Eating junk food on a regular basis can increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and some types of cancer. We know that Australians eat too much junk food. Following a poor quality diet high in junk food is linked to an increased risk of obesity, depression, digestive problems, heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer and premature death. 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.
Also keep in mind that products known as “health foods”, such as some fruit juices and muesli bars, can actually be junk food if they contain high levels of sugar, salt, or fat. The amount of inflammation and oxidative stress your body will experience after eating junk food from time to time seems to depend on the “big picture” of your choices over time. Eating an excessive amount of junk food can have a negative effect on your overall health and well-being and can also reduce your ability to stay active. A small study of 12 healthy young men found that eating junk food for just five days reduced the muscles' ability to convert glucose into energy, even though they didn't consume more calories as part of the study.
Junk food is so called because it doesn't play a role in healthy eating, especially if you overeat. In addition to the slowness caused by too much junk food in your diet, you may also experience feelings of physical discomfort associated with food choices, such as bloating and headaches. While there are a growing number of healthier fast food options, most fast food can still be classified as junk food. When choosing between a healthier option and junk food, keep in mind that including just one healthy meal a day in the typical American diet could reduce the body's overall stress and inflammation.
Read on to learn more about the role that snacks play in illness and what you can do to eliminate garbage from your diet. As effective as they are at satisfying hunger, eating too much junk food can ultimately do much more harm than good. 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. In the same way that people addicted to drugs or alcohol require a higher dose over time, you crave more junk food the more you eat it.
The product can also contain salt or fat and can be high in kilojoules, so even sugar-free products can be junk food.
