Disadvantages Of Fast Foods – Bad For Your Health

The convenience that fast food provides is undeniable. You will not be wasting time on the preparation of food, and instead, you can utilize your time in other more profitable endeavors. But the popularity of fast food chains all over the world, especially among working individuals and teenagers, is quite alarming. This is because fast food products are believed to cause a variety of health problems. Being aware of the disadvantages of fast foods is essential to determining whether fast food is safe to include in your daily food intake.

Disadvantages Of Fast Foods

1. Fast food can have an adverse impact on the cardiovascular and digestive systems

Most fast food products, which include the sides and drinks that you order with the main meal, are usually laden with carbohydrates and have very little, if any, fiber. When the digestive system breaks down these foods, then the carbs release as glucose into the bloodstream. This process creates a higher sugar level, which then causes the body to release more insulin.

Insulin is responsible for transporting sugars throughout your body to the cells that need it for energy. When your body uses or stores the glucose, then your blood sugar levels return to normal. Eating fast food products will create spikes of sugar intake that can create problems with the insulin response, increasing your risk of diabetes, weight gain, and insulin resistance.

2. You will eat more calories when consuming fast food frequently

Most fast food meals contain high levels of added sugar. Not only does this mean that you will consume extra calories with your meal, but it also means once you’re eating will contain less nutrition. The American Heart Association recommends that all people should have 150 calories or less of added sugar per day, which equates to about 9 teaspoons. If you were to consume a fast food beverage, then you’d hit that recommended limit without eating anything else.

There are high levels of trans fat found in fast food as well. There is no amount that is considered to be healthy or good for your body. It increases your bad cholesterol levels, lowers your good ones, and increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes. Pastries, pizza dough, cookies, and fried items all contain this fat.

3. You’ll bloat

Some foods naturally contain higher amounts of sodium, but sodium is also added to many food products. Some of these additives are monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium nitrite, sodium saccharin, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), and sodium benzoate, which are used as flavoring or preservatives. Regarding dietary sodium limits, it’s suggested that adults stay under 1,500 milligrams per day, and should never consume more than 2,300 milligrams day. A single fast-food meal can actually exceed 2,300 milligrams. Too much sodium causes your body to retain water, making you feel bloated and puffy.

4. You are likely to suffer from obesity

One of the most obvious fast food disadvantages is obesity. Obesity is a common medical condition in most countries with a fast food culture. The high levels of sugar and fat in fast food can lead to an increased risk of obesity. Studies show that over the past twenty years, the number of obese children has doubled and the number of obese teens has tripled. This is because of the high-calorie contents of fast food. Extra sugar and food dye are put into fast food to make it more appealing. These addicting ingredients contribute to the increasing number of obesity cases. Obesity is not only bad for your physical appearance, it can also lead to health problems including heart disease and reduced life expectancy.

5. Effects to the Environment

To add to the list of fast food disadvantages is the effects of fast food on the environment. The production and selling of junk food put a significant negative impact on the environment. The environmental consequences are another rather large disadvantage of fast food that one has to consider. Excess packaging, excess processing of food, not to mention the chemical waste that occurs, not only from the preservatives for the fast food but also from the factory farms that house the millions of chickens and cows used in fast food production.

6. Your skin will deteriorate

Disadvantages of fast foods also include skin issues such as acne. “No, it isn’t the chocolate or fried components,” says Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN, founder of Real Nutrition NYC. “It’s the simple sugars, white flour, and empty carbs like French fries that can be blamed.”