There is more than one factor that contributes to our love for these foods and our constant demand for them, the first of which is the presence of substances that cause us addiction to foods, and these substances are some types of sugar that stimulate the brain to secrete chemicals such as dopamine and oxytocin, and these chemicals that are in the body when secreted give A feeling of happiness or reassurance in a person.
The second reason is its delicious taste, and the matter is simple at this point, as people used to love the taste of sugar and prefer it over others, and also meat has its audience, and with the presence of these two types mainly in any fast food, you find that the popularity of these foods is certainly great.
As for the third reason, it is because of the marketing and business giants who stand behind these foods.
There is also a fourth reason related to the way the body deals with stressful situations, as many people know or notice that stressful periods in a person’s life are dominated by overeating, due to the secretion of the hormone cortisol when stressed, which contributes to a person’s feeling of hunger and desire for fatty and sugary substances, and here he may desire People get food like fast food.
Why do we eat fast food ?
Researchers at the University of Minnesota College of Medicine conducted a study of 600 people who frequent fast food restaurants, among teenagers and adults, according to WebMed.Most of them reported eating fast food at least three times a week, and after each time they rated 11 reasons why they ate that meal today, yes or no, for a year.According to the result in percentages for each statement that the participants agreed to be the reason for their choice, 92.3% ate fast food because it is a quick option, 80% of them agreed that they liked fast food, 69% of them saw it as inexpensive food, and chose the reason for being very busy 63%, The reason for fast food being a psychological and emotional treatment was 53%, and the rest of the reasons ranged from lower percentages such as being a family ritual, or enjoying time with friends.The results were summarized in two aspects, one of which represents speed and comfort, and the other represents fun and communication with others, which are the reasons they believe, but they are not the real reasons.
Fast food damage
1: Because it contains a large percentage of fats and proteins, it causes obesity for those who always eat it.
2: It causes atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
3: Excessive consumption of fast food and soft drinks leads to diabetes.
4: Those who eat fast food are more likely to develop cancerous tumors.
5: It causes anemia and general weakness in the body as a result of not containing important nutrients for building the body.
6: It leads to diseases of the spine.
7: It may be the cause of asthma and respiratory diseases.
8: As a result of the uncleanness of these foods and the high percentage of fat in them, they cause many problems in the digestive system, most notably stomach germs, infections and ulcers.
9: food poisoning.
10: Acute inflammation of the stomach wall and the inner membranes of the digestive system.
11: It causes congenital malformations of fetuses because it is devoid of folic acid, which is important in the formation and preservation of the fetus.
12: Weakens the immune system and exposes children to infections and viruses.
Definition of fast food
Fast food or fast food has become one of the most common terms among people, especially young people and adolescents, and it is an adjective for food that is usually prepared in a short time without much effort. This type of meal has become a profitable business for many food companies and fast food restaurants that are usually spread in the markets, on the roads and in the commercial markets, such as shawarma, burgers, sausages and frozen potatoes, which are characterized by having been subjected to half a cooking process at the time of manufacture; It is easy to complete the cooking process, whether in restaurants or homes.
Doctors and nutritionists have found that the most important feature of these meals, in addition to the speed of preparation, is that they contain large quantities of fats, sugars, calories, and sodium. They also have little nutritional value, as they contain very few vitamins, minerals, salts, and fiber.
The benefits of fast food
Fast food has some benefits, and it can be eaten sometimes as part of a healthy diet. Here are some of the benefits:
- Convenient: Some foods and healthy options can be chosen from fast food restaurants, thus obtaining healthy foods with the least possible time and effort. Among the healthy fast foods are oatmeal made from milk, salad containing vegetables and nuts, and grilled chicken.
- Having a variety of options: Fast food restaurants offer many different options that allow people to try foods from different cultures without spending a lot of money.
- Its cost is low: as some fast food has a low cost, and helps a person eat healthy food on a limited budget, such as: tuna, peanut butter, dried beans, brown rice, and whole pasta.
- Calorie control: Some restaurants write the number of calories, which enables a person to use this information and eat low-calorie foods when eating fast food