Obesity: Healthy Food Vs. Fast Food

Obesity: Healthy Food vs Fast Food

Obesity is a major health issue among young and old all over the world. It is widely believed that the rapid consumption of fast food is a prime cause of obesity in young and old. Most of the deep-fried and sugary foods are classified as junk foods, which have the least nutritional value. Overeating is another major reason for gaining extra body weight. Usually, foodie people are obsessed with eating fast foods available in different eateries, which may make their bodies gain weight at a fast pace. So they need to switch over to some healthy foods if they want effective weight loss.

 

Benefits of including healthy foods in the daily diet

Generally, fresh fruits and vegetables, wholegrain cereals, milk and dairy products, legumes, nuts, fish, eggs, and lean meat are known as healthy foods. These foods contain all the essential nutrients that are needed to maintain sound health. Most of these food items have low-calorie content and rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fibers, proteins, healthy fats, and antioxidants.  

• Provides more energy – A balanced meal offers a large amount of physical energy that makes a person healthier. All these nutrients energize the body cells to perform necessary functions smoothly in spite of following a restricted diet.

• Promotes metabolism – Protein-rich foods are known to boost the metabolism of the body, which paves the way for weight loss. The increase in metabolic rate helps in burning more calories, leading to a faster reduction of obesity.

• Strengthens bones and muscles – Foods rich in calcium and magnesium usually help in making bones and teeth stronger. Thus, people eating these foods can expect lesser risks of osteoporosis and tooth decay in the future. Healthy foods also help in building up body muscles, to get a fit and slimmer body.

• Ensures overall wellbeing – The daily consumption of healthy foods can improve the digestive system of a person and also strengthens his/her immunity power.  These essential nutrients also take care of cardiovascular health and reduce the risks of heart diseases. Some of these foods are also effective in controlling the levels of blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol in the body.

 

Effects of healthy food and fast food on obesity

Calorie values – Oily and sugary fast foods contain lots of unrefined carbohydrates and saturated fatty acids, which can lead to obesity. These calorie-rich foods are unhealthy for overweight people and may also spoil their metabolic functions. On the other hand, healthy foods have very low-calorie contents and thus, help in faster weight loss.
Amount of nutrients – Most of the fast foods do not contain healthy nutrients, except fats and carbohydrates. Therefore, regular intake of these junk foods can lead to several health problems. So we need to include healthy foods in our daily diet, to fulfill all the nutritional requirements of the body.
Health condition – Fast foods are often held responsible for increasing the levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, blood sugar; resulting in raising blood pressure levels and may cause many other serious ailments. On the contrary, healthy foods can save us from all these health issues and help us to lead a healthier life.   
Expenses of foods – Fast foods are usually quite expensive, compared to fresh fruits and vegetables that are available at much lower prices. Thus, we can save a lot of money by replacing fast foods with some healthy food items in our daily life.

      Therefore, we can conclude that it is now essential to eat only healthy foods instead of several fast foods that we love to eat. This simple switch in our food habits can help us in avoiding obesity and also helps overweight people to shed excess body weight.