Junk food is a term describing food that is perceived to be unhealthy or having poor nutritional value. Junk food typically contains high levels of fat, salt, or sugar and numerous food additives such as monosodium glutamate. Rich in additives, junk food is lacking in proteins, vitamins and fiber, among other items.

Junk Food popularity

It is popular with suppliers because it is relatively cheap to manufacture, has a long shelf life and may not require refrigeration. It is also popular with consumers because it is easy to purchase, requires little or no preparation, is convenient to consume and has lots of flavor. Consumption of junk food is associated with obesity, heart disease, diabetes and dental cavities.

Here are some junk food facts that help you understand the harmful effects of eating them. Some of them are long term while others are short-term effects.

Lack of energy:

This is known as a short-term adverse effect resulting from eating junk foods. As junk foods don’t provide you with essential nutrients, even though they can be very much sufficing, you feel weakened. Consuming deficient nutrients could be as a supplement.

Poor concentration:

This is another result of junk food habit. These are traced to affect in immediate and medium term periods. When you have a sumptuous junk meal rich in oil you feel drowsy and fail to concentrate. Over sustained periods of junk food eating, blood circulation drops due to fat accumulation. Lack of vital oxygen, nutrients and proteins particularly can stale your grey (brain) cells temporarily.

Heart Diseases:

Junk food diet is a major cause of heart diseases. Myocardial infarction (a sever heart failure) is due to plaque formation in arteries which demands heart to put in extra effort to pump blood on the down stream. On the up stream, there is lack of returning blood to heart. This causes two damages to heart – heart fatigues by the continuous extra effort it makes and it suffers oxygen supply.

High Cholesterol

Apart from forming plaques and constricting arteries, cholesterol also affects liver where it is metabolized. High cholesterol from junk food and diet strains liver damaging it eventually. This is a long term effect.

So whatever age group you belong to, junk food is not good for your health. Over the long term junk food increases your chances of developing several health problems as enumerated above. Special attention has to be given to children and teenagers who love to eat junk food in excess. They love to consume hamburgers, fries, shakes, soda, potato chips, candy, ice cream and other snack foods. Only when eaten in moderation, junk food can be included in your diet.