This is not a typo nor is there a catch. Science is very definite about this. You can eat junk food every day, and yet lose weight! Have I got your attention now?
You must be asking, “How is this possible”. Well, the answer lies in the same recurrent theme I have laid out multiple times on this site — calories. Say your body needs about 2,000 kcal/day to maintain weight (aka maintenance calories ). If you simply ate less than the maintenance calories, you will lose weight. So what is the problem with this? Let me name some:
– There are of course obvious health reasons for not doing so such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer etc. just to name a few. Most of the junk food is made of preserved, red or charred meats (all of them directly linked to various cancers), high fat content that can lead to coronary heart disease.
– Let’s take the same 2,000 kcal/day example. If you want to lose weight, you have to stay at least 100-200 kcal below that. So, about 1,800 kcal/day. Have you checked what you can get for 1,500 kcal? Maybe one meal of burger and fries. Done. For the whole day! Oops.
– Junk food is packed with calories, but as I call them empty calories. Our bodies need micro-nutrients such as those found in green leafy vegetables, immune-boosting anti-oxidants such as those found in citrus fruits and berries.
– Sodas – this one needs a post of itself but in general the high acidity (enough to corrode teeth and cause peridontal disease) and sugar content (high insulin spikes that lead to increased pressure on the pancreas (the ones that produce insulin to promote sugar breakdown) will eventually lead to dental carries and diabetes.
You don’t have to take my words for it. Please click any of the links below to read what other medical scientists have to say about it.
Science Says
Red and processed meat consumption is estimated to account for about 10% of colorectal cancers. Decreasing its consumption has the potential to reduce the cancer burden.
Consumption of carbonated beverages may be considered to be an independent risk indicator for periodontal disease and periodontal health of non-obese individuals may benefit from reduction of carbonated beverage consumption.
References
- Cancer incidence attributable to red and processed meat consumption in Alberta in 2012.
- Fruit and vegetables in cancer prevention.
- Soft drink consumption and gestational diabetes risk in the SUN project.
- Effect of thermal treatment on meat proteins with special reference to heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs).
- Associations between the consumption of carbonated beverages and periodontal disease: The 2008-2010 Korea national health and nutrition examination survey.
