Dangers of Junk Food
Junk food is not only found in Western food (Pizza, hamburgers, french fries). Many foods in our own country are classified as junk food. Gudeg, rendang, and other long-cooked dishes, deep-fried snacks such as fried intestines, dry-fried chicken skin, salty and sweet chips, and fried foods on the side of the road, have reduced nutritional value and sometimes almost disappeared. Some sources of nutrients change their nutritional value if processed in a certain way, such as frying and baking, high heat cooking processes. For example, eggs + sugar + flour processed into cookies and cakes must go through this long process will result in the nutritional value contained in each ingredient being lost or reduced.
Junk food is always around us, even at our dining table. To avoid junk food, avoid or reduce the consumption of processed foods (sausages, corned beef, meatballs, nuggets, and the like), cakes that use a lot of processed products (cakes, bread, cookies), soft drinks, dishes that are repeatedly cooking, dishes that contain high fat (fatty, coconut milk, fried), fast food and friends.
What food do you usually bring when traveling? Surely we remember snacks because this food is convenient and delicious even though it is not filling. Snacks are one type of junk food.
Junk food is ready-to-eat food prepared or served quickly and easily. This food is widely favored by small children (toddlers) and teenagers to older people because of its varied flavors and practical presentation. Various foods include substitutes for main meals, snacks, drinks, spices, canned fruit, etc. These foods are very harmful to our bodies if consumed every day.
Fast food is straightforward to find in shops or supermarkets because the price is relatively low, and consumers often seek this food. Therefore, many home-based products produce processed ready-to-eat foods without the correct dose or regard to the RDA rules. And they usually sell their products in home stores. Usually, when parents take their children shopping at supermarkets, they let their children choose the food they like. Whereas in supermarkets, there are various ready-to-eat foods with multiple choices. And at the age of children who relatively need attention to diet, if left alone, they will choose to buy ready-to-eat foods, such as chili (snacks), because children like this food.
In the processing of ready-to-eat foods, some need to be processed first before serving; some can be done directly without the need to be processed again. The types are not only food but also drinks. For drinks can usually be consumed now and are served in glasses, bottles, and cans. But some need to be processed first, usually packaged in plastic. Whereas in food, most of them must be processed first (usually to replace the main meal), and there are also without reprocessing (usually in snacks).
The term junk food is given to foods that do not have good nutritional value or are nutritionally adequate but contain unhealthy substances if consumed continuously. Because it does not have good nutrition, junk food is not helpful for the body when finished. Junk food usually contains more calories, sugar, salt, and high fat.
Types of Junk Food
The popularity of fast food has captured almost all segments of society of all ages and is familiar with snacks such as fried chicken, french fries, hamburgers, pizza, and the like. These include primarily imported donuts with various flavors, extruded snacks (such as chiki), soft drinks, cola drinks, ice cream, milkshakes, coffee drinks with cream "floats," chocolates, and so on. These excellent foods and beverages are easy to find in malls, plazas, and large shops in the city center and suburbs. And it has become cultured and an elite meal, especially for urban youth. But, are the types of snacks offered by the restaurants above included or very potential as junk food? A.k.a. junk food? Why junk food? Food products are called junk food if they are deficient in nutrients or calories and only rely on good taste.
The characteristics of junk food are:
foods with high salt content;
high in sugar;
high fat;
the content of other nutrients is thin, such as protein, vitamins, and minerals;
contains a lot of sodium (salts);
saturated fat and cholesterol prioritize flavor.
It is economically profitable because it is popular, while its nutritional value is a secondary priority. As a result of prioritizing taste, junk food contains a lot of fat, salt, and sugar, including food additives or synthetic additives to create flavor (such as MSG). So junk food can cause many diseases, from mild to severe, such as obesity, rheumatism due to uric acid build-up, high blood pressure, coronary heart attack, stroke, and cancer.
Many people mistakenly assume that fast food is junk food. Fast food contains nutrients that are good for the body. However, if you consume too much fast food, then the fast food will become junk food for your body. So not all fast food, such as fried chicken, hamburgers, pizza, and others, is junk food. These foods can become junk food if consumed excessively and continuously. That's not to say that all fast food restaurants sell junk food. Fast foods made at home will also become junk food if consumed excessively. Even foods that are supposed to be healthy can turn into junk food.
According to WHO, ten types of food are classified as junk food, namely:
a. Fried food
Fried foods of this food group are generally high in calorie content, fat/oil content, and increased oxidation.
b. Canned food
Whether in the form of canned fruit or meat, the nutritional content has been damaged significantly since the vitamin has almost entirely decreased in quality and quantity from the original material. Moreover, the protein content has changed in nature, so the absorption is slowed down. The nutritional value is much reduced. In addition, many canned fruits have a high sugar content and are taken into the body in liquid form so that absorption is speedy.
c. Pickled food
The salting process requires a significant addition of salt and ammonium nitrite, which can cause the salt content of these foods to exceed the limit.
d. Processed meat foods
These foods contain nitrite salt, preservatives/colors, and others.
e. Fatty meat and jerky foods
Although these foods contain good protein levels, vitamins, and minerals, they have saturated fat and cholesterol.
f. Processed cheese foods
g. Instant noodles
This food is classified as high in salt, poor in vitamins and minerals, and contains trans lipids.
h. Baked/baked foods
This group contains carcinogenic substances.
i. Frozen sweet treats
This group has three problems because it contains high butter, high sugar content, and low temperature.
j. Dried sweets
Contains nitrate salt. In the body, it combines with ammonium to produce carcinogenic substances and contains essences as additives and high salt content.
The following are examples of healthy foods that turn into junk food, namely:
1. Hamburger
This food uses beef that contains a lot of fat. In addition, the white bread used also includes a lot of simple sugar, which provides a higher glucose load for the body.
2. Pizza
This Italian specialty food contains high calories and fat. Calories come from simple carbohydrates, while the fattest content is found using dried oil peppers or pepperoni.
3. Hot Dog
Hot Dog is cooked or smoked, has a finer texture and a softer, wetter flavor than most hot Dog, and is generally very high in fat.
4. Popcorn
Popcorn is healthy because it is high in iron, low in calories, and low in sugar. However, many popcorn products sold in the market have a salty taste because it is precisely the sugar and salt content in popcorn products that is more so that it is no longer healthy.
5. Cereal
Cereals sold in the market are wheat, oat, or rice products added with sugar, syrup, and other ingredients that make cereals junk food for the body.
6. Russet Potatoes
This potato is a type of potato that is usually used to make french fries. It turns out that this type of potato can trigger diabetes and obesity because when consumed, this potato is quickly converted into blood sugar. Even so, many manufacturers add sugar and salt to this potato product because this type of potato has a bland taste.
7. Canned Soup
Initially, canned soups had an ideal and healthy composition. However, over time, many canned soup manufacturers only think about profits so that their products no longer contain exemplary and unhealthy pieces.
8. Yoghurt
There are many packaged yogurts sold in supermarkets. Some yogurt products usually contain a lot of sugar and processed fruit, then are disguised as healthy yogurt products.
9. Fish Nuggets
Fish nuggets may be convenient, but they contain more salt and fat, making them unhealthy for the body.
10. Green Tea
Green tea is a healthy drink. However, many green teas are now marketed in bottles with other substances, such as sugar, flavor enhancers, and preservatives, that make green tea no longer a healthy drink.
11. Fresh Bread
Healthy white bread should be made from flour and water. A little salt and yeast. However, many white bread products on the market contain flour with sugar, syrup, and even useless additives.
The Negative Impact of Junk Food Habit
Junk food is a slang word for foods with low nutritional content. Usually, junk food contains high levels of salt, sugar, fat, or calories but is common in nutrients (low in vitamins, minerals, and fiber). It is usually cheaper than healthy food and tastes better (but is not fit).
a. Junk food contains a lot of sugar, which can damage teeth and cause cavities.
b. Overeating sugar makes insulin levels in the body unstable and triggers Diabetes Mellitus / diabetes in the future.
c. Junk food causes obesity (fatness) due to its high caloric value. Obesity will increase the risk of diabetes mellitus, heart disease, blood vessels, and stroke and cause social-psychological problems.
d. Eating high-fat foods (nasty fats found in junk food) can increase blood fat levels and increase the risk for atherosclerosis (blockage of blood vessels by fatty plaques), hypertension/high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer in the future.
e. Too much salt can lead to hypertension/high blood pressure in the future.
f. Preservatives and colorants can damage innervation and increase risk factors for cancer.
g. Foods containing MSG (monosodium glutamate) or flavoring agents (usually found in junk food) can have side effects: skin redness, headaches, nausea and vomiting, asthma symptoms, shortness of breath, mood disorders, migraines, panic attacks, palpitations, seizures, or depression. The long-term effects damage the brain, nervous system, and retina.
Junk food contains a lot of fat, salt, and sugar, including additives. Hence, junk food can cause many diseases, from mild to severe, such as obesity, diabetes, rheumatism, hypertension, heart attack, stroke, and cancer. Nowadays, these degenerative diseases are not only suffered by older adults but also by young people.
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