{"id":46831,"date":"2017-05-18T18:17:16","date_gmt":"2017-05-18T17:17:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buzznigeria.com\/?p=46831"},"modified":"2021-11-02T16:28:39","modified_gmt":"2021-11-02T15:28:39","slug":"reasons-eating-junk-foods","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buzznigeria.com\/reasons-eating-junk-foods\/","title":{"rendered":"Junk Foods: 10 Reasons Why You Should Skip That Pie"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the basic needs of all mammals – both human and animals alike is food. It is not just a luxury, it’s a necessity. The survival of man is tied to healthy eating in an adequately measured proportion.<\/p>\n

In as much as food is vital to survival, the food to be eaten must, apart from being healthy, contribute meaningfully to the growth of the body system\u00a0by supplying the needed energy and nutrients required by the body to function optimally.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, because of the need for speed in today’s\u00a0world (where everything is required in an instant – instant cash, instant service, INSTANT FOOD), the art of proper and hygienic\u00a0preparation of food has been taken out of the health equation.<\/p>\n

Junk foods have risen in demand and it is very easy to forget actual good food as the idea of food has become junk and junk has become food.<\/p>\n

Junk foods are those groups of food that are high in bad cholesterol and calories, enriched in sugar, low in nutrients, and usually contain synthetic substances which are remotely harmful to the body system.<\/p>\n

\"Junk<\/p>\n

They are harmful because most junk foods are processed, and by being processed they lose their natural properties, which are essential in food. For example, the vitamin content of an apple fruit cannot be compared with that of a processed apple can juice. The latter, through processing, is stripped of essential nutrients, while colorings, chemical preservatives, and carbonated sweeteners are added instead.<\/p>\n

Another reason why they are dangerous is that they contain synthetic ingredients and lots of preservatives. The producers of junk food have profit maximization in mind so they package their ‘foods’ with so many\u00a0chemical preservatives\u00a0(which may not be harmful to the human body in the immediate, but in the long run) so they last longer at the stores.<\/p>\n

The proliferation of junk foods has resulted in the rise and widespread of health epidemics and countless chronic diseases in the world today. There is no gainsaying that needs for a\u00a0good, well-cooked meal with fruits (in their natural state) cannot be under-emphasized.<\/p>\n

However, the accessibility and cheapness of these junk foods (Junk foods are easily found, easily bought, easily carried and easily consumed) serve as a factor for their general, yet astonishing acceptability.<\/p>\n

\"Junk<\/p>\n

What Is Junk Food?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The word ‘junk’ suggests trash, unwanted, rubbish, useless; something not important. According to FatFreeKitchen.com<\/a>, junk food is any food that:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Having poor nutritional value is considered unhealthy and may be called junk food. A food that is high in fat- especially trans fat, sodium, and sugar is known as junk food.<\/li>\n
  2. Has little enzyme-producing vitamins &, minerals and contains a high level of calories.<\/li>\n
  3. Has added food additives and colors to enhance flavor, texture, appearance and increase long shelf-life.<\/li>\n
  4. Causes obesity, dental cavities, Type 2 diabetes and heart diseases.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Fried foods may also be considered as junk foods because they expose the body to depression and anxiety.<\/p>\n

    Types of Junk Foods<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    The truth remains that unhealthy and junk foods are the main reason why the average life expectancy in the world is shorter than it used to be. The world has\u00a0become\u00a0‘sicker’ than ever before with more and more life-threatening diseases being discovered every day.<\/p>\n

    Surprisingly, most people don’t know that they eat junk foods. Some have believed a lie and now consider junk foods to have health benefits. The commonly known junk foods include cakes, rolls, candies, burgers, pies, ice cream, cookies, etc. But here are some foods that are junk but most don’t realize it…<\/p>\n

    Processed Foods labelled \u201cLow-Fat\u201d or \u201cFat-Free\u201d:<\/strong>\u00a0Since this campaign (against saturated fat) gained momentum, manufacturers have sought to remove fat from foods while replacing them with sugar (to compensate for the removed fat). So the next time you buy a ‘low fat’ food from a\u00a0store, know that you just bought a food item with a high amount of sugar.<\/p>\n

    \"Junk<\/p>\n

    A Dressed plate of Salad:<\/strong> Somebody will say, ‘what is this dude talking about?’ Watch closely! I said ‘dressed salad.’ The vegetables\/fruits in the plate of salad are not the problems, in fact, they are very healthy. But what is the content of the dressing? Most salad dressings are actually a mere combination of unhealthy ingredients such as trans fats, sugar and vegetable oils, along with a bunch of unnatural chemicals. So next time you want to eat a plate of dressed salad, you might want to ask questions.<\/p>\n

    100% Canned\/Bottled Fruit\u00a0Juice:\u00a0<\/strong>The only fruit juice that is healthy is the natural fruit in your hand. Those processed juice (like you find in stores) are not fruit juices but packaged liquid sugar. They contain the exact same sugar quantity your sweetened beverage contains.<\/p>\n

    \u201cHeart Healthy\u201d Whole Wheat:\u00a0<\/strong>Most foods labeled ‘100% whole wheat’ are not really made from whole wheat. The truth is it may be even better to go for the white flour bread than going for the whole wheat bread on the pretext that it has a lesser glycemic index (a number associated with a particular type of food that indicates the food’s effect on a person’s blood sugar level).<\/p>\n

    Margarine: <\/strong>People have replaced butter with margarine over the claim that butter contains saturated fat. But in fact, margarine is not more healthy than butter. It is actually the assembly of trans fats and chemical compounds made to appeal to taste buds. Replacing real butter (preferably grass-fed<\/a>) with margarine may just be the easiest way to a suicide ever known as people who do that are actually more likely to die from heart disease.<\/p>\n

    Vegetable Oils: <\/strong>Vegetable oils (and seed oils) such as canola and soyabean oil are preferred by most people over others because they are presumed to be healthy. But natural fat oil (coconut oil, olive oil, butter, etc) are more important to the body than processed vegetable oils.<\/p>\n

    Examples of Junk Foods:<\/strong><\/h2>\n