There’s no denying we all love eating junk food. We have the favourites that we love to indulge in from time to time. But do you realise the harm it does to your body?
Junk foods including processed food and street food are not only unhealthy, but they also tend to cause several illnesses. There have been many instances where people have severely fallen sick due to eating excessive junk foods. In worst-case scenarios, people have also lost their lives due to food poisoning.
It is because of these reasons; that it is advised to avoid junk food as much as possible. Unlike healthy and nutritional foods promoted by the food justice movement, junk foods don’t offer any benefits. Rather it takes a toll on your body when you eat too much. If you are still not convinced about the harmful effects of junk food, we have provided more reasons in the pointers below.
Cardiovascular Diseases
Cardiovascular or heart diseases are increasing at an alarming rate, mainly because of the excess consumption of junk food. Nowadays, people focus more on eating ready-made or processed food than preparing a healthy meal at home. One major reason is the fast-paced lifestyle. Since people don’t have time to cook meals, they eat whatever they find appealing without realising the effects.
Junk foods are known to cause cardiovascular problems both in teens and adults. Eating large amounts of sugary items, or red meat may cause inflammation which in turn increases the risk of heart issues. This is why it is advised to eat a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and other anti-inflammatory items.
Diabetes
We don’t need to tell you how problematic diabetes can be as you might already know it. While a major chunk of the population has diabetes, others might be borderline diabetic. Every year, we get more diabetic patients due to their poor eating choices.
According to research, junk food is one of the major causes of diabetes. High-calorie foods with low nutrients break down quickly in the body. This causes blood sugar levels to rise. So, if you eat junk food often, it is going to push you towards diabetes. Once you become a victim, it’s going to stay with you for life. This is why you need to be careful about what you eat, and how much you eat.
Obesity
It’s not just adults, but even kids as young as 10-12 years are obese. This happens due to unhealthy eating. Most junk foods are high-calorie items and contain very less nutrients. Eating these types of foods regularly can make you gain weight. You will soon reach a point where you no longer have control over your weight as it keeps increasing.
Obesity comes along with a myriad of health issues like heart problems, cancer, respiratory issues, and more. It can even trigger certain chronic conditions if you don’t control your weight. No matter how much you like junk food you should not indulge in it too often.
Cancer
In case, you didn’t know, eating too much junk food can also cause cancer. People who are used to eating junk foods have a poor diet. Their foods contain high amounts of salts, sugars, and fats which are harmful to your body. When you continue to eat these types of foods, it increases the risk of certain types of cancer. For example, respiratory tract cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, etc.
If you don’t want such things to happen, you should avoid eating junk food. We are not asking you to stop it completely but eat in moderation. Also, you should follow a healthy diet to keep your body healthy.
Liver Problems
Millions of people out there suffer from liver problems due to junk food. From fatty liver to liver cirrhosis, eating excess junk foods can destroy your liver without your realising it. Most liver problems don’t come to the surface until the last stage. If this happens, you won’t even have the time to get yourself treated.
Junk foods contain refined carbs, sugar, unhealthy fats, and more. These things are never good for your body; therefore, you should avoid them at all costs. This is especially important if you don’t want to fall sick.
Eating junk food once in a while is fine, but not too often. It causes various health problems which can leave you crippled for life. The best way to avoid such a fate is to stop eating junk food or eat it in moderation.
Photo by Maarten van den Heuvel
