Fast food refers to food that can be prepared and served quickly. It can come from many places: sit-down restaurants, take-out, drive-thru, and delivery.
Fast food is popular because the food is inexpensive, convenient, and tastes good. Fast food isn’t necessarily bad, but in many cases it’s highly processed and contains large amounts of carbohydrates, added sugar, unhealthy fats, and salt (sodium).
These foods are almost always high in calories while offering little or even no nutritional value at all.
Fast foods have lots of trans fat, which is a manufactured fat created during food processing. It’s commonly found in:
- Fried pies
- Pastries
- Pizza Dough
- Crackers
- Cookies
No amount of trans fat is good or healthy.
Many fast-food drinks alone hold well over 12 ounces. A 12-ounce can of soda contains 8 teaspoons of sugar. That equals 140 calories, 39 grams of sugar, and nothing else.
(See also: 7 Ultimately Dreadful Reason Why You Should Stop Drinking Soda)
When fast food frequently replaces nutritious foods in your diet, it can lead to poor nutrition, poor health, and weight gain.
NOW, TAKE A SKIM FOR THE BAD EFFECTS IN EATING FAST FOOD:
1. HEART DISEASE
Fats commonly found in fast food are made up of saturated fatty acids – a fat that is solid at room temperature that elevates cholesterol levels and increase blood pressure – a two of the top risk factors for heart diseases and strokes and increase risk of cardiovascular diseases.
2. CANCER RISK
Over 100 samples of fast food grilled chickens appeared to have 2-Amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo(4,5-b) pyridine or PhIP, a chemical substance that is from when meat is heated to a certain temperature that could lead to human’s breast, prostate and colon cancer.
(See also: Top 10 Cancer-Causing Foods)
3. DECLINE COGNITIVE FUNCTION
Fast foods like bacon burgers, some fried foods, and milkshakes are often high in saturated fats that could negatively impact brain function and memory. Higher intakes of saturated fatty acids may impair memory speed and flexibility and prospective memory – your ability to remember to do what you intended.
(See also: 11 Foods to Eat to Increase Your Brain Capacity)
4.WEAK BONES
Fast food is typically loaded with sodium, a high sodium intake can cause your bones to weaken, leading to possible osteoporosis, Shapiro warns.
5. BLOOD SUGAR SPIKE
Eating high-carb fast food increases your blood sugar. Fast food is filled with empty carbohydrates which can cause frequents insulin spikes. This may affect your body’s natural insulin response and can lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
(See also: Top 9 Worst Food For A Diabetic)
6. HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Fast food is typically sodium-heavy, which can elevate blood pressure or aggravate existing heart disorders, including congestive heart failure.
(See also: Must Not Be Eaten Food To Avoid High Blood Pressure)
7. HIGH CHOLESTEROL
The high fat content in fast food can contribute to high cholesterol, which can also lead to atherosclerosis. That occurs when plaque builds up in the arteries and prevents the flow of blood to the heart and organs.
(See also: Signs of Too Much Cholesterol )
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8. RISK OF KIDNEY STONES
Too much salt can contribute to a dangerous buildup of fluid. Excess sodium may also increase your risk of kidney stones and kidney disease or even urinary tract infections.
(See also: 6 Foods To Avoid When You Have UTI)
9. SHORTNESS OF BREATH
Extra calories in fast food can turn into excess pounds. Without exercise to counteract the increase in calories, obesity may become a reality. Obesity can cause shortness of breath and wheezing even when you do very little physical activity.
10. DENTAL DISTRESS
Frequent soda intake can lead to poor oral health. Drinking large amounts of soda increases the amount of acid in your mouth even the carbs and sugar in fast food, which eventually causes tooth decay and cavities.
(See also: Top Probable Cause Of Tooth Decay and What You Can Do About It)
11. HEADACHE AND ANXIETY
Eating foods filled with sodium’s like many fast foods, can increase your risk for headaches.
There’s a lack of omega-3 fatty acids in fast foods. A dearth of those good fats can create a more anxious mental state.
Fast foods are also high in refined carbohydrates, which can lead to fluctuations in blood sugar. If your blood sugar dips into hypoglycemic levels, you can experience anxiety, trembling, confusion and fatigue.
12. DEPRESSION
Eating fast foods and processed food may increase your risk for depression. People who ate fast food were 51 percent more likely to develop depression than those who didn’t.
13. HYPER
Anxiety and depression aren’t the only mental effects that fast food can induce. Eating a diet high in artificial colors and preservatives sodium benzoate can cause an increase hyperactivity.
14. WEIGHT GAIN
Even though you may think you’re eating “healthy”, you may still underestimate the number of calories you’re consuming. This can lead to unintentional weight gain too obesity.
People who eat at fast foods restaurants tend to take in an extra 187 to 190 calories per day.
(See also: 10 Leading Scientific and Social Cause of Obesity)
15. BLOATING AND PUFFINESS
Some foods naturally contain higher amounts of sodium, but sodium is also added to many food products. A single fast food meal can actually exceed 2,300 milligrams of sodium
Your body may retain water if you eat too much sodium, leaving you feeling puffy, bloated and swollen.
16. SKIN ISSUES
Eating fast food may cause skin issues such as acne. Carbs, not grease, can trigger acne. Carb heavy fast food like French fries, hamburger buns, and potato chips, may lead to acne problem.
(See also: 6 Great Food Items To Clear Your Skin)
17. INCREASE INFLAMMATION
Phthalates, a class of endocrine-disrupting chemical toxins, are used to line plastic food and beverage packaging. Phthalates are found to be associated with inflammation and is connected to higher exposure phthalates with metabolic syndrome – a disease also commonly linked with increased levels of inflammation.
Inflammation can cause a myriad of health problems from obesity to nutrient deficiencies.
There is no such thing as a “bad” food, but there are some foods you should try not to have on a regular basis. Because fast food is high in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol, it isn’t something you should eat often.
If you eat too much of this stuff, you can expect a shorter lifespan as it gives a drastic negative effects on your body.
(Read next: How To Eat A Healthy And Affordable Diet For Every Filipino)
DISCLAIMER:Please be advised that all of the information on this website is based on research and is provided for informational purposes only. Visitor who either use this Site and rely on any information do so at their own risk. |
- Despres, Cliff. 2016. Salud America. “13 Effects of Fast Food on the Human Body”. 5 July
- Clarke, Nancy. Live Strong. “Negative Effects of Fast Foods”.
- Stoddard, Grant. 2018. “20 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Eat Fast Food”. 18 October
- Pietrangelo, A. & Carey, E. & Holland, K. 2018. Health Line. “The Effects of Fast Food on the Body”. 25 July
- Young Women’s Health. 2017. “Fast Food Facts”. 18 October
