We’ve all heard about junk food and its supposed dangers. Is what we’ve heard true though? What is junk food exactly, and is it as bad for us as it’s supposed to be?

The coining of the term is commonly attributed to American microbiologist Michael Jacobson, who used it, in 1972, to describe food that is either unhealthy or has poor nutritional value.

Today, the label junk food is most often used when referring to fast food and other convenience foods which contain high levels of saturated fat, salt, sugar and additives.

Junk food wrecks your body
You may have dismissed the publicity surrounding junk food as needless hyperbole, but you would be wrong. In the Western world, diets high in junk food are responsible for the rise in cases of obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, dental cavities and numerous other health problems.

Junk food may taste good, but it comes at a price that belies its relatively low cost in shops and restaurants. A big price.

Your pizzas, burgers, chips, ice cream etc all contain high levels of saturated fat. This heavy fat is hard on your body and accumulates as deposits on the sides of your arteries, clogging them and preventing blood from reaching your vital organs. This can result in heart attacks, high blood pressure, strokes and senility, and the clogging can begin happening in children as young as three years old.

Over-consumption of salt is also associated with high blood pressure and a range of other problems, and junk food often contains scarily high amounts. Consuming excessive amounts of sugar, something a junk food diet makes it easy to do, has been associated with increased incidences of type 2 diabetes, obesity and tooth decay.

So, next time you go to order a cheeseburger with milkshake, just think about your arteries clogging, teeth rotting and liver struggling to deal with all that salt and ask yourself if it’s really worth it.

What you’re missing
The problem with junk food lies in not only what you’re consuming, but also what you’re failing to consume. Don’t be fooled by the token piece of lettuce atop your burger – junk food, by and large, contains very little of the nutrition your body needs to function properly.

So, while you’re damaging your body with all that fat, sugar and salt, you’re also depriving it of the proteins, vitamins, minerals and fibre it needs to repair itself. Nutritional deficiency can have a serious impact on just about every part of your health and lead to:

• Digestive problems.
• Low energy levels.
• Increased heart rate
• Poor circulation.
• Hormone imbalances.
• Problems with thyroid/metabolism.
• Increased stress levels.
• Impaired immunity.

Junk food won’t just make you put on a little bit of weight – it can lead to serious, debilitating conditions and severely impact upon your enjoyment of life. Ask yourself again: is it really worth it?

Throw away the menu from your local take-away and embrace healthy living instead. Detoxify your body and, through introducing a balanced diet and regular exercise, begin to reverse the damage you have inflicted upon it.

Resource Box
Find out more about the damage junk food does to your body, which foods to avoid and which ones to seek out at http://www.gillianmckeithclinic.com/detoxification-c-8.html?prod=16&mode=proddetail. Gillian McKeith is a holistic nutritionist, who advocates the benefits of detoxification, healthy diet and regular exercise.

She is the author of the newest bestselling book ‘Gillian McKeith’s Food Bible’, and known around the world for her television programme You Are What You Eat.

This article was written by Stephanie Lee, a copywriter with an interest in healthy living.