Don't dunk the Junk !

A refresher on Junk foods ...

With the advent of summer, the travel season is kicking off. This is the time when eating outside will be at its peak and hence a quick refresher on your Junk food knowledge. For starters, let us define the definition on Junk Food. Junk Foods are any foods that are high in Calorie value but low in Nutritional value. The Junk foods can be a Frozen food, Pre-packaged food (like snacks), Fast food or even a food prepared at home. So, a junk food does not mean a fast food or a snack or a high fructose drink or a frozen food. What matters is the nutritional value!

With that definition give the following questions a try!

'Raja Harishchandra', the first silent Indian movie released on 5 May 1913 by Dada Saheb Phalke
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Image credit: namastetimes.com	Which of the following snack/supplements are junk food? a. French Fries b. Donuts, Cake, Pie c. Ice cream d. Chips, Nachos, Cheetos e. Soda f. Chocolate, Cookies Answer: [All] All the popular snacks and soda are very high in Calorie value but low in nutritional value. If you want to treat yourself with one of the above food, it may be wise to treat it as an equivalent of a meal instead of an supplement.
Image credit: namastetimes.com	Which of the following food menu is considered as junk food? a. Pizza b. Fried Chicken c. Burgers d. Chicken Nuggets e. Pancakes f. Kebabs Answer: [All] Most of the above foods fall under "Fast Food" category too. These foods are known to have high calories (as high as 1000+ calories) and possess higher saturated fat the risk factor for heart disease.
Image credit: namastetimes.com	While we focus on carbohydrates and saturated fat in food, we miss out another dangerous food ingredient which quietly exceeds the daily allowable value. Can you identify the ingredient? a. Salt (DV:2400 mg) b. Potassium (DV:3500 mg) c. Chloride (DV:3400 mg) d. Calcium (DV: 1000 mg) Answer: [a] American heart association says human body needs only 200 mg of sodium per day! A spoon of salt contains about 2300 mg so you determine what is the right amount you need. The association recommends to limit your salt intake to 1500 mg, if possible.
Image credit: namastetimes.com	What are the effects of consuming junk food in addition to high sugar and high fat? a. Energy level spikes (High and Low) b. Weight gain c. Insulin resistance d. Depression Answer: [All] Weight gain is one of the most reported effect. The uneven energy levels may or may not be good for individuals. However, Insulin resistance can move a person faster into a diabetic world.
Image credit:namastetimes.com	Do you recognize any of the following chemical ingredients? a. Trans Fat b. High Fructose Corn Syrup c. MSG d. Nitrite Salts Answer: *Trans Fat: The alternate for butter and is found in most fast foods. High Fructose Corn Syrup:* The chemical ingredient that adds a sugary taste to the food. Researchers have found that HFCS has a chemical structure which makes you crave for more food. MSG: Mono Sodium Glucomate: Used to add a rounded taste to the food. It is also one of the controversial food additives as research has proven that MSG taken all alone in can cause adverse reaction in healthy individuals. Nitrate Salts: Mostly used to preserve packaged and processed meat. This adds salt to the meat and preserve it against bacterial infection. However, research study shows that these salts can result in stomach cancer.

Hope you had fun !