Junkfood

Everything you need to know about junk food

Is junk food really "rubbish"? We take a look and provide you with the most important facts about junk food: What is it? What is junk food made of? How does it affect us? And how can we resist the temptation?

Junk food is on everyone's lips. The adverts and supermarkets are full of it. It has long since found its way into our heads and bellies. But what's behind it and what's in it? And what's actually the problem with it? In this article, you'll find out everything you need to know about junk food: what it is, how it works and why it's best to stay away from it. We provide the most important facts and useful tips on how to avoid the junk food trap.

What does junk food do to us? #ERROR!

Junk food: what is it anyway

"Junk" means something like "rubbish", "rubbish", "rubbish". "Food" means "food" or, more broadly, "nourishment". Junk food therefore refers to low-quality food. So the question arises: what is "inferior"? A look at nutritional science provides clarity: junk food refers to food and drinks that provide a high level of energy with a relatively low nutrient density. In other words: lots of "empty" calories (mainly in the form of sugar and fat), hardly any vitamins and 12

Junk food vs. fast food

Junk food is often also referred to as "fast food". However, it is important to draw a clear line between these terms. "Fast food" means nothing other than "quick food" - food that is quickly and easily prepared and available. The term fast food refers to the preparation time, junk food to the quality. Fast food can therefore also be healthy, while junk food can take a long time to prepare.

Here's an example: an apple can be labelled as fast food because it can be eaten quickly and at any time, even on the go. However, from a nutritional point of view, it is not "rubbish" because it provides our body with valuable vitamins, 16

In addition, it also contains a variety of chemical colourings and preservatives as well as flavour enhancers. Some of these have a negative effect on key aspects such as metabolism, organ function,17 blood values18 or memory performance19. Excessive consumption of additives can also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.20

Not enough...

What junk food lacks, however, is what keeps us full and healthy: Fibre, high-quality protein, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. There are usually only traces of these, if any. So if you eat mainly junk food, you run the risk of developing deficiency symptoms in addition to the risks already mentioned. At the latest now it's clear: stay away from junk food! But you have to recognise it first.

Tips for reading food labels

Ingredients

Keep your eyes open for artificial additives that are labelled either as E numbers or based on their function (e.g. "raising agents", "acidifiers", ...).21 You should also keep an eye out for sugar. It is hidden in almost all processed foods, often under names that sound "healthy"22 "Grape sweetener", "fruit extract" or "apple syrup" are just a few examples. Sugar has many names, but its harmful effects on health remain the same.

Nutritional values

The sugar content of products can be seen more clearly in the nutritional value table. There you can see how many grams of sugar per 100 grams and per portion are contained in the respective food under the carbohydrate content. Also note that the portion sizes given do not necessarily correspond to the amount you actually eat. As a guide: The German Diabetes Society recommends consuming a maximum of 50 grams of sugar per day23 This value is already exceeded with a quarter of a litre of industrially produced lemonade.

Another indicator for assessing the nutritional quality of a food is its fibre content. In this case, more is more, as fibre keeps us full and stimulates digestion.24 Ideally, a food should contain more fibre than sugar. Adults should consume at least 30 grams of these indigestible carbohydrates in their diet every day.25

In addition, you should pay attention to the proportion of saturated fatty acids in a product. This should be as low as possible, as saturated fatty acids are associated with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.26 According to the WHO, saturated fatty acids should make up less than 10% of daily energy intake.27 That's around 22 grams for an adult.

Junk food is also characterised by an enormously high salt content. Surprisingly, this is also the case with sweet products such as cornflakes or ready-made cakes. The WHO recommends consuming no more than 5 grams of salt per day.28

A final key criterion for recognising junk food is its high calorie density.29 This can also be easily read off the label, as it depends on the calories per 100 grams. You should be careful with products that have over 400 kcal per 100 grams - especially if these calories mainly come from sugar and fat.

A helpful strategy when you are overcome by cravings: the 10-minute rule. Before you react rashly to an impulse that has nothing to do with what your body really needs, wait 10 minutes. Junk food cravings are often very short-lived and disappear as quickly as they appear. Sometimes they are triggered by an intense emotion that fades after a few minutes. Sometimes it is also misinterpreted thirst that makes us reach for crisps & co. Tiredness and stress can also play a role. Waiting 10 minutes and taking a quick look at yourself to see if you can beat your cravings without junk food can make a big difference30 After all, our body is not a rubbish dump. So junk food is definitely not the right "fuel" in the long term.

Super Size Me: A dangerous experiment (30 days of junk food)

In order to illustrate the devastating effects of junk food, US director and filmmaker Morgan Spurlock launched a self-experiment in 2004. For 30 days, he adopted the lifestyle of many of his fellow citizens: Three meals a day consisting exclusively of junk food and hardly any exercise (a maximum of 5,000 steps per day). In his film "Super Size Me", he shows the preparation and execution of his experiment

In conversation with several doctors and nutritionists, he also discusses the results. And they are shocking: in just one month, Spurlock gained over 11 kg, which corresponds to 13% of his initial weight. His body fat percentage rose from 11 to 18 %. Spurlock's cholesterol levels and blood pressure increased significantly and reached levels that represented a demonstrable health risk in this short period of time. After 30 days of fast food, his risk of cardiovascular disease had doubled and his liver values had deteriorated massively.

Spurlock was tired, listless and in a bad mood, which had a negative impact on his sex and social life. He also felt an increasing urge to eat junk food over time, even though he felt bad afterwards.31 This points to the aforementioned addictive potential of such products. Nevertheless, you are not automatically at the mercy of the junk food trap.

Everything important in a nutshell
  • You can recognise junk food by its high sugar, salt and calorie content, high saturated fat content and lack of fibre.
  • A lot of salt and chemical additives can be found in junk food, which can lead to high blood pressure.
  • The term "junk food" refers to the low quality of the food, while "fast food" refers to the speed of preparation.
  • Excessive consumption of junk food can lead to chronic fatigue, obesity, diabetes, memory disorders and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, among other things.
  • Junk food is deliberately designed to be addictive.
  • Be aware of the composition and effects of junk food and have healthy alternatives ready if you are tempted.

As we said, we can recommend fast food, but not junk food. There's nothing wrong with grabbing a quick meal if you don't have time to cook or are on the go. But there are better options than a pizza slice or a donut from the bakery.
meal replacement shakes or astronaut food, offer a balanced option for a quick meal. Special diet shakes are perfect for losing weight after gaining weight from junk food. Why not try our drinking meals, maybe you'll find an alternative for stressful times! About your junk food alternative

Frequently asked questions
What is junk food?

Junk food refers to highly processed, nutrient-poor foods that are usually high in fat, sugar and salt. This includes sweets such as chocolate, sweets and biscuits, snacks such as crisps or crackers, sugary soft drinks and ready meals. High-fat baked goods such as donuts, croissants or muffins and greasy snacks such as chips also fall into this category.
What is the difference between fast food and junk food?

Fast food and junk food are often used interchangeably, but there are differences: fast food refers to quickly prepared takeaway meals that you can get in fast food restaurants or snack bars, for example. Junk food, on the other hand, generally refers to unhealthy food with a low nutrient density, regardless of where you buy it. This means that not all fast food is automatically junk food and junk food is not only available from fast food chains.
Why is junk food unhealthy?

Junk food has a poor nutritional balance: lots of empty calories from sugar and unhealthy fats, but hardly any valuable ingredients such as vitamins, minerals or fibre. Eating it favours obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders. In addition, junk food is easily addictive on a neurobiological level due to its high reward value and pushes healthier foods out of the diet.

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