If you ask 10 people right now what they think about fast food, all of them will positively say it’s bad for the body. That’s the thing, everyone knows it’s bad but they continue eating it more often than they should. Fast foods are high in calories yet offer close to no nutritional value, contain a high amount of carbohydrates, added sugar, Trans fats, and sodium (salt). Here are some effects that fast food can have on your body.
Sodium
The food you get in fast food restaurants contains a ridiculously high amount of sodium. Although our kidneys work day and night to rid our body of excess salts, too much consumption may result in a sodium build-up making the salt travel back throughout the bloodstream. This, in turn, causes our heart to function harder leading to high blood pressure and heart disease. The kidneys also become vulnerable to disease when pressure increases.
Too Much Sugar
If you think that you’re only consuming sugar when you have soft drinks and candy, think again. A regular item from a fast food menu may contain up to 10 grams of sugar. Items like yogurt parfaits and granola bars that may seem healthy actually contain high amounts of sugar, so before making them a part of your routine diet, be aware that you may be developing insulin resistance which leads to type 2 diabetes.
Trans Fats
This is possibly the most deadly substance found in fast food. Manufactured industrially by combining hydrogen to liquid oil, Trans fats raise your bad (LDL) cholesterol levels and lower your good (HDL) cholesterol levels. A diet high in Trans fats increases your risk of developing heart disease and stroke. It’s also associated with a higher threat of developing type 2 diabetes.
Calories for Nothing
For all those calories you consume in a fast food meal, there should be some nutritional value as well. However, a meal of fast food can go up to 1500 calories which is more than half of the allowed intake for a day and in return offer up to 75 grams of fat and close to no vitamins. Next time you feel lazy and think of having McDonald’s for dinner, think about what you’re doing to your body.
Ps: If these truths are not disturbing enough to curb your hunger for fast food, watch the movie “Super-Size Me”.