3 minute read

Effects of Fast Food on Health

Next Article
Mosh Fun Kitchen

Mosh Fun Kitchen

In many developed countries, people consume fast food between one to three times a week, with research by the CDC in the U.S. showing that the percentage of adults that do so increases as family incomes rise. The statistics are testimony to the link between stressful lifestyles and unhealthy foods, with many adults resorting to takeaway and quick meals as a result of a poor work-life balance. The food you eat affects both your physical and mental health in many ways. A diet that is high in calories, carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats is linked to obesity, cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, and depression. Fast food also weakens your immune system. Check out the latest research on the subject and consider detoxing from unhealthy foods to give your body the best chance it has to fight off infections.

FAST FOOD MAKES YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM MORE AGGRESSIVE

When you consume a high-fat, high-calorie diet, your immune system reacts to it in the same way it would to a bacterial infection – as found in research conducted in 2018 by University of Bonn researchers. That is, this type of diet makes the body’s defences more aggressive and even after you switch to a healthy diet, inflammation and overstimulation of the immune system prevail. This is because your immune system has a kind of ‘memory’. After an infection or unhealthy meal, it remains in a state of alarm so it can react more quickly to a new attack. It then produces changes to your DNA that can lead to the development of diseases like Type 2 diabetes, clogged arteries, and more.

SALTY FOODS WEAKEN THE IMMUNITY

THE SURPRISING EFFECTS THAT FAST FOOD HAVE ON YOUR IMMUNITY

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS

or sugar to make them more palatable. Unfortunately, lab tests have shown that mice fed a high-salt diet are much more likely to fall prey to bacterial infections. Human beings who consume around six grams more of salt per day than usual have also been shown to have immune deficiencies. The findings are a wake-up call to the importance of prioritising homecooked meals made with healthy produce and less salt.

FAST FOOD ACCELERATES AGEING

If you want to have smooth, firm skin, avoid soda beverages as they contain high levels of phosphates (which are used to give drinks a tangy flavour and to prevent the growth of mould and bacteria). High phosphate levels have been found to accelerate signs of ageing. They are also linked to a higher rate and greater severity of age-related issues such as cardiovascular and kidney disease. The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology reports that high phosphate intakes can induce muscle and skin atrophy.

DON’T MAKE YOUR GENES WORK OVERTIME

One of the most important reasons for embracing a healthy Mediterranean-style diet is that fast foods affect gene expression (the way in which instructions in your DNA are converted into important products like proteins). As found by biologists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, eating too many or too few carbohydrates cause various genes to work overtime. This creates inflammation in the body and is closely related to various types of cancer, dementia, Type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

To ace your nutritional regimen, aim to follow a diet that comprises lean proteins, organic fruits and vegetables, pulses, nuts, and other ‘slow’ foods. Only one-third of your diet should be made up of carbohydrates to keep inflammation down. You should also make sure to eat plenty of fibre to keep your gut microbiome healthy and to ensure you feel at your best both physically and mentally. e

This article is from: