Everyone knows fast food isn’t good for you, but just how bad is it really? Many fast food joints use all sorts of chemicals and additives while lacking all the proper vitamins and nutrients your body needs. Realistically, eating fast food once in a while is fine, but when you take a look at what can happen to a person who’s diet is made up of entirely too much of the greasy stuff, it can paint quite a scary picture.
1. Weight Gain
This one is pretty obvious. Most fast food places serve up burgers, fries and similar products that are full of calories, trans fats, and sugar. Even the 'healthier' options like salads and bowls contain loads of sugar which will leave you wondering why you might continue to gain weight. A diet that consists of lots of fast food is likely to end up in obesity.
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2. Increased Risk Of Heart Disease
Enjoying fast food too often can lead to serious heart problems. Typically full of unhealthy fats and sodium, fast foods are generally inflammatory which is a key player in the formation of artery clogging plaque. It's best to include some anti-inflammatory foods like fruits and vegetables in your diet to avoid these issues - and no, the lettuce & onions on your bacon cheese burger don't count.
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3. Digestive Problems
Fiber is essential for proper gut health. Most fast food options are generally low in fiber which can lead to all sorts of digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, and everyones worst enemy - hemorrhoids. These digestive issues are generally what leave you feeling sluggish after eating too much greasy food.
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4. Diabetes
Due to its high sugar and fat content, eating too much fast food has been directly linked with an increased risk of diabetes. It might be worth it to trade in the soda or triple thick milkshake for a water.
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5. Nutrient Deficiency
If all you eat is fast food, there is no way your body is getting the proper amount of vitamins and nutrients it needs to run properly. When your body doesn't getting those essential nutrients, it slowly starts to break down which can lead to a large number of serious health concerns.
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6. Increased Risk of Cancer
Fast food has been directly linked to an increased risk in a number of cancers, the highest being a 24% higher risk of cancer of the esophagus. Kinda makes sense since food passes your esophagus on the way to the stomach, but in reality its the lack of proper nutrients in a fast food diet that allow these cancers to form and take over the body.
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7. Poor Skin Health
Fast food happens to be some of the greasiest food out there. It's full of oils and unhealthy fats which can lead to acne and a whole mess of other skin issues. Definitely wash your hands after you manhandle your bacon cheeseburger.
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8. Low Energy
Do you ever feel really tired after you eat fast food? Like it makes you sluggish for the rest of the day? That's because it's full of sugar and unhealthy fats that lead to energy crashes. Not only does your body start to crash after you eat fast food, but you will start to crave more sugary foods to help your body level out. Best stick to something healthy before that big business meeting to keep your mind operating on a sharp level.
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9. Negative Impact on Mental Health
You ever eat fast food and feel terrible about yourself after? It seemed like a smart idea at the time but now you're just filled with regret. Eating fast food everyday, it's no wonder why people with a poor diet are linked to have an increased risk of mental health problems - specifically anxiety and depression.
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10. Shorter Lifespan
Because of the long list of health issues associated with a diets heavy in fast foods, it's no surprised that it's been linked with shorter life spans. No, eating a cheeseburger won't kill you - but the health risks of eating one everyday will definitely add up overtime.
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11. Increased Risk Of Stroke
Due to high levels of unhealthy fats and sodium, people that eat a lot of fast food are significantly more likely then those with a healthier diet to experience a stroke. There was a study done in the U.S. which concluded that the risk of a stroke in a neighborhood was increase by 1% for every fast food restaurant.
12. Liver Damage
Eating too much fast food can do some serious damage to your liver. It can even lead to fatty liver disease (a disease often contracted by alcoholics) because of the large amount of high fructose corn syrup and unhealthy fats processed in the foods.
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13. Weakened Immune System
This one circles back to the lack of proper nutrients and vitamins in fast food to sustain a proper diet. Without them, the body starts to break down and weaken the immune system, making you more susceptible to viruses and infections. If you find yourself getting sick all the time, it might be worth it to consider cutting out fast food.
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14. Bone Health Issues
Even though there is some in burgers, fast food diets as generally low in calcium, which is the mineral your body needs to build and maintain strong bones. A diet heavy in fast food can lead to a calcium deficiency putting you at higher risk of bone fractures and osteoporosis. Milk products and leafy greens are your best bet to offset a calcium imbalance in your diet.
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15. Poor Dental Health
You go for a cheesebuger, but it's actually all the sugary add ons that end up being the undoing of your dental health. The high sugar content in fast food, especially in the soft drinks and desserts, directly contribute to tooth decay and cavities. Trading in your large orange Fanta for a water might just save you a trip to the dentist.
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16. Hormonal Imbalance
Eating too much fast food leaving you just feeling a bit, off? That could be because of the additives in preservatives often used in fast food. These nasty chemicals can throw off the hormonal balance in your body, even effecting growth, development and even reproductive health.
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17. Increased Inflammation
Your body reacts to fast food the same way it does to bacterial infections. Your body starts working in overdrive to process it, which is the cause of all that inflammation. If you keep your body is a state of hyperactivity with a diet full of fast food, you'll put yourself at a greater risk for a number of serious health concerns.
18. Impaired Cognitive Function
Don't eat a bunch of fast food before you need to do anything important. Because fast food lacks the proper vitamins and nutrients your brain needs to work properly, it's no surprise that a diet rich in fast foods leads to impaired cognitive function. Eating a lot of fast food has also been associated with poor memory for the same reasons.
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19. Poor Sleep Quality
Eating fast food, or any junk food for that matter, before bed time will lead to a lower quality of sleep. Eating too much processed foods before you sleep will limit your bodies ability to enter a proper deep sleep cycle, leaving you feeling more restless and tired in the morning.
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20. Addiction-like Behavior
You ever just crave fast food? Like nothing will satisfy you except the delicious taste of a big-mac? That's because the high sugar, fat, and salt content in fast food has been found for form addiction-like responses in the brain. These responses not only cause you to crave fast food, but over-consume it as well. It's a vicious cycle that can be tough to break out of.
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