Junk food describes foods and beverages that are low in nutrients (for example, unhealthy foods can be described as foods that have less nutritional value and are high in fat, sugar, and calories). These foods can be high in protein, but the body needs a certain amount of protein, not in excess. That's because unhealthy food choices, such as junk food, may be too delicious, but they contain bad fats that will negatively affect your overall health in the long term. Of course, junk food is also available in chain restaurants across the country in the form of French fries, chicken nuggets, milkshakes, soft drinks, etc.
In the same way that people with a drug or alcohol addiction need a larger dose over time, they crave more junk food the more they eat it. If you're short, short in stature, overweight, or don't engage in much physical activity, junk food may not fit into your diet, or at least you may need to minimize the amount you eat. The product can also contain salt or fat and can be high in calories, so even sugar-free products can be junk food. One problem with junk food is that they have a low satiety value, meaning people don't tend to feel as full when they eat it, which can lead to overeating.
Junk food used to be just an occasional “treat”, but nowadays Australians eat more and more often. If you eat junk food every day, you're likely to be obese and more vulnerable to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, fatty liver disease, and certain types of cancer. They seem innocent enough, but some of them could definitely be considered junk food, since they mostly contain sugar or high-fructose corn syrup and white flour or ground corn. In general, most Australians eat too much junk food and should strive to eat less and less frequently.
Junk food is so called because it doesn't play a role in healthy eating, especially if you overeat. While it can be difficult to reduce the amount of junk food you eat, you don't necessarily have to give up all your favorite foods. While finding healthy alternatives to junk food can sometimes be difficult, the health star rating system is a practical tool to help you determine how healthy a product is. Add whole wheat dough or part of whole wheat, plus vegetables as a dressing, and I'd say pizza falls completely out of the junk food category.
