What is junk food? 7 products that affect health

Junk food is a diet that is high in sugars, starches, or fats and with little or no nutritional value.. Because of this, junk food brings fast satiety and sometimes sudden, fleeting energy, but nothing nutritious for the body.

It is also common for all this junk food to be particularly palatable. Intense or very sweet flavors are its characteristics. In addition, they tend to have very low prices and can be found almost anywhere food is sold.

• Recommended article: "Discover the 10 superfoods that you should include in your diet"

Junk food: 7 types of products that affect health

All this junk food as cheap and attractive as it may be represents a serious risk to physical health. That is why it is important to reduce or eliminate its consumption, especially in children, adolescents and the elderly.

Obesity, high cholesterol, tooth decay, heart problems, depression and diabetes among other diseases, are the most common problems derived from a high consumption of junk food. There are many types of this food on the market, it is better to identify and avoid them.

In today's article let's know what are the types of junk food and why they are harmful to our health.

1. Industrialized sweets and candies

The sweets and candies found in the store have very high levels of sugar. Candies, gum, gums, jellies, chocolates, lollipops or chocolates, are easily found in stores and supermarkets and are the favorites of children. In the belief that children should eat sweets and enjoy their childhood, their consumption is sometimes abused.

The amounts of sugar in these products exceed the daily requirements necessary for children. That is, all that extra intake ends up turning into carbohydrates that would require an extra dose of exercise in order to eliminate it, however the body of children does not work the same as that of adults and does not discard it easily.

In any case, the consumption of sugars, especially in processed products, is highly discouraged in both children and adults, since the human body needs to produce insulin to neutralize the saturation of glucose in the blood, and later these deposits end up being transformed into lipids, that is, into fat bodily.

2. Fried

Fried is a junk food that you should consume in small quantities. Fried foods that are included in the daily meal should be part of the diet very sporadically. Especially from adulthood, since it has been proven that it is a source of high cholesterol very important.

However, there are other types of fried foods that should also be eaten in moderation. All industrialized and bagged snacks such as French fries or similar, are foods with a high content in trans fats, which are the most harmful to the body and one of the main causes of obesity childish.

3. Processed juices and carbonated drinks

Canned or bottled juices and soft drinks are also junk food. Juices were long believed to be a healthy alternative to carbonated beverages. industrialized, because on many occasions advertising was responsible for making believe that the only ingredient in these it was the fruit. However, this is not the case.

Juices and soft drinks are currently known to have a high content of refined sugar, and actually very little natural fruit pulp. In addition, many of them contain some chemicals to extend the shelf life, improve the taste or intensify the color, and all these attachments are sometimes not good for your health in quantities excessive. Lacking the fiber of a piece of fruit, sugars (whether natural or added) enter uncontrolled form in our body, and we need to produce large amounts of insulin to assimilate them.

4. Fast food

Most fast food is inexpensive, but unhealthy. Without a doubt, this could be the best representation of junk food, since all the negative characteristics of this type of food can be found in a single product. Junk food rations are offered very attractively in industrialized establishments such as hamburgers, potatoes, pizzas, ice creams and other products.

In addition, another drawback is that this food is usually offered in packages that include a soda, a sweet or a fried snack. This makes for a very high diet in trans fat, sugar, and empty carbohydrates. Although all this food is very attractive for children and adolescents, its intake must be avoided or reduced to a minimum, since its nutritional contribution is detrimental to health.

5. Pastries

Industrialized pastries should not be consumed regularly either. Donuts, muffins and bagged bread are products that contain sugar, artificial flavorings and colors that are undoubtedly harmful to health if consumed on a regular basis. In the case of children, they should not be offered as an alternative to some fruit or other healthier options.

Packaged pastries are considered junk food, because their ingredients include very little or no elements that provide any nutritional value. Although some fillings offer to be fruit, in reality the quantity is minimal and instead contains large amounts of fructose and chemicals to make them inexpensive. In addition, packaged bakery products often contain dozens of preservatives, flavor enhancers, and other unhealthy additives.

6. Processed and frozen foods

Processed foods that are sold in the frozen area should be consumed rarely. Although this type of diet has become common due to the practicality it represents, it is still considered junk food and for this reason it should be eaten only very sporadically.

They are foods that come previously prepared, vacuum packed or bagged and distributed from the frozen area ready to be put in the microwave and be able to eat. The process of preparing and packaging this type of food contains high levels of trans fats and additives to increase its life span. For this reason they are not recommended for daily consumption.

7. Industrialized cereals

Another food that for a long time was believed to be healthy is industrialized cereals. A few decades ago, cereals were advertised as a complete and healthy breakfast alternative for the whole family. The options on the market were diversified, finding even "whole" options that promised nutritional benefits.

However, these cereals have been found to not be what they promise. Because of this today they are considered junk food and it is suggested to consume in moderation. They are high in sugar, sodium, in some cases trans fats, and are not actually light at all. They are at the level of any sweet or pastry, and you have to consume them as such, sporadically.

Bibliographic references

• Nestle, Marion (2013). Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health. University of California Press.
• Semenza, G., ed. (2012). Comprehensive Biochemistry: Selected Topics in the History of Biochemistry: Personal Recollections.
• Smith, A.F. (2000). Encyclopedia of Junk Food and Fast Food. Westport (Connecticut, USA): Greenwood Press.