Junk foods and take-away restaurants have become extremely popular due to the rising demand among people nearly everywhere. A quick bite at a low price is a seductive proposition that’s finger-licking good but unfortunately comes in a bag with health conditions.
The arrival of convenience foods has led to massive increases in obesity, diabetes and heart disease. The skyrocketing rates of these lifestyle-related conditions are among the working middle to upper class. Supermarkets contribute to these problems by offering shoppers the temptation of convenience foods that are high in salt, sugar and animal fat.
Junk foods are filled with preservatives, additives, flavourings, artificial colourings, hydrogenated fats, stabilizers, chemicals, sweeteners, sodium, sugar and calories that are devoid of any original, essential nutrients.
There are nearly six thousand chemicals that food companies add to food products that improve colour, taste and shelf life. Nitrates and nitrites that are used in meat products such as bacon, sausage and ham have been found to contribute to the development of many forms of cancer.
Sodas, sugar-laced beverages and highly processed fruit juices contain a compound called benzoate or benzoic acid. This compound has been found to increase the risks of obesity, diabetes and a host of conditions leading to early mortality.
One of the most dangerous flavourings used is monosodium glutamate (MSG). MSG is a common cause of chest pains, depression, dizziness and mood swings. The vast majority of pre-packaged foods such as pizzas, pastas, snacks, soups, sandwiches, cheeses and meats contain high amounts of sodium that is detrimental to one’s health.
Foods such as fried chicken, pizza, burgers, chips, sandwiches and ice creams contain excessive amounts of addictive sugars, trans fats and calories that bring you back for seconds. Most junk foods are deep fried in unhealthy hydrogenated cooking oils that wreck havoc on one’s immune and cardiovascular systems.
Highly processed, chemical-laden, ready-to-serve, convenience quick-bites offer little-to-no actual nutritional value. They simply fill the stomach temporarily and promote overeating as the body demands useful nutrients.
Research shows junk foods make children miss their daily nutritional requirements of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. This has been found to be a leading cause of behavioural misconduct, ADHD, poor school performance and other deficiencies.
Obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer are growing concerns that are directly related to the escalating consumption of junk foods. Type 2 diabetes allows excessive amounts of unusable dietary sugars to circulate around the body creating substantial damage. Diabetic complications include heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, kidney failure and various pain disorders.
Junk foods decrease the levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and increase LDL (bad) cholesterol that is a leading cause of clogging of the arteries. Clogged arteries cause damage to the heart and increases one’s risk of body-disabling strokes.
Excessive amounts of salt, sugars, unhealthy saturated fat and trans fat also contribute to high blood pressure. The resultant high blood pressure is a leading cause of kidney damage and failure. LDL cholesterol, fat, salt and sugar can cause excessive damage to the liver as well.
The liver is integral to numerous bodily functions and is the major detoxifying organ in the body. Impaired liver function can cause a variety of symptoms such as digestive problems, immune disorders, abnormal absorption of fats and metabolism complications.
Dr Cory Couillard is an international healthcare speaker and columnist for numerous newspapers, magazines, websites and publications throughout the world. He works in collaboration with the World Health Organization’s goals of disease prevention and global healthcare education. Views do not necessarily reflect endorsement.
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I agree that fast food killing us BUT the cost of local food too expensive… and that klilling us too!!!! One slice of green fig $1.00, 1 slice of dasheen $1.00, one slice of breadfruit $1.00 and the list goes on and on… Oh local juice (grapefruit)lowest price per SMALL glass $2.00 or is it $3.00 with plenty added WHITE SUGAR and water. Imagine a single parent with many mouths to feed… what will she do. Do you believe that she has the luxury of spending her little on high cost local foods.. I wish she could but belly running hungry. To combat junk food we need to lower the cost of production of local foods (especially lowering the cost of inputs used in agriculture) and farmers have to start to understand cost of production, how they arrive at some of these prices only they that know and as a result these high farm gate prices are reflected on the loal plate. then again we need to revitalize agriculture in a very tangible way so that we may be able to purchase and eat healthly local foods and at an affordable Price.
Well said…they don’t seem to realize that we go for the fast food because that’s what we can afford. I so afraid to buy things in the market…the cost is ridiculous and everything they weighing these days. I mean come on.
wait! junk food invading homes?
“Susan open d front door!” “quick!”
I have been away from home for more than 20 years. I live in the US now…I am amazed by the fact that fast food is now the staple in Dominica. I would kill to be back home, eating the fresh provisions and healthy foods that I grew up on, and loved. Fast food is not good for anyone, causing cancers, and all kinds of other diseases. Even leaving in the US, I try not to partake in fast food too much, and work out at least 4 times a week. I hope that this situation does not become an epidemic, or an accepted way of life in Dominica. I am really sad to hear, that there are so many fast food joints!!!
so come back home then nuh
The government have to drop the cost of livin on we the ppl of the nation. They r squeezin us right down to the bone, something have to be done, to stop the increase of fast food.
Agriculture is a as been industry” this was a well calculated statement. Not only that the statement was supplemented with real action. They crippled our agriculture industry.
Our people have been thought to measure development by the number of fast food joints that we allow to operate in our country.
Very sad indeed. While we promote junk food and the special interest people making a killing our hospital can even provide the Medicare for the victims of the junk food era. Guess what – the special interest people eat organic and if they need Medicare they simply book a flight or call the MEDIVAC service.
These are the kind of things we need to talk about as we celebrate African Liberation week. Some people will say we talking politics only because they don’t want you to see the truth. The same tactics used that was used to enslave Africans – hide the truth. So we can talk about junk food and it’s effect but unless policies are in place to prevent this invasion and destruction the junk food will continue to inflate our importation bill and the hdecaying ealth of our children and adults will continue to be the platform by which the special interest men and their politician friends will become might rich.
You may not like what I said but you will remember what I said when the doctor reveals the bad news.
Well said.