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How Does Junk Food Affect Health? | eHow.com

What is Junk Food?

Junk food isn't just greasy burgers from fast food restaurants. Junk food includes overly salty foods such as potato chips and pork rinds. Foods loaded with sugar such as packaged cupcakes and candies are also junk food. Foods that are high in saturated fats, sodium and refined sugar usually provide little or no nutritional value. Your body can't convert junk food into bone, muscle or healthy organ cells.

Fats

Saturated fats and trans fats, like those found in junk food, get dispersed throughout your body and can lead to fat build-up in your blood, thereby increasing your blood pressure. These fat build-ups clog your arteries and increase your risk for heart disease.

Sodium

Too much sodium increases your blood volume. An excess of salt in your body can result in water retention. Your blood retains salty water and increases your blood pressure. The body requires a small intake of sodium to function properly, around 2400 milligrams a day. When you consume too much sodium, the balance between fluid intake and outgo is disturbed. The kidneys cannot properly convert the excess to waste, resulting in edema and kidney disease.

Sugar

Refined sugar is linked to tooth decay because sugar breaks down calcium. This means excess sugar not only causes cavities, it puts you at risk for osteoporosis. Sugar is stored in the liver as glucose, but the liver can only store a finite amount. Excess sugar enters the bloodstream as fatty acids, which the body stores as fat. Eating too much sugar makes you fat. This fat is difficult to burn off and can ultimately result in obesity, heart disease and other health issues.

Healthy Alternatives

Instead of greasy burgers, grill turkey burgers topped with fresh lettuce and tomato. Instead of salty potato chips, try veggie chips or low-sodium corn chips with fresh salsa. Instead of sugary cakes and candies, try fresh fruits or fruit juices. The occasional bit of junk food isn't going to ruin your health. If you follow a healthy diet and exercise regularly, your body should be able to process the odd indulgence.