Junk food like cake, burgers, ice creams, pizzas are unhealthy foods but are loved by various groups from children to adults. This food is not recommended as a daily food, but it can cause a person not to stop consuming it. Why is junk food so tempting and how to stop eating food habits junk food?

What Makes Junk Food So Tempting?

Junk food is a term used to refer to foods that are high in calories but no nutritional value to the body. Some types of food are included junk food among them are candy, chips, cookies, cake, ice cream, sugary soft drinks and most things served at fast-food restaurants.

This food does not have the balanced nutrition that the body needs so it is not recommended to be consumed every day. Consumption junk food excessive can increase the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity.

Even though it's not healthy, junk food including food that is loved by many children and adults. There are likely reasons why junk food are so popular include:

It's Cheap

Some of the food and drinks including junk food are inexpensive. When compared to some healthy foods such as fruits, fruit salads or vegetable salads, junk foods can be said to be relatively cheaper. This makes many people prefer junk food over healthy foods with balanced nutrition.

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Practically and easily obtained

One of the advantages that makes junk food more easily popular is that it is easy to get and practical to consume. For example, you can easily get packaged juice drinks that contain a lot of sugar in minimarkets. Meanwhile, to get fresh fruit juice, you can only get it at the juice seller.

Likewise with fast food, you don't have to wait long to get the food you want. There is a service drive thru at restaurants, and fast food also makes junk food easier to love. 

It tastes delicious

It is undeniable that food and drinks are included in junk food has a delicious taste. This food generally has a sweet, savory or salty taste that children like until adulthood. For example, the combination of sugar and fat in ice cream makes it soft, or the fat and savory taste in fried chicken also gives it a satisfying taste. When compared to nutrient-intensive foods, the taste and texture of vegetables or fruit sometimes take longer to accept.

Salty or savory tastes like umami in junk food can increase appetite, while sweet tastes like ice cream, chocolate, cake, biscuits and packaged drinks can stimulate the brain to remove dopamine which gives a happy signal. This is why consuming junk food can trigger a habit which if not controlled can trigger obesity.

Read more: What Are Superfoods And What Foods Included In It?

How To Control Eating Wishes Junk Food

Even if you have a delicious taste, you shouldn't eat junk food excessively. In the short term, excessive consumption of junk food can trigger weight gain, while in the long term this habit can trigger chronic diseases such as diabetes or hypertension.

To control the desire to consume junk food, you can do the following:

• Cook more meals at home. Cooking more at home, including meal prep, can help decrease your reliance on convenience foods.
• Make planning. Choose foods that contain balanced nutrition and are cooked in a healthy way. Increase your consumption of fiber and protein to give you a feeling of satisfaction and fullness and avoid hunger.
• Avoid buying unhealthy snacks. Instead of storing snacks and packaged drinks, you can prepare pieces of fruit or natural fruit juice without additional sugar as snacks.
• Drink more water. Drinking water is not only healthy for the body but also gives a feeling of fullness that can eliminate the desire to eat junk food.

Junk food has a delicious taste and is easy to get, so many people like it. To maintain your health, limit your consumption of junk food every day. If you have questions about nutrition, you can consult a doctor or use the consultation features available on the Ai Care application. 

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