Have you ever suddenly had a craving for junk food? Junk food cravings can happen at any time, even when you feel full. It's best to be careful when eating food to satisfy this cravings, because junk food does not contain much nutrients that the body needs. So, what should you do if you are craving for junk food?

What is Junk Food?

Junk food is currently very popular with various age groups in both children and adults. Currently, you can find a variety of junk foods from salty food, sweet sugary food or high-fat foods. Usually junk food are eaten a lot when people are stressed and just by eating it once, junk food can make you crave for more.

Junk food is defined as food with lack of sufficient nutrition for our health. Junk food are low in vitamins and minerals but high in calories, salt, sugar or fat. They are called junk food because these food cannot meet our body's needs for healthy nutritions, especially if you eat a large amount of junk food. Therefore, these junk are not recommended as food you eat daily and their role is only as an additional food or food choice.

These are the food that many consider as junk food, which are generally processed or packaged food. Some examples of junk food are:

• Biscuits
• Fast food such as burger, pizza or instant noodle
• Chocolate and candy
• Processed meat
• Snacks such as chips and packaged foods
• Sugary drinks, such as energy drinks and soft drinks

Read more: Reasons of Cravings for Salty Foods

How To Overcome Junk Food Cravings

When you're craving for junk food, it's okay if you occasionally want to fulfill that desire, but it's best to pick food in small portions so you will not exceed your daily calorie intake. If your cravings got the best of you, you can end up in overeating and in turn, could increase your risk of developing obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes.

Here are some ways you can do to overcome the desire to eat junk food:

Know the difference between cravings and hunger

Cravings for junk food can show up when you are hungry. If the desire to eat junk food appears at mealtime, chances are you are hungry. You can overcome this by eating healthy food with balanced nutrition. However, if your desire to eat junk food shows up unanounced at any time even after you have eaten, then it's more likely just a craving.

Read more: Cravings For Sweet Foods? A List of Healthy Choices To Relieve Sugar Craving

Choose healthy snacks

When you crave junk food, you can divert this desire by eating healthy snacks such as fruits or nuts. You could also choose low sugar or low fat dairy such as greek yogurt.

Drink lots of water

When you feel thirsty, the body can also send signals of cravings for certain food. If you suddenly feel the urge to eat junk food, try drinking a glass of water and wait for a few minutes. If your cravings fade away, your body is actually just thirsty, and you're not hungry.

Avoid stress

Stress eating is a common thing, and some people find junk food could help to distract them from negative feelings. Stress can trigger the desire to overeat. If your cravings are caused by stress, try to consider if you need outlets to release your stress. You can try to relieve them with meditation, journaling, or relaxation exercises.

Make sure you get enough sleep

Lack of sleep can also affect your eating habits, cause cravings for unhealthy foods and if you can't control them, this could lead to weight gain. Make sure you get enough sleep for 7-8 hours a day to restore your energy.

There's nothing wrong if you want to satisfy your junk food cravings by eating food that make you happy, as long as you limit the portions. If you have difficulty suppressing junk food cravings you should consult a doctor or use the consultation feature on the Ai Care application.

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