Smita Diwan
We live in a fast paced life. Managing family and work often makes it difficult for us to focus on our health. And it wouldn’t be much of a surprise, if we tend to ignore our eating habits.
But give it a thought. We have heard a million times on television, but what are the real implications of eating fast foods? As the name suggests, fast food is food which is quickly prepared. Noodles, pizza’s, fries, etc are some examples of fast foods. But these fast foods set a chain of irreversible health problems in the long run.
Disadvantages of fast food
Most Fast foods have a high salt content. Sodium is a key constituent of salt and contributes to a spike in blood pressure levels, obesity related disorders and retention of water in the body.
Fast food or fat foods? Most fast foods are deeply fried in oil which is cooked again and again. Also, the abundant use of cheese, butter, etc adds on to the fat content. Also, cooking fast foods in animal fat, such as in the case of mutton kababs, is even more detrimental to our health. Saturated fats are a leading reason for Heart diseases.
Fast foods contribute to the increased calorie intake in our daily diet. The cooking methods along with the addition of fatty foods, plus the convenience of eating such foods only adds on to the calorie count of an ignorant individual.
Hygiene is also of the prime most concern. Roadside stalls often have poor levels of hygiene. Absence of adequate water source makes it difficult to properly wash and utilize clean utensils thus being a breeding ground for diseases.
Synthetic colours are frequently used in fast foods at roadside stalls. These colours add to the toxic burden of the liver. Furthermore, these synthetic colour’s are a prime source of allergies and cause a decrease in the immune response of the body.
The abundance of salt and fat combined with the increased burden of calories and synthetic colours, leaves the liver in a bad shape. If this continues, the liver will face similar damage as that faced by an alcoholic.
I wouldn’t say that one should avoid fast food completely, though it would be the right thing to do. However, I would definitely say that one must refrain from eating fast food regularly and thus set your body on the path to self recovery and a healthier lifestyle.
