Delicious and fast – these are the keywords that can be used to describe fast food. We know it’s dangerous, but few people are able to give up. Let’s find out what’s wrong with fast food and how to get rid of it easily.
Did you know Fast food originated in the United States during the 20th century? Hamburgers and deep-fried potatoes made their first appearance there. Fast food, or as it’s also called “junk food,” made its way to the Russian market only recently when the Iron Curtain of the USSR collapsed. Fast food is appealing because of its taste, low price, and colorful packaging. Only in the 2000s did it become clear for the first time that fast food is unhealthy. However, the habit has already been ingrained. According to statistics, we spent half of the total budget allocated for eating out on fast food last year.
WHY IS FAST FOOD HARMFUL?
What gives fast food its unforgettable taste is food processing, which enhances shelf life while adversely affecting quality? Here are the ingredients used most often by hamburger makers:
Wheat flour
It comes from a grain that has gone through multiple stages of processing. It’s so white, homogeneous, and rises well that it loses vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. You get just empty calories and quickly consumable carbs.
Trans fats
Or hydrogenated fats. They are formed when foods are deep fried, and can be found in portions of margarine, which is used to reduce the cost of the end product.
Sugar
Women should limit themselves to 6 teaspoons of sugar a day, according to the American Heart Association.
There are slightly more spoons of sugar for men – 9 spoons. Despite this, sugar is included in burger buns, sauces, and soda. It is almost impossible to quantify how much we consume when entering a fast-food restaurant.
Corn syrup
There is little nutritional value in corn syrup and it contributes to obesity and type 2 diabetes. These are empty calories only corn syrup is a lot cheaper than sugar so it is widely used for foods. However, the fructose is absorbed much faster, which is the main danger.
Salt
There is a limit of one teaspoon of salt per day, including salt from salt found in finished products. However, from the daily visitors to fast-food restaurants, go well over this limit by 2.5 times.
Synthetic additives
These are substances such as preservatives, flavor enhancers, dyes, emulsifiers, and other “chemicals” that are carcinogenic and do not provide any health benefits. Its use in fast food is mandatory since all these additives guarantee an appetizing appearance and extend the shelf life.
After everything, all the money spent, and time gone, two of the first things you inevitably encounter are weight gain and health issues. Junk food abuse interferes with the self-regulation of insulin and glucose. It is normally caused by the accumulation of abdominal fat. Metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, as well as type 2 diabetes, follow. There are two forms of inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, both of which can contribute to oncology, including breast cancer.
Choose for yourself: do you want to stay healthy or super unhealthy in the long run?
