article on harmful effects of junk food
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Answer:
Any food that has no or negligible nutritional value can be considered as junk foods. Most of the fast foods, including candy, bakery products, burgers and sausages, salty and oily snacks or soft drinks can be categorized as junk food. They have a high calorie content, salts and fats. The more we consume these, the less is the intake of essential nutrients and vitamins in the body.
Consumption of junk food can lead to a lot of health problems, some of them are mentioned below.
Increased Obesity
One of the most common side-effects of consuming junk foods is increased obesity. It's composition of loads of sugar, calories and fats contribute to weight-gain. Obesity can cause many medical issues like diabetes, joint-pain and heart diseases.
Loss of Memory and Learning Problems
A study published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition stated that people who ate junk food performed poorly in cognitive tests. It concluded that junk foods can deteriorate your memory and can leave with you with a weaker brain. It causes a sudden inflammation in the hippocampus in the brain which is responsible for memory and recognition.
Lead to Depression
Junk foods are loaded with high sugar and fats that can cause certain chemical reactions in the brain which affect its functioning. By consuming too much of it, the body loses essential nutrients and amino acids. These symptoms eventually lead to inability of brain to deal with stress and can leave you feeling depressed.
Worsens Appetite and Digestion
Consumption of excess junk food leaves the brain in a dilemma. Excessive sugar intake can cause blood sugar level to fluctuate and makes the brain demand more food, which eventually leads to overeating. It makes it difficult for the body to digest excessive junk food.
Inadequate Growth & Development
Surviving on junk food causes deficiency of essential nutrients and vitamins required for the proper growth and development of the body. Unhealthy eating habits combined with imbalance of fatty acids and required nutrients can hamper the development of your brain and other body parts. Excess intake of soda and sugar also causes tooth decay and weakening of your bones.
While there is no substitute to proper eating habits and intake of a nutrient-rich food, it’s prudent to arm yourself with a health insurance policy to keep yourself secured against such diseases and maladies that can ruin your finances with high medical expenses.