What are junk foods - Essay Example

Insert Introduction The term junk food is a slang that refers to food that is of no, or little nutritional value, and often contains higher concentration of fat, salt, calories or sugar. This means that though appealing to taste buds, junk food may totally lack or have very little amount of vitamins, proteins and/ or minerals. Some of the foods that fall within this category include candies, fried fast food, snack foods, gum, sweet desserts and sugary carbonated beverages. Nevertheless, sometimes, the line between junk and healthy food becomes blurred, so that it becomes imperative to consider the ingredients that were used for food preparation, to distinguish the two from each other.

Some of the foods that fall under this category include pizza, hamburgers, French fries and tacos. The more highly processed the items or ingredients that have been used in food preparation, the higher the likelihood that junk food is involved. Interestingly, recently, there are attempts to classify junk and healthier food along socio-economic realities. This is to the effect that presently, what is not, or what is junk food may be ancillary to an individual’s class and social status. Because of this, wealthier people tend to prefer broader definitions, while low income earners judge fewer foods as junk food, especially if the food involved is a culturally staple food.

According to Monbiot, despite the pitfalls that junk food may bring, nutritionists and health experts find consensus in the notion that infrequently consuming such foods does not pose immediate health concerns, especially if they are taken alongside well balanced diets. Nonetheless, the dangers that accost unbridled consumption of junk food are far reaching and include obesity and excess weight, increased proneness to type 2 diabetes, increased susceptibility to heart diseases, undue strain on the liver and its ultimate damage, kidney stones, heightened vulnerability to osteoporosis and bone fractures, increased rates of dental complications and tooth decay and the impairment of brain functions (1).

Works CitedMonbiot, George. “Alzheimers could be the most catastrophic impact of junk food.” The Guardian September 10th, 2012. Retrieved From: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/10/alzheimers-junk-food-catastrophic-effect Print