How Junk Food Affects  Your Health – Doctor 

When last did you go for a board meeting or lunch break and not find anyone sipping a coloured drink or munching that tasty pastry? Many of these are what nutritionists call junk!

So what is junk food? It is a highly processed food containing a large number of calories from sugar or fat with little fibre, protein, vitamins or minerals needed for growth, alertness, fitness and vitality.

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Processed foods have become a regular staple for youths and working class people around the world, including Nigeria. It is common to see young men and women in cities dash in and out of eateries during break time in a rush to grab junk meal. For some, it is due to lack of time for a full meal. But for many others, especially youths it is an attractive option for a full meal.

Speaking in an interview with THE WHISTLER recently in Abuja, a Medical practitioner, Dr. DANIEL UMOREN, explained the implications of consuming junk foods for the human body. Excerpts:

Should We Be Bothered By The High Intake Of Processed Food Today?

UMOREN:    THE answer is yes; junk food not only robs us of a balanced nutrition with essential vitamins and mineral but predisposes us to obesity, cancer, hypertension, diabetics and other chronic lifelong diseases   slapping you of your money

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Junk food gives you a high burst of energy that quickly fades leaving you hungry again and this in most cases would lead you to buy more while the vicious cycle continues.

Do People Know About The Health Effects Of Eating Junk And If They Do, Why Do They Still Indulge?

UMOREN: The answer lies in just one word, ‘addiction’. People especially the young ones in our ever speeding generation are in constant want for easier and faster way to do things even eating.

It is funny because our body does not digest food fast as it is trying to adapt to a microwave generation, so it still needs at least 3-5 hours to digest food. However, my advice is do not rush.

In fact, a research conducted in the UK shows that young people between the ages of 15 to 30 eat junk at least five times in a week, and I mean that’s massive.

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What Can We Do About Our Friendly Enemy?

UMOREN: To answer this, we must go back to God’s idea of what we are to eat daily. Genesis 1:29 “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you, it shall be for meat,”

God’s idea of meat was not originally pork, chicken, isi-ewu or the likes but rather fruits and vegetables, armed with this information the answer to the question is that you should replace junk food with fruits and vegetables.

So please instead of taking coke and doughnut as in-between- meal in your home, office or a conference why not mixed fruits salad go.

Same goes for event organisers when slots are given to vendors to sell in an office or a conference why not reserve at least one for fruits and vegetables.

The fight against junk food is not just a good fight against the addiction but against cardiovascular disease may require the taking of drugs all through one’s life, so join the winning team.

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