Junk food Katya González

Raquel Renderos

8° B

Junk food… Junk food is a derisive slang term for food that is of little nutritional value and often high in fat, sugar, salt, and calories. It is widely believed that the term was coined by Michael Jacobson, director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, in 1972.

Junk foods typically contain high levels of calories from sugar or fat with little protein, vitamins or minerals. Foods commonly considered junk foods include salted snack foods, gum, candy, sweet desserts, fried fast food, and sugary carbonated beverages. Many foods such hamburgers, pizza, and tacos can be considered either healthy or junk food depending on their ingredients and preparation methods with the more highly processed items usually falling under the junk food category. What is and is not junk food can also depend on the person's class and social status, with wealthier people tending to have a broader definition while lower-income consumers may see fewer foods as junk food, especially certain ethnic foods.

Despite being labeled as "junk" consuming such foods usually does not pose any immediate health concerns and is generally safe when integrated into a well balanced diet.

Bad nutrition… Good nutrition is vital for the development and functioning of every organ in the body. Poor nutrition

can lead to serious complications, including nutrient-deficiency diseases such as anemia, rickets

and scurvy. Understanding the causes and consequences of bad nutrition allows people to make

healthful food choices to prevent health problems.

Causes… Poor nutrition stems from a number of causes. According to the website Kids Health, celiac disease,

lactose intolerance and cystic fibrosis can all lead to malnutrition and deficiencies of one or more

nutrients. Iron deficiency is the most prevalent form of malnutrition in the world, with 2 billion people

not getting enough iron to meet their daily needs, according to the World Health Organization, cited

at KidsHealth.com. While these diseases can cause poor nutrient absorption, unhealthful eating

habits are the main preventable cause of bad nutrition. Diets full of high-calorie processed food and

low in nutrient-dense foods such as whole grains and vegetables are common causes of poor

nutrition in the United States.

Good Nutrition…

The benefits of good nutrition are multiple. Besides helping you maintain a healthy weight, good

nutrition is essential for the body and all its systems to function optimally for a lifetime. In fact, the

benefits of good nutrition can be found in physical and mental health because a healthy diet

provides energy, promotes good sleep, and gives the body what it needs to stay healthy. When you

consider the benefits of good nutrition, it's easier to eat healthy.

Self Confidence

Whether or not you are at your optimum weight or not, the benefits of good nutrition can be felt.

Americans have been educated enough over the years to know that junk foods are not the

healthiest choice. Yet many of us continue to indulge in them for emotional reasons. When we

make the conscious choice to eat better and healthier, we begin to feel better about ourselves –

regardless of how quickly the weight comes off. It's also true that the occasional sweet treat tastes

better when its consumed guilt free because we eat healthier on a daily basis.

When you examine all the benefits of good nutrition, you quickly realize that eating healthy and

making healthy food choices results in a much better lifestyle. Anyone can start enjoying the

benefits of good nutrition by changing one eating habit a week. Cut down on foods high in fat and

begin replacing them with whole grain foods, low fat foods, and fresh fruit and vegetables. You'll be

reaping the benefits of good nutrition before you know it!