What are Junk Foods? What Do They Include?

What are Junk Foods? What Do They Include?

Junk foods refer to foods that have essential nutrients partially or entirely lost through processes such as frying, baking, and roasting, or foods that contain harmful substances added or formed during processing, leading to the accumulation of harmful substances in the human body when consumed excessively over the long term. Examples include fried foods containing benzopyrene, smoked foods containing nitrites, and pickled foods that can cause water and sodium retention.

The World Health Organization has listed the top ten junk foods, which include fried foods, pickled foods, processed meat products (such as beef jerky, shredded meat, sausages, and ham), non-whole grain cookies (excluding low-temperature baked and whole grain cookies), carbonated soft drinks, fast food convenience products (mainly referring to instant noodles and puffed snacks), canned foods (including fish and fruits), preserved fruits and dried fruits, frozen desserts (ice cream, popsicles, etc.), and barbecued foods.

While fast food saves time for people, it also has numerous negative impacts on health. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States shows that one-fourth of the average daily calorie intake for American children comes from fast food, and 17% of American children and adolescents suffer from obesity or overweight.