According to a 2018 report of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 36.6% or 84.8 million Americans consume fast food on any given day. A Gallup Poll states that 8 in 10 Americans eat junk foods. While talking about India, Statista states that 34.6% Indians consume junk foods.
Table of content
- Why people eat junk food
- How does fast food kill you?
- What experts say
- What the solution is
Why people eat junk foods
People have been taken fast foods for several decades. The sale of such foods is increasing day-by-day. And it has increased 20-40% in several countries in the recent lock-downs. You take it, as these foods are easy to prepare and fulfil your love for the taste. These foods make you crave for. And so, you shop and consume them frequently. Unfortunately, many of you are not aware of the fact that fast foods affect your digestive and immune systems adversely.
How does fast food kill you slowly?
Junk food harms you in many ways. It floods your bloodstream, kidneys, and liver with chemicals. Further, it loads a lot of calories with empty carbohydrates. These calories get collected in your body and turned into trans fats. These trans fats slow down your heart functions. Here is more on how fast food is killing you slowly:
- It makes you fat – A study was conducted over 3000 people for 15 years. It states that there is a close association with insulin resistance and weight gain. In simple words, junk food triggers your weight gain and increases the risk of having type 2 diabetes.
- It is addictive – A study suggests that the more fast food you the more you have a craving for it. It has a potential addictive substance that makes you dependent on it. Junk food contains a high amount of sugar, fat, salt and ajinomoto. These compounds alter the chemistry of your brain as drug addiction does. If you eat fast food more than once a week, you might have an addiction to it.
- It has unhealthy ingredients – Many restaurants and street food stalls across the world use TBHQ, a chemical preservative. The chemical causes vomiting, nausea, and even death. Some restaurants utilise dimethylpolysiloxane in sauces and dressing. As a result, such food comprises of calories and enough harmful fat.
- It affects kids more than adults – As per the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of obesity in children and teens has doubled in the past 30-40 years. The advertisement of such food items has played a crucial role in the increase of childhood obesity. There has been a close connection between the increasing rate of childhood obesity and the advertisement of unhealthy foods.
What experts say
Dr Neetu is a consultant of internal medicine at Apollo Hospitals. She says that the consumption of fast food, which has adulterated and artificial elements, releases oxidized radicals in your body. This release makes your body be in the continuous inflammatory state. And this state affects your immunity and increases cholesterol levels. Further, it impacts your liver, kidney, and bloodstream. The frequent junk food consumption may lead you to have heart attacks, diabetes, artery blockage, and hypertension.
What the solution is
Many nutritionists and health experts say that you must switch to green & leafy vegetables, fruits, seeds, whole grains, and other healthy foods. They state that people must avoid taking fast food more than once a week. The intake of healthy foods will bring positive impacts on your overall health. So, avoid junk foods to stay healthy and fit.