NAMA : GILANG RAGIL FEBRIANTO
NPM : 13211062
KELAS : 4EA25
TULISAN
“EATING
JUNK FOOD”
Are you a
junk-food junkie? Here's what you need to know !
It's
the 21st century and "junk food" has gone global. For better or for
worse (mostly worse), junk food is now available all over the world. We see it
most everywhere we go -- in grocery and convenience stores, fast-food
restaurants, on television -- usually looking very appealing. But just what are
the facts about junk food?
"Junk food" generally
refers to foods that contribute lots of calories but little nutritional value.
Of course, what's considered "junk food" depends on whom you ask.
Some might say pizza is junk food, for example. But I personally don't think
so, since it contributes real food with nutrients, like cheese and tomato sauce.
Add whole-wheat or part whole-wheat
crust, plus veggies as a topping, and I'd say pizza completely exits the junk
food category.
One problem with junk foods is that
they're low in satiation value -- that is, people don't tend to feel as full
when they eat them -- which can lead to overeating. Another problem is that
junk food tends to replace other, more nutritious foods.
When people drink lots of soda, for
example, they are usually not getting plenty of low-fat dairy or other
healthful beverages like green tea or
orange juice. When they're snacking on chips and cookies, they're usually not
loading up on fruits and vegetables.
Most "junk food" falls into
the categories of either "snack food" or "fast food." And
then there are things like breakfast cereals.
They seem innocent enough, but some of them could definitely be considered
"junk food," as they mostly contain sugar or high-fructose corn syrup
and white flour or milled corn.
A.
Calories From
Snack Foods
Popular snack foods are usually commercially prepared
and packaged, like chips, cheese puffs, candy bars, snack cakes, and cookies. The
contribution of snack food to the calories we eat should not be underestimated.
Between 1977 and 1996, the contribution of snack calories to total calories for
American children between 2 and 5 years old increased by 30%, according to an
article published in the Chilean medical journal, Revista Medica de Chile.
B.
Fast Food and
Overeating
Of course, junk food is also readily available at
restaurant chains across the country in the form of French fries, chicken
nuggets, shakes, soda, etc. Not only are most fast foods not terribly healthy,
one study indicates that there may be something about fast food that actually
encourages gorging.
In the study, from the Children's Hospital in Boston, teens age 13-17 were given three types of
fast-food meals (all including chicken nuggets, French fries, and cola). In one
meal, the teens were served a lot of food at once. In another, a lot of food
was served at the same time, but in smaller portions. And in the third test
meal, a lot of food was served, but in smaller portions over 15-minute
intervals.
The researchers found that it didn't seem to matter
how much food was served the teens still took in about half of their daily
calorie needs in that one meal. The researchers suggested that certain factors
inherent to fast food might promote overeating:
A.
It's low in fiber.
B.
It's high in palatability (that is, it
tastes good).
C.
It offers a high number of calories in a
small volume.
D.
It's high in fat.
E.
It's high in sugar in liquid form Junk
Food and TV
As we all know, many of the food
commercials aimed at children are for foods high in fat, sugar, and/or salt,
and low in nutritional value. And some research suggests that watching ads for
processed foods encourages children to eat more.
Researchers from the University of
Liverpool in the United Kingdom exposed 60 children, ages 9 to 11, to both food
advertisements and toy advertisements, followed by a cartoon and free food.
The children ate more after the food
advertisements than after the commercials for toys, the study found. The obese
children in
the study increased their consumption of food the most (134%) after watching
the food ads, compared to overweight
children (101%)
and normal-weight children
(84%).
C.
Taking the
'Junk' out of Junk Food
Now
that you've got the facts about junk food, how can you try to eat more
healthfully in our junk- food-filled world? Here are three tips:
A. Choose
fast-food restaurants that offer healthier choices. And no matter where you
are, opt for food and beverages that are made up mostly of ingredients that
offernutrients along
with calories. Enjoy freshly squeezed orange juice or a whole-wheat bagel
instead of soda or donuts. Buy a bean burrito, pizza topped with vegetables, or
a grilled chicken sandwich on a whole-grain bun instead of tortilla chips with
processed cheese sauce; frozen pizza rolls; or fried chicken pieces and French
fries. Avoid sweetened beverages.
B.
Look for products low in sugar,
high-fructose corn syrup, milled grains, and partially hydrogenated oils.
Choose a 100% whole-wheat cracker made with canola oil, for example, or snack
on a cheese and fruit plate instead of a bowl of cheese puffs.
C.
Limit TV viewing, for yourself and your
kids. Certain TV shows seem to attract more junk food commercials more than
others, so parents might want to discourage kids from watching these shows. Or
try TIVO (where you can fast-forward through commercials) or watch DVDs.
D. Obesity
Junk food plays a major role in the obesity epidemic. By the year 2050, the
rate of obesity in the U.S. is expected to reach 42 percent, according to
researchers at Harvard University. Children who eat fast food as a regular part
of their diets consume more fat, carbohydrates and processed sugar and less
fiber than those who do not eat fast food regularly.
Junk food in these children's diets accounts for 187 extra calories per
day, leading to 6 additional pounds of weight gain per year. Obesity increases
your risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and many other chronic health
conditions.
E. Diabetes
Your insulin levels become elevated when you eat processed sugars, such as
those in soft drinks, white flour and other foods devoid of fiber and nutrients
necessary to properly metabolize carbohydrates.
Eating junk foods throughout the day causes chronically high insulin
levels, which eventually prompts your cells to begin to ignore this important
hormone, resulting in a condition known as insulin resistance. Ultimately,
obesity and Type 2 diabetes may set in. Since the 1980s, Type 2 diabetes, which
was minimal in teenagers, has risen to 15 percent.
F. Depression
Junk food may lead to depression in teenagers, according to Andrew F.
Smith, author of the book "Fast Food and Junk Food: An Encyclopedia of
What We Love to Eat." Hormonal changes at puberty make teens more
susceptible to mood and behavioral swings. A healthy diet plays a part in
keeping hormone levels on an even keel, while a diet high in junk food falls
short of these requirements. Consuming trans fats, saturated fats and processed
food is associated with up to 58 percent increase in risk of depression.
G. Nutrien Deficient
Processing that removes vitamins, minerals and fiber makes junk foods into
the sources of empty calories that nutritionists disparage. Children who eat a
lot of junk foods may develop nutritional deficiencies that lead to low energy,
mood swings, sleep disturbance and poor academic achievement, among other
health conditions, according to the University of New Hampshire Cooperative
Extension.
H. Sodium
High sodium levels are a defining characteristic of many junk foods and one
of the contributing factors to the overconsumption of salt that typifies the
Western diet and contributes to high blood pressure and heart, liver and kidney
diseases, according to Harvard Health Publications. The average American eats
five to 10 times more salt than the 2,300 milligrams per day recommended by the
U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Considering the high rates of high blood pressure among Americans, that
level should be even lower -- about 1,500 milligrams per day -- for 70 percent
of adults. However, the trend since 1988 shows that fewer people with
hypertension adhere to a low-sodium diet now than did then.
How to Kick the Junk Food Habit and Eat Healthy
The good news is that the research shows that the less
junk food you eat, the less you crave it. My own experiences have mirrored
this. As I’ve slowly begun to eat healthier, I’ve noticed myself wanting pizza
and candy and ice cream less and less. Some people refer to this transition
period as “gene reprogramming.”
Whatever you want to call it, the lesson is the same:
if you can find ways to gradually eat healthier, you’ll start to experience the
cravings of junk food less and less. I’ve never claimed to have all the answers
(or any, really), but here are three strategies that might help.
1.
Use the “outer ring” strategy
and the “5 ingredient rule” to buy healthier food.
The best course of action is to avoid
buying processed and packaged foods. If you don’t own it, you can’t eat it.
Furthermore, if you don’t think about it, you can’t be lured by it. We’ve talked
about the power of junk food to pull you in and how memories of tasty food in
the past can cause you to crave more of it in the future. Obviously, you can’t
prevent yourself from ever thinking about junk food, but there are ways to
reduce your cravings.
First, you can use my “outer ring” strategy to
avoid processed and packaged foods at the grocery store. If you limit yourself
to purchasing foods that are on the outer ring of the store, then you will
generally buy whole foods (fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, etc.). Not
everything on the outer ring is healthy, but you will avoid a lot of unhealthy
foods.
You can also follow the “5 ingredient
rule” when buying foods at the store. If something has more than 5 ingredients
in it, don’t buy it. Odds are, it has been designed to fool you into eating
more of it. Avoid those products and stick with the more natural options.
2.
Eat a variety of foods.
As we covered earlier, the brain craves novelty.
While you may not be able to
replicate the crunchy/creamy contrast of an Oreo, you can vary your diet enough
to keep things interesting. For example, you could dip a carrot (crunchy) in
some hummus (creamy) and get a novel sensation. Similarly, finding ways to add
new spices and flavors to your dishes can make eating healthy foods a more
desirable experience.
Moral of the story: eating healthy
doesn’t have to be bland. Mix up your foods to get different sensations and you
may find it easier than eating the same foods over and over again. (At some
point, however, you may have to fall in love with boredom.)
3.
Find a better way to deal with
your stress.
There’s a reason why many people eat
as a way to cope with stress. Stress causes certain regions of the brain to
release chemicals (specifically, opiates and neuropeptide Y). These chemicals
can trigger mechanisms that are similar to the cravings you get from fat and
sugar. In other words, when you get stressed, your brain feels the addictive
call of fat and sugar and you’re pulled back to junk food.
We all have stressful situations that
arise in our lives. Learning to deal with stress in a different way can help
you overcome the addictive pull of junk food. This could includesimple breathing techniques or a short guided meditation.
Or something more physical like exercise or making art.
Why We Crave Junk Food
Steven Witherly is a
food scientist who has spent the last 20 years studying what makes certain
foods more addictive (and tasty) than others. Much of the science that follows
is from his excellent report, Why Humans Like Junk Food.
According
to Witherly, when you eat tasty food, there are two factors that make the
experience pleasurable.
First, there is the sensation of eating the food. This
includes what it tastes like (salty, sweet, umami, etc.), what it smells like,
and how it feels in your mouth. This last quality — known as “orosensation” —
can be particularly important. Food companies will spend millions of dollars to
discover the most satisfying level of crunch in a potato chip. Their scientists
will test for the perfect amount of fizzle in a soda. These factors all combine
to create the sensation that your brain associates with a particular food or
drink.
The second factor is the actual macronutrient makeup
of the food — the blend of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates that it contains.
In the case of junk food, food manufacturers are looking for a perfect
combination of salt, sugar, and fat that excites your brain and gets you coming
back for more.
How Science Creates Cravings
There
are a range of factors that scientists and food manufacturers use to make food
more addictive.
Dynamic contrast. Dynamic contrast refers to a
combination of different sensations in the same food. In the words of Witherly,
foods with dynamic contrast have “an edible shell that goes crunch followed by
something soft or creamy and full of taste-active compounds. This rule applies
to a variety of our favorite food structures — the caramelized top of a creme
brulee, a slice of pizza, or an Oreo cookie — the brain finds crunching through
something like this very novel and thrilling.”
Salivary
response. Salivation
is part of the experience of eating food and the more that a food causes you to
salivate, the more it will swim throughout your mouth and cover your taste
buds. For example, emulsified foods like butter, chocolate, salad dressing, ice
cream, and mayonnaise promote a salivary response that helps to lather your
taste buds with goodness. This is one reason why many people enjoy foods that
have sauces or glazes on them. The result is that foods that promote salivation
do a happy little tap dance on your brain and taste better than ones that
don’t.
Rapid
food meltdown and vanishing caloric density. Foods that rapidly vanish or “melt in
your mouth” signal to your brain that you’re not eating as much as you actually
are. In other words, these foods literally tell your brain that you’re not
full, even though you’re eating a lot of calories.
The
result: you tend to overeat.
In his best-selling
book, Salt Sugar Fat (audiobook), author
Michael Moss describes a conversation with Witherly that explains vanishing
caloric density perfectly…
I brought him two shopping bags filled with
a variety of chips to taste. He zeroed right in on the Cheetos. “This,”
Witherly said, “is one of the most marvelously constructed foods on the planet,
in terms of pure pleasure.” He ticked off a dozen attributes of the Cheetos
that make the brain say more. But the one he focused on most was the puff’s
uncanny ability to melt in the mouth. “It’s called vanishing caloric density,”
Witherly said. “If something melts down quickly, your brain thinks that there’s
no calories in it . . . you can just keep eating it forever.”
Sensory
specific response. Your
brain likes variety. When it comes to food, if you experience the same taste
over and over again, then you start to get less pleasure from it. In other words,
the sensitivity of that specific sensor will decrease over time. This can
happen in just minutes.
Junk foods, however, are designed to avoid this
sensory specific response. They provide enough taste to be interesting (your
brain doesn’t get tired of eating them), but it’s not so stimulating that your
sensory response is dulled. This is why you can swallow an entire bag of potato
chips and still be ready to eat another. To your brain, the crunch and
sensation of eating Doritos is novel and interesting every time.
Calorie density. Junk foods are designed to convince
your brain that it is getting nutrition, but to not fill you up. Receptors in
your mouth and stomach tell your brain about the mixture of proteins, fats,
carbohydrates in a particular food, and how filling that food is for your body.
Junk food provides just enough calories that your brain says, “Yes, this will
give you some energy” but not so many calories that you think “That’s enough,
I’m full.” The result is that you crave the food to begin with, but it takes
quite some time to feel full from it.
Memories
of past eating experiences. This
is where the psychobiology of junk food really works against you. When you eat
something tasty (say, a bag of potato chips), your brain registers that
feeling. The next time you see that food, smell that food, or even read about
that food, your brain starts to trigger the memories and responses that came
when you ate it. These memories can actually cause physical responses like
salivation and create the “mouth-watering” craving that you get when thinking
about your favorite foods.
All
of this brings us to the most important question of all.
Food companies are spending millions of dollars to
design foods with addictive sensations. What can you and I do about it? Is
there any way to counteract the money, the science, and the advertising behind
the junk food industry?
