Rightly termed "junk food" because of its meager or zero nutrient content, junk foods are actually just as bad as they are made out to be. All our candies, confectionary items, crisps, fried fast food, carbonated drinks such as cola and sodas and alcoholic drinks fall under the category of junk food. Not only are these foods very poor in nutritional value, but they also contain substances that are extremely unhealthy. Simple carbohydrates, saturated fats, sugar and salt - these foods are loaded with them.
An excessive intake of junk food increases one's risk of becoming obese and puts them at risk of developing several health problems such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Some studies also indicate that an excessive intake of junk foods and your risk of developing cancer may also be correlated. Junk food may not directly cause a cancer, but having too much of it increases the risk of cancer. This holds true especially if junk food replaces healthy foods. Anyone who follows a diet that is deficient in nutritious health foods, while high in junk foods puts himself or herself at high risk of developing a variety of health conditions and ailments, cancer included.
Consuming sweet junk foods causes blood sugar levels to rise. Increased blood sugar levels are believed to increase the risk of developing cancer of the skin and pancreas, and in women cancer of the uterus and the urinary tract. Elevated blood sugar levels may result in diabetes and studies have shown that people with Type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of cancer. Similarly, being obese also puts you at risk of developing cancer. Junk foods that are high in "bad" fats predispose women to breast cancer and predispose men to prostate cancer. The regular consumption of junk foods can turn in to a vicious cycle as junk foods can be just as addictive as a variety of drugs.
A pregnant mother needs to be extremely cautious about her diet, and junk foods do pose a serious risk, and could even threaten the developing fetus. An expectant mother's diet is one of the most influential factors to determine the health of the baby and also the outcome of the pregnancy. Therefore it is important for the woman to be very careful about her diet during those vital nine months. Consuming junk food can cause irreversible damage to the baby. If the junk food has harmful substances, the baby's health is likely to be compromised as well. As with drugs and various intoxicants, in which a mother's consumption of those products also increases the risk of addiction in the offspring, this holds true with junk food consumption as the baby has a higher likelihood of suffering from obesity. Such babies are also at an increased risk of developing heart problems, type 2 diabetes, cancer, arthritis and mental health disorders as they grow older.
Foods with additives, refined sugars, chemical substances, preservatives, oils and spices are best avoided. However, very often women have food cravings during pregnancy and therefore it is unrealistic to completely abstain from junk foods. Instead it is important to ensure that your regular diet is extremely healthy and enforce moderation in your consumption of any other foods, simply reserving junk foods for the occasional treat. Junk food isn't just harmful to you because of the weight gain aspect, but also because of its ill effects on your health and on the health of your baby. It should be pointed out that obesity doesn't just affect your appearance, but is a serious health concern. Post pregnancy, losing weight can be quite problematic, so it's best to control weight gain before it's too late.
Post pregnancy mother's still need to exercise a great deal of caution as everything that you consumed is passed on to and ingested by your baby through breast milk. Junk foods often consume ingredients that are hazardous to your health and could greatly threaten your baby. Some known carcinogens like acrylamide have in fact been found to be present in a variety of junk foods. There may be various other such ingredients, many of which have still not been investigated.
A well balanced diet rich in fiber, essential fats, complex carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals is important for good health. Replacing this healthy diet with useless junk foods deprives the body of essential nutrients that protect the body. The increased risk of cancer, associated with excessive consumption of junk foods may also have a lot to do with a deficiency of valuable nutrients that can be obtained from healthy foods. Fresh fruits are particularly important and the regular consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables can minimize your risk of developing cancer. A balanced healthy diet also helps prevent a variety of health conditions from developing, many of which would otherwise increase your risk of developing cancer.
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