Convenience food in our society today is junk food. We enjoy junk food not only because it is good but also because it can turn into an addiction. So, when we crave it, it’s the same feeling as someone who craves cigarettes or alcohol.
The brain always seeks to experience things that feel good. Therefore, eating junk food is tasty, and your brain will crave more delicious food. The encouragement you get from the brain to eat more junk food is known as the “reward system.”
When you eat tasty food, the reward circuit in your brain turns on. This, in turn, releases dopamine, which floods the brain with pleasure. When this happens, the brain creates more receptors for dopamine in response. So, the next time you consume the same junk food, you’ll need a more significant dose to meet your dopamine needs.
It works the same way someone with an alcohol addiction requires more alcohol every time they have it since as one keeps drinking it, it stops having the same effect, and they need more liquor to experience the same “high.” This also applies to junk food because you’ll crave more of it if you eat it.
The rise of takeout food
Going through a drive-through or ordering fast food to be delivered to your doorstep is something most people do often than they’d like to admit. Between 2013 and 2016, 36.6% of adults in the US ate fast food each day. Even though eating out occasionally isn’t bad, making it a habit can harm your health.
Why is fast food so unhealthy?
Eating processed foods often causes significant issues for your health, both physically and mentally. To prevent this, you need to reduce the amount of junk food you consume or make healthy alternatives at home.
Many components of junk food make it bad for your health. These include:
Sodium
Fast foods are tastier to some people as they combine sugar, fats, and lots of sodium. When you indulge in a diet high in sodium can cause water retention, making you feel puffy, bloated, or swollen. These are common symptoms after eating fast foods.
A diet containing a high amount of sodium is unsuitable for people with blood pressure conditions as it can elevate blood pressure, exerting stress on your heart and cardiovascular system. The FDA recommends the consumption of less than 2300 milligrams of sodium per day. Often, most of the sodium we consume comes from processed foods.
Fat and sugar
Most of the fast foods we consume contain added sugars, which add more calories without any nutritional value. Most drinks we buy in fast food restaurants contain more sugar than is recommended daily. Besides the sugar in these drinks, they have no added nutritional value.
Trans fat is another common ingredient that’s created during food processing. Trans fats are commonly present in crackers, pizza dough, fried pies, pastries, and cookies. No amount of trans fat is healthy or good. Trans fat is not good for your health as it can increase your LDL cholesterol, which is bad for your health. It also lowers your good HDL cholesterol.
Does eating junk food cause health complications?
Junk food affects many parts of the body besides causing weight gain. Here’s how fast food affects different parts of your body.
The respiratory system
Fast foods contain high amounts of calories, which can eventually cause weight gain and obesity. When suffering from obesity, you’re at a higher risk of developing issues like asthma and shortness of breath, among other respiratory problems.
The extra weight you add from eating junk food can exert pressure on your heart and lungs. Therefore, you’ll notice symptoms after a little bit of exertion. These symptoms include difficulty breathing during ordinary activities like climbing stairs or walking. It can, therefore, be even more challenging to do things like exercise.
The central nervous system
Your central nervous system is made up of your spinal cord and brain. These areas of your body may also be affected by eating fast foods. According to a study on students eating a lot of fast food (and, intriguingly, salad), they experienced a lower short-term memory score. More research needs to be done to prove the facets of fast foods on the nervous system.
The reproductive system
Eating junk food may affect your fertility. According to research, processed foods are filled with phthalates. These chemicals change how hormones act in your body. When you’re exposed to high levels of this chemical, you can have fetal developmental issues.
The digestive and cardiovascular system
Eating excessive junk food can affect your general health and well-being. Most fast foods include excessive amounts of carbohydrates and little to no fibre. As soon as junk food breaks down in your digestive tract, it’s released into the blood as sugar, causing your blood sugar to increase.
Your pancreas responds to the spike in sugar levels by releasing insulin. Insulin then transports sugar throughout your body to cells needing energy. As your body uses and stores sugar, your blood sugar returns to normal.
When you’re in good health, your body can easily regulate sugar. However, frequently ingesting foods high in carbs repeats these spikes in blood sugar and can cause your body’s normal insulin response to falter. When this happens, it increases your risk of type 2 diabetes, getting fat, and insulin resistance.
Additionally, it’s hard to know all the ingredients in most junk foods. Most junk foods contain lots of food triggers that can cause you to have allergy or intolerance symptoms. That’s because, among the top food allergens, junk foods contain all, if not most, depending on the outlet.
So, if you suffer from specific digestive and physical symptoms every time you have takeout, it’s time to take a closer look at your health by taking an Allergy and Intolerance Test. This will help you know which foods are causing you digestive symptoms so you can manage them in your diet.
Bones
Fast foods contain carbs and sugar, which can increase the number of acids in your mouth. These cards can break down the tooth enamel. When your enamel disappears, bacteria can take its place, causing activities to develop.
It’s also common for people with obesity to have lower bone density and muscle mass. Therefore, their risk of breaking bones is higher, especially older ones. Exercise to build muscle mass and eating healthy can prevent this from happening.
Mental health
Fast foods affect not only your physical health but also your mental health. Consuming junk food causes one to gain weight, which can result in a lot of stress because of one’s physical appearance. Additionally, a 2020 study among students in China showed that fast foods and sugary drinks increase the probability of mental health issues among middle school students.
Final thoughts
Even though fast food can be convenient, it could be more suitable for your long-term health. More people are adopting a Westernized diet, and it’s increasing the risk of many cardiovascular diseases, among other chronic illnesses. Additionally, most people suffer from digestive symptoms after eating out because of allergies and intolerances. Besides adopting a healthier diet filled with fresh fruits, whole grains, nuts, and vegetables, you must also know your food allergies and intolerances by taking an Allergy And Intolerance Test. This test will help you understand your trigger foods to avoid them, whether eating out or making your meals at home.
