Who is not familiar with junk food? Almost everyone is familiar with this term. Day by day, the consumption of junk food is increasing. Even though nearly everyone knows that eating junk food in excess can cause a lot of harm to health of the body, I wrote this article intending to provide tips on reducing excessive consumption of junk food. But before that, let’s learn what junk food is and where it came from.
The term junk food itself originated in 1972 in Chicago, United States. Junk food is popular because of the 1976 Junk Food Junkie by Larry Groce. While in 1972, the term junk food was used by the director of the Science Center, Michael Jacobson, for the public good.
But other facts say that the term junk food has been used since 1893 by two vendors, Frederick and Louis Rueckheim, at a World’s Fair in Chicago. They combine the ingredients to make popcorn, nuts and molasses. Then in 1896, these ingredients were sold commercially into a food product in great demand by the general public under the Cracker Jack brand.
Then in 1900, Milton S. Hershey created a chocolate bar and was named Hershey Chocolate Bar. And since then, Hershey Chocolate has become the largest chocolate factory in America. Since the existence of two products, Cracker Jack and Harshey Chocolate Bar, many studies have linked the popularity of these two foods to human health problems such as obesity, heart problems, tooth decay, and cancer.
Junk food is a term for food that is low in nutrition. Or some people call junk food junk food because almost all of it does not contain nutrients, protein, fiber and minerals. However, it has high calories, saturated fat, sugar and salt. Of course, this is not healthy to be consumed continuously. Excessive consumption of junk food harms physical health, such as obesity, heart problems, cholesterol, stroke, cancer and many other deadly diseases. In addition, junk food also has an impact on mental health, which causes mood swings, shortened memory, and depression.
However, the term junk food itself varies every year. Some things that fast food is junk food. However, WHO stated that not all fast food is junk, but all food is unhealthy and contains lots of fat and harmful substances. A salad is an example of fast food that does not include junk food is a salad. Even though the serving is quick, salad is healthy because it is made from healthy and fresh ingredients.
From the history and understanding of junk food above, we already know that excessive and long-term consumption of junk food can harm the body. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t eat these foods. Of course, we can enjoy junk food but in moderation. Here are some tips to reduce the consumption of junk food.
Firstly, balance the consumption of junk food with a healthy diet. Junk food brings joy to those who eat it. Despite knowing that junk food is harmful when we eat junk food, the brain inevitably stores pleasant memories of eating. Therefore, when we consume junk food, don’t forget to eat nutritious foods, like fruits and vegetables.
Secondly, drink water between eating junk food. Drinking water in between eating junk food can reduce false hunger caused by junk food. In addition, drinking water can also nourish the body.
Thirdly, sleep well. A good sleep pattern is one of the factors that support body health. In addition, a good night’s sleep can also reduce the hormone ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger, which makes us crave good food regardless of whether the food contains nutrients or not.
Fourthly, don’t eat junk food while watching TV. TV and snacks are indeed a perfect combination. But what if what we eat is not healthy? Of course, this is dangerous for health. Because when we watch tv, play with gadgets and eat junk food, we are unaware that we have overeaten it. Therefore, avoid eating junk food while watching TV and playing with devices.
Fifthly, Replace snacks with healthy snacks. Indonesians must be familiar with snacking, especially during the rainy season. But we also have to be careful about what we eat. Because it is not good to eat junk food every day, we can replace it with healthier snacks such as granola, dark chocolate, edamame, natural nuts, dates, bananas, yogurt, salads, etc.
Lastly, find out the content of junk food. Before we buy and consume junk food, it’s good to know its ingredients. Because then we can estimate how many pollutants are not suitable for consumption. And of course, in this way, we can stop eating junk food.
So, after reading the article above, do you still want to eat junk food now after reading the article above? Eating junk food is permissible, especially in this demanding and fast-paced modern era. People need fast and direct movements in all their activities. However, don’t forget to add vitamins and healthy, nutrient-rich foods between junk food consumption. In addition, we also need to exercise and drink enough water to maintain the body’s health remains balanced.
Author : Aeinur Rofiqoh
