# data[].attributes.body
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/heres-how-fast-food-can-affect-your-body/

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324847#short-term-impacts

https://time.com/4322930/how-junk-food-wrecks-your-body/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8956-food-allergies--asthma

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
When 5 p.m. rolls around and you haven't given a single thought to what's for dinner, the glowing sign in front of the burger joint down the street might be calling your name.

A quick swing through the drive-thru can seem like a great option, but there's a definite downside. In order to serve up food so quickly, cheaply and consistently, many fast food restaurants focus on process and efficiency instead of on serving quality, nutritious foods.

An occasional fast food meal isn't anything to fret about, says dietitian Nancy Geib, RD, LDN. Sometimes, it might be your only option.

"If you do your research and you look for the best options, you can definitely still go to a fast food restaurant if that's all you have," she says.

But if burgers, French fries and greasy breakfast sandwiches become centerpieces of your diet, they could take a serious toll on your health. Unhealthy diets increase your chances of developing depression, cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions.

What is considered fast food?

The history of fast food dates back almost a century, but the concept - and some of America's most well-known fast food eateries - really took off during the 1940s and 50s. Today, it's become such a staple of culture that as many as one in three Americans eat fast food every day.

You know fast food when you see it: It's highly processed, mass-produced food that's prepared quickly - usually on a grill, in a fryer or in a microwave. Fast food restaurants follow very specific preparation methods to make sure you get the crispy, greasy fries you expect every time.

Why is fast food bad for you?

Different foods can affect everyone in different ways, but here are just some of the things that frequently eating fast food might do to your body:

Raise your blood pressure

Many fast food items are packed with sodium, which acts as a preservative and enhances taste. "Everything that's processed, packaged or boxed is going to have sodium," Geib says.

The problem is, high-sodium diets are known to increase blood pressure, which puts stress on your cardiovascular system. Over time, high blood pressure can stiffen or narrow your blood vessels, becoming a major risk factor for heart attack, stroke and heart failure.

Ideally, most adults should try to keep their salt intake under 1,500 milligrams per day, according to the American Heart Association - though its current recommendations allow for up to 2,300 milligrams daily. Because sodium is so prevalent in our diets, it can add up quickly.

For example, one bacon cheeseburger alone can get you pretty close to the daily recommended 1,500 milligrams of sodium. So can a large piece of fried chicken breast with mashed potatoes and gravy. Even seemingly healthier options, like an Italian-style sub sandwich, can contribute more than 1,000 milligrams to your daily intake.

Leave you bloated

Eating meals that are high in sodium, high in fat or heavy with refined carbohydrates (such as bread, buns or breading) can all leave you feeling bloated. And, if you add a soda to your meal, the carbonation could make it worse. Bloating should only be temporary, but it could cramp your style if you're wearing pants that are tighter in the waist or if you're trying to get rings on or off your fingers.

Drive up your cholesterol

Food that's fried in oil is high in fat - and that includes saturated fat. Eating too much saturated fat can drive up your LDL, or "bad," cholesterol, which puts you at risk for heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends that no more than 6% of your daily calories come from saturated fat. If you eat 2,000 calories a day, that's about 13 grams, or the amount that's in one bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich.

Contribute to digestive problems

Bagels, muffins and anything breaded might be delicious, but they're all processed carbohydrates that lack fiber. Eating adequate amounts of fiber (25 to 35 grams a day) helps keep things moving in your digestive tract. It lowers your risk for diverticulitis and other conditions associated with straining or constipation, such as hemorrhoids and hernias.

Dietary fiber also helps your good gut bacteria flourish and keeps you feeling full. If you rely heavily on fast food, you'll struggle to get the recommended amount. For example, a coffee-shop blueberry muffin will give you nearly 20% of your daily carbohydrate needs but only a gram or two of fiber.

Lead to weight gain

If you go to the drive-thru and grab a value meal for dinner, chances are you'll end up eating a bigger portion (and higher-calorie foods) than you would if you were cooking at home. If that becomes a regular thing, all those extra calories can add up to extra pounds. And when those calories are mostly from highly process carbohydrates, you might end up feeling hungry again within a few hours, which can lead to - you guessed it - even more extra calories.

Then there's the sugar factor. Sugar is a major culprit in the obesity epidemic. It hides in a lot of foods, including drinks and sauces. Guess how much sugar is in your morning café mocha? Upwards of 25 grams. Or in that vanilla milkshake? More than 80 grams, if you make it a large. That's nearly 20 teaspoons!

Drain your energy

A quick hit of refined carbohydrates and sugar causes a spike in your blood sugar, which prompts your body to produce a surge of insulin to quickly bring it down. This spike-and-crash cycle can leave you feeling tired and cranky.

Meanwhile, a balanced meal with protein, healthy fats and fiber-rich carbohydrates takes longer for your body to digest and absorb. This slows the release of sugar into your bloodstream, so you get sustained energy without a crash.

Affect your mood

When you eat a diet that's high in saturated fat, sodium, sugar and refined carbs, you're not only getting too much of those things, but you're also missing out on a lot of other important nutrients. Fruits and vegetables - beyond the iceberg lettuce and tomato slices that come on fast food sandwiches - are rich with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that nourish your body and improve your mood.

Eating a lot of processed foods may even increase your risk for depression.

Five of the most unhealthy fast food options

1. Pizza: The average slice of pepperoni pizza contains about 680 milligrams of sodium, 12 grams of fat (including 5 grams of saturated fat) and 300 calories. But who eats just one slice? Three slices from a large pie provide more than 2,000 mg of sodium - almost the daily limit for average Americans in just one meal.

2. Burger and fries: A typical double cheeseburger and large fries provides about 1,200 calories and up to 1,700 milligrams of sodium. Make it a combo with a large soda, and you'll top 1,500 calories.

3. Cold-cut combo: Lunch meats tend to be loaded with sodium, saturated fat and carcinogenic agents called nitrates and nitrites, which are known to increase the risk of certain cancers. Three ounces of processed deli meat can pack up to 1,300 milligrams of sodium - even before you add cheese, condiments, bread and chips.

4. Hot dog: A typical frankfurter without condiments contains more than half of your daily recommended saturated fat intake and 33% of your sodium intake. If you usually eat two hot dogs, it would be close to your day's allotment of saturated fat and sodium.

5. Fried chicken: Just one fried chicken breast from your favorite chicken place packs 500 or more calories, 34 grams of fat and 1,200-plus milligrams of sodium.

Making healthier fast food choices

It actually is possible to eat fast food without sabotaging your healthy diet, but it requires a little legwork.

Look for meals with lean proteins, veggies and fiber, and avoid anything supersized.

"You can make an informed choice by doing research to find out the nutritional content of a particular fast food item," Geib says. "All of the major restaurants should have that information online or be able to hand it to you in the restaurant, if you ask."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Here's How Fast Food Can Affect Your Body

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hitting the drive-thru multiple times a week can take a toll on your body. Here's how fast food can affect your heart, your mood and your overall health.

# data[].attributes.body
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com/dangers-eating-food-large-amount-fats-oils-6693.html

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-truth-about-fats-bad-and-good

https://www.realsimple.com/health/nutrition-diet/healthy-fats

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Oils and fats are necessary to keep your skin supple, your hair shiny and to help you process certain vitamins such as A and D, but too much of a good thing can quickly go bad. A diet high in unhealthy fats can lead to obesity and all of the health complications that come with it. But, you can be thin, athletic and counting calories and still get into trouble by taking in the wrong kinds of fats, because they can raise your cholesterol levels.

Trans fats are the worst type of fat you can consume. While they occur naturally in trace amounts in whole milk dairy products, beef and lamb, the most common trans fats are artificially produced. Developed to improve flavor and texture and to increase the shelf life of mass-produced breads, baked goods and snack foods, trans fats are found on food labels as "partially hydrogenated oils."

Trans fats raise the level of low-density lipoproteins, or LDLs, in your bloodstream, creating little fat globules. High-density lipoproteins, or HDLs, sweep up these globs, but since trans fats also lower your level of HDLs, they can quickly become outmatched. A high level of LDLs in your bloodstream can clog your arteries and force your heart to work harder to maintain blood flow, which can lead to high blood pressure. High blood pressure puts you at risk for certain types of cancers as well as heart attack and stroke.

Saturated fats generally come from animal products and remain solid at room temperature. Too much saturated fat in your diet can raise your level of low-density lipoproteins, or LDLs. Just as with trans fats, this forms minuscule fat globules that can clog your bloodstream like slow drivers on the freeway. Too many traffic jams cause your heart to work harder, which raises your blood pressure, increasing your risk of heart attack, stroke and certain types of cancers.

Unsaturated fats come in two types. Monounsaturated fats are found in avocados, canola oil, nuts, olive oil and peanut oil. Eating these can help lower your cholesterol levels. Like all fats, they can be fairly high in calories, so keep that in mind and use them sparingly.

Polyunsaturated fats come in two forms, Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, especially salmon and sardines. Omega-6 fatty acids are found in butter substitutes, but you have to watch out for trans fats in those. They are also found in nuts, sunflower seeds and in sesame, soybean and sunflower oils.

Unsaturated fats promote heart health. They lower the LDLs and raise the HDLs in your bloodstream, helping you avoid the risk of heart attack, stroke and some cancers.

Choose your oil based on how you intend to use it, because not all healthy oils can handle the same demands. Avocado oil, canola oil, safflower oil, pure olive oil (not extra virgin) and vegetable oil are all excellent for frying because they have high smoke points and neutral flavors. They can also be used for sauteing, but they don't add flavor to dressings or dips. Peanut oil has a high smoke point, at 450 F, but it also has a strong peanut flavor. Sesame oil is excellent for sauteing, but it has an even stronger taste, which is why it's used so often in Asian cuisine.

Extra virgin olive oil, or EVOO, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and sesame oil are all delicious and nutritious choices for salad dressings and dips because they offer heart-healthy unsaturated fats and a ton of flavor. Coconut oil is a healthier choice than butter, shortening or lard for baking, but should not be used to fry or saute foods.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What Are the Dangers of Eating Food With Large Amount of Fats & Oils?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What Are the Dangers of Eating Food With Large Amount of Fats & Oils?. Although you need a certain amount of dietary lipids - especially the ones that provide essential fatty acids - in the foods you eat, consuming large amounts of fats and oils can prove detrimental to your health.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/food-environment-and-obesity/

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.644650/full

https://www.nber.org/digest/sep05/junk-food-availability-schools-raises-obesity#:~:text=In%20general%2C%20%22a%2010%20percentage,BMI%20for%20the%20average%20student.%22&text=The%20effect%20of%20junk%20food,adolescents%20whose%20parents%20are%20overweight.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
The Nutrition Source - Harvard Chan School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Healthy Food Environment • The Nutrition Source

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A food environment is the intersection between an individual and the wider food system. One’s unique food environment is shaped by the physical, political,

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.additudemag.com/feed-your-childs-focus-adhd-food-nutrition/

https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/06/health/research/06hyper.html

https://www.sutterhealth.org/health/migraines-headaches/migraine-food-triggers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What do a can of corn, a take-out pizza, a reusable water bottle, a bright green yogurt, and an inflatable pool toy have in common? They all contain food additives or chemicals that can be dangerous for children.

Over the last few decades, the number of chemicals added to foods and other products has skyrocketed. We have created all sorts of plastics that are used in innumerable ways. We add preservatives to foods to keep them fresh. We add chemicals to foods to make them look more appealing. We have made food packaging to keep food fresh. We add chemicals to lotions and beauty products to make them feel, look, and smell nice... the list goes on and on of the ways we have invented and used chemicals.

We did all of it for what seemed like good reasons at the time, but we are learning that many of those chemicals can cause real harm.

In a policy statement entitled Food Additives and Child Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns about these harms - and points out that they often are worse for children. Children are smaller, so their "dose" of any given chemical ends up being higher. They put their hands in their mouths more than adults do, so they are likely to ingest more. Their bodies are still developing, so they can be more at risk of harm - and they are young, so the chemicals have more time to do more damage.

In particular, the policy statement warns about:

Bisphenols, such as BPA. They can act like the hormone estrogen and interfere with puberty and fertility. Bisphenols can also increase body fat, and cause problems with the immune system and nervous system. They are found in the lining of food and soda cans, plastics with the number 3 or 7, and cash register receipts, among other places. They used to be found in plastic baby bottles and sippy cups; while this has been banned, older bottles and cups may still contain them.

Phthalates. These can also act like hormones, interfering with male genital development, and can increase the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease. They are ubiquitous, found not just in plastic packaging, garden hoses, and inflatable toys, but also in things like nail polish, hairsprays, lotions, and fragrances.

Perfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFCs). They can lead to low-birthweight babies, as well as problems with the immune system, the thyroid, and fertility. They are commonly found in grease-proof paper, cardboard packaging, and commercial household products such as water-repellent fabric and nonstick pans, among other places.

Perchlorate. This chemical also interferes with thyroid function, and can disrupt early brain development. It's found in some dry food packaging - it's used to decrease static electricity - and sometimes in drinking water.

Artificial food colors. These have been found to increase symptoms in children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. They are found in all sorts of food products, but especially those marketed for children.

Nitrates and nitrites. These can interfere with the thyroid, as well as with the blood's ability to deliver oxygen to the body. They can also increase the risk of certain cancers. They are used to preserve food and enhance its color. They are commonly found in processed foods, especially meats.

So what is a parent to do about food additives and chemicals?

These chemicals are truly everywhere, and impossible to avoid completely. Here is what the AAP suggests:

Buy and serve more fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, and fewer processed meats, especially during pregnancy.

Since heat can cause plastics to leak BPA and phthalates into food, avoid microwaving food or beverages in plastic containers. Also: wash plastics by hand rather than putting them in the dishwasher.

Use more glass and stainless steel instead of plastic.

Avoid plastics with the numbers 3, 6, and 7 on them.

Wash hands thoroughly before and after touching food, and clean all fruits and vegetables well.

And here are a few more ideas:

Cut back on canned foods and beverages in general.

Cut back on fast food and processed foods.

Read labels. Get to know what is in the products you use.

Look for lotions, soaps, and other products that are made naturally - and are fragrance-free.

Consider making your own home cleaning products. You'd be amazed what a little baking soda or vinegar can do.

The idea isn't to get paranoid (although that's an understandable feeling) ;the idea is to get informed - and to make some simple changes that can go a long way toward keeping children and their families healthier.

Follow me on Twitter @drClaire

About the Author

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Common food additives and chemicals harmful to children - Harvard Health