We have all heard the age-old question, “why is fast food bad for you?” You probably already know it’s unhealthy, but that just scratches the surface. While fast food consumption has multiple side effects, the most obvious problem is how it hampers how you look and feel about yourself.
Although it’s essential to promote body positivity, it cannot be done at the cost of a healthier lifestyle. Regularly eating fast food affects your body in the short term by draining you of energy and keeping you craving more. It will also cause you to gain weight in the long run. This can decrease your self-confidence and even stop you from trying to match with someone interesting on a dating app for fear of getting rejected.
So, why do people eat fast food? To answer that, we deep-dived into scientific research and interviews with fitness coaches, physiotherapists, and psychologists, and compiled all the reasons why fast food is bad for you.
What is Fast Food?
Fast food is a meal that can be swiftly made and served at sit-down restaurants, counter service, take-out, drive-thru, and deliveries, among others. It is well-liked because of its easy accessibility, affordability, and tasty nature. It’s a popular first date option… If you’re in high school.
Fast food may be made with refined grains rather than whole grains and may be heavy in sodium or salt, which is used as a preservative and gives food more flavor and satisfaction. Common examples of fast food include burgers, pizzas, hotdogs, and nachos. While these dishes sound scrumptious and look irresistible, they are mostly filled with saturated fats, cholesterol, and added sugar.
Despite all this, why is fast food so popular? According to research by the Journal of the academy of nutrition and diabetes, even after you are full, fast food makes you feel unsatiated after a while. This sets off a craving mechanism in your brain, leading to you eating more.
Why is Fast Food Bad for You?
Research has shown that unhealthy consumption of fast food will not only ruin your physique but also decrease your analytical thinking ability. You might not be able to remember certain things or come up with new ideas at work. It can also affect your dating life as you might not be able to tell when a girl is interested in you.
If you’re reading this article, that means you’re working on yourself to improve what you consume daily. To give you a better idea, we have narrowed down the major reasons why fast food is bad for you.
Spike in blood sugar
Whenever you eat any junk food, your blood sugar spikes instantly since this type of food consists of refined carbs. The refined carbs break down easily, turning into glucose and instantly entering your bloodstream. When this happens, your pancreas has little time to react and cannot produce enough insulin on time. This is even more true for food with processed sugar, like donuts and muffins.
If your body regularly experiences this unhealthy sugar spike, you will likely develop type two diabetes. Once you get diagnosed with diabetes, your body and immune system will deteriorate over time. This is why you should only eat junk in moderation to maintain your fitness.
Fast food lacks sufficient nutrients
Meal prepping is a hassle, especially if you work at least eight hours a day. As a result, more and more people are turning to fast food for convenience and ready availability. But the nutritional value you get from fast food is significantly less than what you would get from a homemade diet. Unfortunately, junk food contains very little nutritional value, even though each meal is packed with calories. This is due to the processed content within the meal.
To compensate for the lack of nutrients, you tend to eat more than you should, leading to a more unhealthy diet. It’s a very unhealthy cycle that can be hard to break once started. However, you can always choose to filter out the junk and choose the healthier food option while at a restaurant. All it takes is to be aware of what you consume.
Constant cravings
Another common question is, “why do people eat fast food so frequently?” Well, aside from being easy to get your hands on, fast food tastes amazing. This type of food mainly contains refined carbs and processed sugar, which sets off the craving mechanism in your brain. As a result, you fall into the temptation of going for another serving. This addiction can be compared to that of cigarettes.
Body image issues
So, why is fast food bad for you and your self-esteem? A healthy body image is essential to having strong self-esteem. An integral part of feeling more confident about yourself is having a healthy physique.
If you are confident with how you look, you can get that Tinder date’s number effortlessly.
Studies have shown that people gradually start developing body image issues as they gain weight. Hence, to look better in the mirror, you should reduce fast food intake and instead go for a diet of healthy carbs, protein, fats, and vitamins. Once you feel more confident, you can talk to any girl and gain her interest.
Not impressive to a person with healthy habits
Thanks to the internet, anyone can access any information they need. As a result, people have become more aware and conscious about what’s right for them. This includes what diet is considered healthy, and how to stay fit. Health consciousness also reflects in their personalities and plays a key role in their dating preferences.
Most health-conscious individuals want a partner who has the same beliefs. So, if you like to binge fast food, you will have difficulty impressing a person with healthy eating habits.
You feel more sluggish and lazy (Girls like ambition)
Another answer to the question, “Why is fast food unhealthy?” is that it drains you of energy. According to a study found in the Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences, a higher intake of junk food in adolescents and adults leads to proper nutrient deficiency. Over time, they become more lethargic and lack the motivation to do any task.
This is a serious problem since people on online dating platforms like to match with ambitious and diligent individuals. While you can work around that part by texting a girl with confidence and success, in the long run, you need to eat a balanced diet to maintain high energy levels and keep her interested.
Not having enough money for dates
Another reason fast food is so irresistible is the low price. However, fast is also addictive, which means that eventually, you'll find yourself eating more and more of it. And since it's so easy to get, you actually end up spending more than if you were to just whip up something for yourself at home.
Even if you don't care about your diet, you'll find it harder to save with this constant spending. And that girl you're trying to impress? She won't be too happy with eating nothing but fast food on every date.
Fast-food joints are not good first-date places
Our choices dictate the type of person we are. So, if you enjoy indulging in junk food, you are more likely to suggest a fast food joint as a first date location. Although the food might be delicious, a fast food joint is not a good place to take someone on a first or second date. If they are health conscious, they might lose interest and not want to go on another date with you afterward.
To impress someone on a first date, look for restaurants with nice food and an aesthetic ambiance. To top it off, you must ensure your conversations are more engaging and give off positive vibes. Women are attracted to health, and women of marrying age are especially interested in a man who can take good care of himself and provide her with a healthy lifestyle.
Good clothes won't fit you if you become overweight
They say first impressions are lasting impressions. Your dress-up is essential to impress someone you are trying to date. Everything needs to be on point, from the color combination to the fit of your clothes. It’s important to have a good fashion sense because people tend to judge others based on the clothes they are wearing.
So what is fast food doing to your fashion? Unfortunately, you will gain weight if you regularly consume an unhealthy amount of fast food. Over time, your favorite clothes will no longer fit you. Likewise, it will become harder for you to find good clothes, especially more formal ones like suits and dress shirts, which rarely come in plus sizes.
Heart disease
Why is fast food unhealthy? Along with weight gain and mobility issues, you are more likely to develop heart disease if you consume too much fast food. The unhealthy fat from junk food will start to clog your arteries in the form of cholesterol, increasing your likelihood of having a heart attack.
Heart conditions are not visible to the eyes, but that does not mean you should ignore them. Having a healthy heart is essential to having uninterrupted blood flow to your brain and other body parts.
Anxiety and depression
Lastly, to excel in your daily tasks, having a sound mental state is essential. Research shows that your mental health and regular consumption of fast food are directly connected. Binge-eating your favorite fast food gives you comfort and instant gratification. This cycle makes you even more dependent on this unhealthy lifestyle. Eventually, it hampers your mental health.
Conclusion
Fast food and convenience go hand in hand. There’s nothing more satisfying than indulging in your favorite hamburgers and pizzas whenever you crave them, or if you’re starving and looking for a quick meal.
However, these types of food slowly chip away at your health without you even noticing. Diabetes, weight gain, and heart conditions are just some of the reasons you need to kick the habit of eating fast food daily in the bin.
We hope this article answered the questions “why is fast food popular?” and “why is fast food bad for you?” Now that you are more aware, we hope you will make healthier diet choices.
