
and can make us weak as well as sick.
According to some studies, there is a possibility
between cancer, and ultra-processed foods, such as junk foods. They lack
fibers, vitamins, other nutrients, and increase the acidic level of our body.
These unhealthy foods indirectly affect our bone and
skin health. According to a 2010 study, high sugary diets may cause various
skin problems, such as acne, wrinkle, etc.
Increasing obesity due to regular consumption of fast
foods lead to a complication with bone density and increase the risk of breaking
bones.
Not only, psycho-physical impacts, junk foods also
create negative impacts on society. In the USA, 2 in the 3 individuals are
suffering from obesity, which is closely related to junk food consumption.
So, what are the solutions! Reducing the regular
eating of junk food.
Say no to fast food.
Occasionally, a little amount of fast food can be
eaten, but it should not be frequent, and not in a larger amount.
Instead of these unhealthy, high sodium, empty-calorie,
trans-fat-containing acidic foods, a healthy alkaline diet, veggies, antioxidants, and healthy fats are more important for our health.
So, we request all the readers to reduce and control
regular eating of fast food. They are tasty poisons.
Thank You.
We are waiting for your feedback. We are excited to
know how did you eliminate junk foods from your regular diet. Comment below.
Stay Connected to Healthcopia.
Stay Healthy, Be Wealthy.
Sometimes healthy foods taste like leaves and dirt, especially when compared to junk food. But eating healthy has tons of benefits. Know which are the healthy junk food from twigscafe.comSometimes healthy foods taste like leaves and dirt, especially when compared to junk food. But eating healthy has tons of benefits. Know which are the healthy junk food from twigscafe.com
ReplyDelete