It’s no secret that Americans have a love affair with junk food. Whether it’s a quick fast food meal, a bag of chips, or a candy bar, it seems like junk food is everywhere we turn.
This list of junk food trivia may seem silly, but – unfortunately – junk food is taking a toll – on our health.
Let’s take a look…
- Junk food is defined as any food that is low in nutrients and high in calories, sugar, fat, and sodium. It includes items such as chips, candy, soda, and fast food
- The average American consumes around 2,000 calories of junk food each day! That’s equivalent to eating a Big Mac with large fries and a milkshake every single day.
- The average American consumes nearly 50 gallons of soda per year. That’s enough to fill a bathtub!
- A single fast food meal contains more than half of the recommended daily intake of calories, fat, and sodium. Eating fast food too often can lead to obesity and other health problems.
- Potato chips are one of the most popular snacks in America, with over 4 billion bags sold each year. Unfortunately, they are also one of the unhealthiest snacks you can eat due to their high fat and sodium content.
- Americans consume an estimated 11 million pizzas every day – that’s more than 4 billion pizzas each year! Sadly, pizza is loaded with calories, fat, and sodium – all of which can contribute to weight gain and other health problems if eaten too often.
- French fries are another popular snack food in America, with over 3 billion orders served each year at fast-food restaurants alone! While fries may be tasty, they are also extremely unhealthy due to their high calorie and fat content.
- Doughnuts are another favorite snack in America, with an estimated 10 billion doughnuts consumed each year! Unfortunately, doughnuts tend to be very high in sugar and calories – making them a poor choice if you’re trying to maintain a healthy diet.
- Sugary drinks such as soda and energy drinks account for nearly 40% of added sugars in the American diet – that’s more than any other type of food or beverage! Consuming too much sugar can lead to weight gain and other health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.
- Processed meats such as hot dogs, bacon, sausage, and deli meats are some of the unhealthiest foods you can eat due to their high levels of saturated fat and sodium content – both of which can contribute to heart disease if eaten too often or in large quantities.
- White bread is another unhealthy food that Americans consume far too often due to its convenience and low cost compared to healthier options like whole wheat bread or rye bread. Unfortunately white bread is very low in fiber and nutrients compared to whole grain breads – making it a poor choice for those looking for a healthy diet option.
- Candy bars are a popular snack among adults and children alike but unfortunately they contain very little nutritional value besides sugar – which can lead to tooth decay when consumed in excess – along with empty calories that will not provide your body with any real sustenance or energy throughout the day
- Fast food is the number one source of calories for Americans aged 20-39 years old.
- Eating too much junk food can lead to weight gain and an increased risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses.
- A study published in the journal Pediatrics found that children who ate the most fast food were more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol as teenagers than those who ate less fast food.
- Eating junk food can also affect your mental health; studies have shown that people who eat more processed foods are more likely to suffer from depression than those who eat a healthier diet.
- Studies have also shown that people who eat more junk food are more likely to be sleep deprived than those who don’t eat it as often or at all!
- Eating junk food can cause your body to become addicted to it; when you consume it regularly, your body craves it even more due to its high sugar content which triggers dopamine release in the brain which makes us feel good temporarily but ultimately leads us down a path of unhealthy eating habits over time if we don’t make changes soon enough!
- Eating too much junk food can lead to an unhealthy gut microbiome; this is because processed foods contain additives that disrupt our gut bacteria balance which can lead to digestive issues like bloating or diarrhea as well as other health problems like obesity or diabetes if left unchecked for too long!
- Finally, eating too much junk food can lead to nutrient deficiencies; this is because these types of foods lack essential vitamins and minerals that our bodies need for optimal functioning so if we’re not getting them from our diet then we’re missing out on important nutrients that keep us healthy!