When it comes to your diet you probably know that you should be picking healthy foods over unhealthy foods.  However, if you’re busy your time is at a premium. 

Unhealthy foods are quick, easy to prepare and can be eaten on the go.  Unfortunately, eating low quality junk foods can be seriously damaging to your health.  In this article I highlight just how dangerous unhealthy eating can be and discuss how it can affect your body. 

1) Weight Gain

One of the main impacts of unhealthy eating is weight gain.  Unhealthy foods are generally loaded with calories and don’t satisfy your appetite in the same way as healthy foods.  This means when you eat junk foods you are much more likely to overeat and take in lots of calories.

For example, a McDonalds Double Cheeseburger contains 490 calories and isn’t the most filling of foods.  A wholegrain chicken salad sandwich of the same size is much more filling and contains just 290 calories.  By picking the junk food for just one of your daily meals you add an extra 200 calories to your day.  If you do this every day you add 1,400 calories to your week.  If you do this for a few weeks you will pile on the pounds very quickly.

2) Organ Damage & Failure

Eating low quality foods deprives your vital organs of the nutrients they need.  This can prevent them from functioning properly and in the worst cases it can lead to organ damage and organ failure.  For example, many of the vitamins and minerals that are found in healthy foods support the heart.  Not getting enough of these in your diet can damage the blood vessels in and around your heart and increase your heart disease risk.

3) Muscle Shrinkage

Unhealthy diets often contain high levels of fats and carbohydrates but very little protein. For example, chocolate, potato chips and sodas are all lacking in protein.  Even meatier junk foods such as burgers and sausages are relatively low in protein and high in fat compared to lean meats.

The main function of protein is to provide your body with the fuel it needs to build new cells and to maintain and repair your existing cells.  If you don’t eat enough protein your body starts to source it from existing muscle cells and as a result your muscles start to shrink and become weak.

4) Unhealthy Skin

Eating lots of junk food prevents your skin from getting the nutrients it requires to stay healthy.  This can cause a number of nasty skin problems.  For example, failing to get enough vitamins in your diet can cause your skin to become dry and scaly and lead to the development of age spots and skin rashes.  Not consuming enough minerals can cause wrinkles and skin sores.

5) Unstable Energy Levels

Unhealthy foods are normally loaded with simple sugars.  When you eat them they get digested very quickly and rapidly enter your blood stream.  This results in a short surge in energy levels before they come crashing back down again.  These constant surges and drops in blood sugar make it extremely difficult to concentrate and perform during the day.  They can also damage your blood vessels and increase your risk of contracting diabetes.

6) An Increased Risk Of Chronic Disease

Low quality foods can significantly increase your risk of developing chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.  For starters, lots of junk foods contain dangerous man made chemicals and substances such as trans fats.  These nasty substances have been proven to directly increase your chances of developing chronic diseases.  Additionally, junk foods deprive your body of the essential nutrients which can help prevent these chronic diseases.

Summary

When you are busy eating healthy isn’t normally your main priority.  However, I hope this article has shown you how exactly how damaging consistent unhealthy eating can be and has convinced you to make time for healthy eating.  Your health is one of the most valuable things in your life and should be prioritized accordingly.

Even if your time is extremely limited, healthy eating doesn’t have to take long.  You can prepare a healthy omelette in less than 10 minutes.  A nutritious salad can be prepared in under five minutes.  Foods like this are quick, easy and most importantly protect your health from the dangers discussed in this article.