The Difference between Healthy and Fast Food
Food refers to edible substances consumed by people and animals to keep them alive. It consists of macronutrients such as carbohydrates and starches, proteins and micronutrients like minerals and vitamins as well as fats. Food supports life by generating growth, making the body grow and maintaining the body. The combination of foods that one eats can either be classified as healthy of unhealthy food. Healthy foods are associated with rich people while unhealthy eating is more prevalent with the less able people. In essence, food is directly related to health. Good food habit leads to a healthy life while the converse is also true.
Healthy eating comprises of consumption of foods that are minimally processed such as canned beans and meat, eating fruits and vegetables and also cooking meals at home. Healthy foods have a positive effect on one’s health such as maintain an average BMI, correct levels of energy and a good mental health. Unhealthy eating, on the other hand, is characterized by intake of food with high fat and salt content as well as cream-based foods. These foods are not conducive to human health. They can cause adverse health effects such as obesity, diabetes mellitus as well as hypertension. The difference in details for these foods is given below.
The fat and oils content between healthy foods and unhealthy foods differs. There are four types of fats; monosaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats, saturated and Trans fats which some are healthy while others are unhealthy. Unhealthy foods contain Trans fats. Daily Consumption of more than 2gms of Trans fats, therefore, constitutes unhealthy eating. Examples include; commercially baked confectionaries like bread, biscuits, and pizzas, fried foods like breaded fish, premixed products such as pancakes and snacks such as candy. Unhealthy foods also have a high content of saturated fats.
According to the Department for Health & Human Services (2005), healthy foods, on the other hand, comprise of good fats. These are the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These fats are considered healthy since they improve the levels of cholesterol in the body thereby lowering the risks of cardiovascular diseases. Healthy foods include those that have been cooked using vegetable oils such as extra virgin olive oil or the manufactured soybean oils. Omega-3, an unsaturated fat presence in one’s diet increases their emotional health and the cognitive function of the brain. Other good fat sources content that can be used to differentiate between a healthy and an unhealthy diet include; avocados, olives, nuts, fatty fish, kales, spinach as well as flax seed.
Sodium content present in food also differs between foods. Salt (sodium) intake affects people’s health by increasing the blood pressure and chances of heart diseases. The maximum amount of sodium recommended by The Dietary Guidelines for Americans per day is 2300 milligrams. Sodium content can, therefore, be used to differentiate between healthy ad unhealthy foods. If the foods contain a high content of sodium (above 20% DV), they are unhealthy while sodium content below D.V of 5% signifies healthy foods. Foods such as unprocessed vegetables are low in sodium and therefore are healthy while highly processed foods such as crisps are unhealthy due to a high content of tropical salt.
Carbohydrates are the primary source of energy and therefore essential for healthy living. However, not all carbohydrates are good. Basic carbohydrates are unhealthy foods. These foods have a high sugar content and low fiber content(Rodriguez, 2013). They include; soda, artificial syrups, white sugar and potatoes. Good carbohydrates are complex in nature but form healthy foods. They include whole grain rice, pasta, and bread. The glycemic load of the carbohydrates can also be used to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy sugars. Foods with a high glycemic load indicate that they are unhealthy while healthy foods have a low glycemic load.
The difference between processed and unprocessed foods is their health effect. Highly proceeds foods are unhealthy while those that are unprocessed are healthy. Processed foods are unhealthy due to some factors. To start with, these foods have high sugar content due to the addition of high fructose syrup. They processing steps also kill the nutrients and therefore mostly use synthetic nutrients. These foods are also made of numerous artificial ingredients and chemicals such as preservatives, flavors, colorants, and texturants. Healthy unprocessed foods do not contain added and refined sugars and chemicals and are therefore processed.
The difference between these foods goes beyond their nutrient component. Healthy foods are usually more expensive than their unhealthy counterparts. For instance, the same quantity pack of whole rice (brown rice) is more expensive than white rice. A study conducted by Rao et Al., (2013) in more than ten countries proved the existence of price differences between healthy and unhealthy diet patterns. In the study, the daily cost of a healthy diet was $1.48 more. Unhealthy food is cheaper because food policies favor industrialization. Production of high volume and inexpensive commodities is highly encouraged leading to a large supply of processed foods.
Eating a healthy diet is essential since it leads to good health. They make one have a lower chance of getting conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The difference between the two categories of food explained above can be used as a guidance towards healthy eating and consequently have a healthy life.
Reference
Rodriguez, D. (2013, March 27). Good vs. Bad Carbohydrates. Retrieved April 09, 2016, from http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/101/nutrition-basics/good-carbs-bad-carbs.aspx
Rao, M., Afshin, A., Singh, G., & Mozaffarian, D. (2013). Do healthier foods and diet patterns cost more than less healthy options? A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open, 3(12).
