How Junk Food Affects Your Body
Harmful food such as chips, nachos, soda, etc. trigger the secretion of hormones that make the body store fat. Eating junk food often starts in childhood. Every child loves eating junk food, we grown-ups are no exception, but their developing bodies need more nutrients, and they aren’t getting any from having a steady diet of junk food.
Introducing these foods to a child’s underdeveloped digestive system effectively constructs the system in a way where the child’s metabolism malfunctions for the rest of their life, with little to no hope of repair. This could have disastrous consequences for the child. It could lead to childhood obesity, which often gives rise to more illnesses like depression, anxiety, panic disorders, etc. which can cripple the child for the rest of their life.
HFC or High Fructose Corn syrup, which is found in most of the preserved junk food, is suspected of causing obesity, type II diabetes, fatty liver disease, etc.
Conventional dairy, another common ingredient in many junk food items, contains an alarmingly high percentage of saturated fat, which has been linked to childhood obesity. Surprising new research and data also suggest that dairy is actually harmful to the human body, contrary to what has been believed to be true for so long. The human body cannot process conventional dairy well, and it has been suggested that consumption of dairy in early childhood can actually lead to arthritis later.
Food that has been fried or deep-fried using oil has very high-calorie content and should not be introduced to a growing human body. Artificial sweeteners used in diet sodas, which are supposedly safer than regular sodas, may contain neurotoxins, which in abundance can even lead to loss of life or mental faculties.
Contrary to popular belief, junk food doesn’t only affect growing children but also adults. According to a study published by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, healthy people who went on to eat junk food for 5 days performed poorly on cognitive tests measuring attention, speed, and mood. It concluded that junk food could have dangerous effects on memory and special recognition.
Consumption of junk food is also known to increase insulin levels in the human body. The pancreas creates insulin to aid the transportation of glucose to the body, and insulin also helps carry signals between nerve cells and forming memories. Mimicking Type 2 Diabetes, the brain stops responding to the higher levels of insulin and substantially affects one’s ability to think, recall, or create memories, increasing the risk of dementia.
Final Thoughts
Having said all of this, eating anything in moderation is not harmful. Anything gets harmful when we do not know when to stop. If your diet majorly comprises of fast food and junk food then you might need to rethink your lifestyle choices.
If you do not have time to cook elaborative healthy meals, then you can always look for quick and healthy alternatives instead.
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