When hunger strikes and we stand in the kitchen choosing between an apple and a bag of potato chips, a region of the brain called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex screams, "Chips, you fool!
We could die tomorrow! The overconsumption of junk food has been directly connected to higher rates of obesity and increased risks of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and even depression.
A diet that's high in sugar, simple carbohydrates white flour, potatoes, sugary drinks and saturated fat is one of the chief causes of the obesity epidemic. More than one-third of American adults are obese, and kids are following the trend. What's the connection between Type 2 diabetes and junk food? Americans, on average, consume 22 teaspoons of sugar a day, much of it in the form of high-fructose corn syrup served up in soft drinks and candy bars [source: Boseley ]. When the body breaks down these simple carbohydrates, blood sugar levels spike.
That forces the pancreas to quickly release insulin so that cells can absorb and store those sugars. Frequent blood sugar spikes eventually wear out the body's insulin-producing cells, triggering Type 2 diabetes [source: Harvard School of Public Health ]. Type 2 diabetes carries a host of health complications including heart disease, painful nerve damage, kidney damage, an increased risk of Alzheimer's, and foot infections that can require amputation [source: Mayo Clinic ].
Even our mental health can be affected by a poor diet high in refined sugars, processed meats and high-fat dairy desserts. Researchers have found a strong connection between a junk food diet and higher rates of depression [source: Zeratsky ].
High fat and sugar levels are known to increase inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain — which can disrupt the brain's chemical signaling [source: BBC News ]. And what about junk food addiction?
The U. Food and Drug Administration now requires restaurant chains and movie theaters to post calorie counts directly on their menus, and sugary soft drinks have been removed from most school vending machines [source: Tavernise and Strom ]. Still, fast-food chains continue to spend billions of dollars marketing their high-calorie, low-nutrition foods to even the youngest children.
In , McDonald's alone spent 2. Marketing geniuses in the food industry now package high-calorie, low-nutrition snacks as "organic," "gluten-free" and "whole grain" to jam our junk food radar. Always read the nutrition label! But junk food alone is not responsible for the obesity epidemic in America and elsewhere. Thanks to government subsidies for corn growers, the market is flooded with cheap corn, which processors turn into cheap corn syrup and cheap corn feed for cows.
That allows junk food and fast-food companies to sell their highly processed food products for a lot less than healthier alternatives. Overworked and underpaid, many Americans don't have the means or the time to cook healthy meals, outsourcing the job to multinational food corporations with little interest in our health. We need national food policies that incentivize the production of fresh fruits and vegetables, tax toxic food and drink, and make it easier for Americans to make healthy food choices.
Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. How Junk Food Works. Mmm, what a lovely-looking array of sweet and salty snacks! Michael Jacobson By the s, junk foods earned a name and a bad one, too.
Michael Jacobson, a microbiologist, is credited with coining the phrase. He also set out to curb our appetite for the high sugar, high salt, high preservative foods Americans consumed at an alarming rate. Eating junk food on a regular basis can lead to an increased risk of obesity and chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and some cancers.
People use the term junk food to describe a food that has few of the nutrients your body needs, and a lot of fat, sugar and salt, which your body can easily get too much of. Potato chips, candy, and soft drinks are often considered junk food. Junk foods, by definition, typically contain high fats, sugars, salt, and calories and very little nutritional value.
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