Junk Food
I have often wondered how the term ‘junk’ got prefixed to foods, the very basis for our development, growth and sustenance. Who could have coined such ‘slang’ with respect to convenient street food? The term ‘junk food’ dates back to the fifties and has been used to describe food that is high in calories mainly from sugar and or fat and salt. It contains little dietary fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals or other nutritional value.
The above definition is self-defeating since it states that the foods in question provide some nutrition. Should the term ‘unhealthy’ or ‘imbalanced’ or even ‘snacky’ be better prefixes? Ten different foods have been identified, some of which will be discussed as examples.
Sugar – We have been asked to cut down on sugar by professionals, but this advice was never related to how much we need for daily activities, productivity, alertness or energy. The digestive system uses about 70-80% of the body’s total energy, the rest being utilised for maintaining its processes and activities for normal functioning of tissues and organs. While sugar provides quick energy it is important to know that it can also be addictive, and over consumption can lead to ill-health.
Sugarcane is the main source of sugar production although beet and dates are also used for its manufacture. It was common practice in India to consume fresh sugarcane, and as children be given a strip of it, to chew out the juice and discard the fibre. On travels by road or train, it was a delight to see sugarcane fields and children playing with long bamboo-stick like pieces, merrily chewing out the juice. In fact, when travellers stopped for rest, these smiling faces would offer them freshly plucked sugarcane.
It is therefore desirable to use natural sweeteners like honey, molasses, jaggery, dried fruits like dates and raisins, sweet vegetables like beetroot, sweet potato, pumpkin and so on in diets. Moderation though is the key, since sugar withdrawal can also have negative side effects as in case of other addictions.
Jaggery - is the heated concentrate of sugarcane juice which is available in both moulded, powdered or crystal forms containing its original nutrients. Another practice in homes was to serve a piece of jaggery as dessert with each meal. It was considered a powerful digestive and the statement often heard was jaggery digests all you can eat what ever it may be. It also provided nutrients in addition to energy.
Honey - is a natural syrup made from the pollen of flowers, wild or cultivated. What is little known is, that to produce about 200g of honey a single bee would have to visit 2 million flowers, but the product never ever spoils. Archeologists have found old pots of honey in caves stored for millions of years, that still looked and tasted fresh. This is probably due to its acid pH, low moisture and natural sugar content that prevents microbial growth if kept in a sealed jar.
Sweeteners - These are compounds that promise low calories yet sweeten like sugar. However, experience shows that these alternatives leave a bitter taste in the mouth, unlike natural sweeteners. In fact, indiscriminate use shows undesirable health effects, and some of them have even been banned for use, by food and drug authorities in different countries. Any packaged product marked ‘light’ needs to be checked not only for calorie count, but also the quality of the sweetener used.
Today, a variety of sugars and sweeteners are seen on market shelves, and offered in eateries with beverages, for choice. These are now even used in the manufacture of ready-to-use dessert mixtures for the convenient preparation of cakes, halwas and more.
Soft drinks – Commercially prepared, these are sources of added sugar and caffeine that make users active physically, mentally and emotionally. However, indiscriminate use can prove detrimental to health because of the additives used to increase their shelf-life and make them attractive as thirst quenchers. These are most frequently used by sports persons for instant energy during breaks.
Alcohol – This is an ingredient in stimulating beverages, that if taken in excess leads to a ‘high’ momentarily, but results in hangovers thereafter causing severe headaches, BP problems putting the natural body processes in jeopardy. Contrary to normal belief, it also dehydrates the body and disturbs normal brain messaging processes. What is of concern is that it is addictive and a serious hazard to health.
Refined foods – These refer to processed foods such as cereals, pulses and seeds that are finely ground and bleached to give the appearance of white fine flours such as wheat flour or maida, pulse flour or besan, rice flour and so on. The flours consist mainly of starch, unless they are coarsely ground and the intermediate products utilised. The refining process makes products more attractive, but the grains and other foods lose some of their natural pigments, health-giving nutrients and essential compounds.
While processing has its advantages too, it is important to use the products with some degree of restraint, as they provide reduced nutrients unless enriched or fortified with them. The flours and refined sugars are used in bread making and other bakery products which are further cooked at high temperatures. These also contain butter, fat or oil that gets heated to form transfats, and if consumed regularly may affect health adversely.
Fruits and vegetables - Most fruits contain natural sugars that are easily absorbed but can spike blood sugar levels according to the amounts consumed. The prominent fruit sugar is fructose though glucose and others may be present too. Fruits eaten just ripe are less sweet than fully ripe ones, with each type having varying degrees of sweetness. This depends on the proportion of starch present, which gradually converts to soluble sugars on ripening. It is only in the case of diabetics that very sweet fruits are restricted in diets, such as ripe mangoes, chikoo, custard apple and so on, to prevent blood sugar levels from spiking or rising sharply.
Potato - The potato is healthier than perceived, but has earned a poor reputation because of its starch and carbohydrate content, since these tend to raise blood sugar levels. However, potatoes taken in moderate amounts, possess the flexibility to blend with any dish and add to portion size and satiety, thus enhancing its acceptability. It is important to realise that one medium sized potato gives only 100 calories and when cooked contains resistant starch, that is known to lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. It is generally restricted for use in diets prescribed for weight loss or diabetes management.
Candida Robello a researcher examined how a diet including potatoes affects key health measures. She showed that contrary to common belief, potatoes do not negatively impact blood glucose levels. In fact, the participants lost weight since they tended to eat the same quantity of food, regardless of calorie content in order to feel full. By eating a food of heavier weight but low in calories, one can reduce the total calories consumed. The key is not to reduce the portion size.
Nutritionally, the tuber provides almost 9% of daily protein requirement, in addition to fibre, vitamins C and B6, potassium, sodium and manganese, depending on how it is prepared. The many methods used are boiling, steaming, microwaving, sauteing, baking, oil and air-frying. The higher the temperature and time of cooking the greater are the losses of vital nutrients. Potato can solely replace cereal in the diet and has been done by the Irish, who used it as a staple through droughts and wars. In fact the tuber has often been referred to as the ‘Irish potato’.
Today, the potato accompanies all types of favourite foods that constitute meals in the form of fingers, chips, bakes, cutlets, in chaat and as accompaniment to fish, meats, cheese and vegetables. The favourites being burgers, wraps, rolls, samosas, parathas and so on. If the filling is balanced nutritionally one really cannot junk these foods, but instead improve them to formulate quick-eating meals in the fast-paced environment of today. Hence the term fast foods has been used for many nutritious, snacky meals that are used for ease of packing as children’s school tiffins, for office goers and travellers.
Fats and oils - These are organic compounds widely present in foods as part of their structure, derived from reaction of trihydric glycerol with organic acids. The term lipid is generally used for all food fats and fat-like substances like cholesterol, that is present in all animal foods though selectively in plant foods. Foods rich in fat are meats, seafood, and some plant foods like nuts, seeds, soybean, avocado, olives and so on from which they are extracted for use in culinary practice. Nutritionally they provide concentrated sources of energy, fat soluble vitamins, essential fatty acids and phytochemicals.
Butter - Many types of butters are available today for variety such as, salt free, salted, spiced churned from the milk of cows, buffaloes or other milch animals. However, it is important to check for additives like colours, flavours, preservatives, stabilisers, etc often added to prolong their shelf life. Plant butters and oils are also extracted from nuts, seeds, wheat germ, bran, sunflower etc. Some fats and oils are blended and processed to create textures resembling that of ghee or clarified butter.
Margarine - This has been generally perceived as being a suitable alternative for oil or butter in ready-to-eat or baked goods like doughnuts, tarts, nutrient bars and others, but contains unhealthy saturated fats that increase risk of diseases.
Today, a large variety of pressed, blended and refined extractions are available to choose from, processed to create different textures. Labels need to be scrutinised carefully for additives or dangerous colours and preservatives.
Does it mean that whatever tastes and looks good is unhealthy? It all depends on the preferences, combinations with daily diets, why, when and how much we need to consume them. We cannot deny that their health or nutritional value is limited, but there are many other factors that determine why we should not reject them totally. Let’s consider these questions briefly.
Why to eat? – The answer is not as simple as thought, since there are several reasons that draw us to any food, varying from environmental factors, social customs involving traditions, habits, celebrations, variety, necessity, convenience, and so on. Thus, custom and practice, size of family, climate, weather, closeness to markets, peer group influences all impact our food choices and life styles today.
When to eat? - This is largely dependent on the eating patterns learnt within a family, extended to our social environment and needs as we grow up, that determine what lifestyles we adopt. Generally, it would amount to 2-3 meals a day or as dictated by working schedules or social requirements with fillers during breaks pre-lunch or at teatime, though patterns vary widely. Working people eat when hungry or at their desks even, while some are constant nibblers and eat or drink, even when not hungry or thirsty.
What to eat ? - Sometimes we eat food packed from home or available at work or just anything we can lay our hands on from cafes or street vendors. In today’s environment of multiple food choices and qualities available, it is safer to eat home-cooked meals. It is also wiser to eat organic foods, carefully reading labels for additives while buying, and looking for standard quality marks. It is good practice to reduce or eliminate processed foods from shopping lists, as ultra processed food (UPF) harms the body by disturbing its natural ability of self-regulation. It overrides the functions of neurons and hormones that signal fullness, and other neuroendocrine feedback systems, that are unable to cope with restructured foods.
According to author Chris van Tullekan, if a food is wrapped in plastic and has at least one ingredient not found in a normal kitchen, it is probably ultra processed food (UPF).
What is UPF? - It is a process in which crops like corn and soya are decomposed and modified with extracted cheap fats, proteins and carbohydrates along with numerous additives for imparting texture, taste, flavour and more. These are then made into new products on the pretext of adding variety to meals, tempting consumers through effective advertising. Such foods can possibly be prefixed as ‘junk’ or texturised foods, since their source is not identifiable, and are manufactured rather than cultivated naturally.
Texturised foods like meat alternatives, extra crispy foods that don’t get soggy on exposure to humid conditions, are being used and consumed today without a thought. They provide more calories through fat and sugar and less micronutrients and fibre. They also take less chewing and affect children’s bone and jaw growth, leading to tooth decay and weight problems. Professionals are counteracting more chronic and rare diseases today than ever before so beware of what you eat.
How much to eat? - Most people eat to appease hunger and thirst but others do so even when they are not hungry or thirsty. In such cases they end up consuming more than they require. This results is imbalances by unknowingly taking 3-5 times more sugar or excess salt than required for healthy functioning, and would do well to eat mindfully.
If one gets addicted to eating ultra processed foods one cannot stop eating them, not because they are delicious but because our body signals are not functioning within their natural rhythmic cycles.
It is for good reason that countries have set standards for all kinds of processed foods whether, canned, simply packaged or others to safeguard public health. One must look for labels on foods for quality marks before purchasing them.
So let us eliminate the term ‘junk food’ from our vocabulary, for it is clear that no food should be discarded for whatever reason. It would be wiser to add the missing nutrients in one food by combining with others that make a snack or meal more wholesome. The only food that one can ‘junk’ is plate-waste or adulterated and contaminated food that are certain hazards to health.
There is no way we can today, live in the past and adopt its ways completely, even if they have proved healthier, because lifestyles, environment, cultural practices and influences have become global and we need to adapt and move on. Every effort is now being made by governments, industries and citizens to face the huge challenges of chronic diseases and infections today. The only way is to use traditional knowledge and experience with modern science to try and prevent rather than focus on curative action alone. A case study will prove the point.
A case study
A teenager living on a diet of chips, crisps, sausages and processed ham for up to a decade, was the first of a kind case in the UK that came to light when it was written about by Denize Atan from the University Hospitals Bristol, in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The 17 year old became malnourished. According to the mother, her son began going off meals when he was 7 and used to eat only ‘junk’ food. She told the doctors he did not like the texture of fruits and vegetables.
The boy began to lose his hearing at 14 and his eyesight also deteriorated. This led to joblessness and no social life. The teen was apparently suffering from an eating disorder Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). Those suffering from this condition often avoid food with a certain texture, smell, taste or appearance, or only eat it at a certain temperature. One hears of ‘junk’ food and obesity all the time, but he was thin as a rake.
The lack of nutrition damaged his optic nerve, causing nutritional optic neuropathy (NON). Denize Atan who is caring for the patient said the patient is still eating mostly the same food although his nutrition has improved due to vitamin supplements. The family agreed for the case to be reported in the journal to raise awareness about ARFID.
Concept of clean food
Effective cleaning is essential to get rid of harmful bacteria in kitchens and food production centres to stop them from spreading. But, when it comes to food instructions they lack clarity. Some say we should not wash raw chicken others think washing every food before consuming is essential even a banana, irrespective of the quality of the water used. Lets, take each food group for guidelines.
Fruits – All fruits are washed in tap water before eating them. But grapes need to be soaked in salt water for 5-10 minutes and then washed 3 times to rub off the waxy coating that irritates the throat. Similarly, pineapples and some under-ripe fruits need to be steamed, blanched or microwaved slightly to remove their astringency that irritates the throat and oesophagus on consumption. This is because of their puckeriness is due to certain enzymes and compounds that need to be deactivated before use.
Vegetables – All veggies should be washed thoroughly and air-dried before cutting them. Root vegetables may contain contaminants or spores from soil, so soaking in salt water will allow the soil to settle at the bottom. A soft brush or cloth needs to be used to wash them under running water before washing and wiping for use. For green leafy vegetables remove roots and soak in salt water for 5 minutes then wash multiple times. Air-dry or squeeze-dry leaves in cloth, before cutting for use.
Non-veg foods – Rub with turmeric and salt keep aside for 5 mins then wash, dry, marinate and cook.
Cereals – are stored using chemical powders. In India, they are mixed with haldi (turmeric), or dried neem leaves to prevent insect or bacterial contamination on long storage. Legumes and pulses too, need to be soaked for 5 mins then washed thoroughly and cooked.
Eggs – Store in a cool, dark dry place with the natural protective coating in tact as bought. Wash just before using, especially if shell is unclean. Never store broken eggs, but use immediately.
The term fast foods has often been used synonymously with junk foods. Fast foods have certainly caused a decline in potassium intake. For example, a hotdog contains only 19mg while it is established that plant foods provide enough for daily body needs.
It is now known that many people who thrive on quick eating ready foods don’t get enough potassium in their diets. They need to supplement them with fruits and vegetables and potassium rich foods like beans and fish. When new food labels were introduced in 2020, potassium was included in the list for ‘nutrition information’ for all packaged foods.
So don’t ‘junk’ foods by wasting them, try to balance diets and portions so as to prevent ill-health and not wait for cures only, since prevention is better than cure. Share what is spare, with love and gratitude.