Definition of healthy food and junk food

Know the difference.

Definition of junk food and healthy food

Junk food is any type of food that is hyper-processed (like fast food, cereals and condiments). Healthy food is any type of food that is as close to its natural state as possible (like fruit, eggs and yogurt). Natural food loses its health value at every step along the manufacturing process.

Whole food is unprocessed.

Junk food and healthy food

Junk foods include fast food, cereal, soda, artificial sweeteners, condiments, sweets, candy bars, crisps and fried food. Healthy foods include fruit, vegetables, eggs, diary, meat, nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains and other legumes.

Examples of junk food

1. Fast food (from restaurants with a drive-through window)
2. Cereals
3. Soda (causes dehydration)
4. Food with artificial sweeteners (Which are worse than normal sugar)
5. Condiments (Ketchup has more sugar than actual tomatoes)
6. Sweets and candy bars
7. Potato crisps
8. Processed meat
9. Fried food

Examples of healthy food

1. Fruit
2. Vegetables
3. Eggs
4. Diary (like milk, cheese and yogurt)
5. Meat (see the benefits of chicken and pork, for example)
6. Beans
7. Nuts
8. Seeds
9. Whole grains
10. Legumes

Choose healthy.

Why is fast food convenient?

Why is the food that we should avoid so much more convenient? Here's why:

1. Fast food is cheaper to produce
2. Preservatives and extreme temperatures prevent food loss
3. Junk food can be stored for much longer before being spoiled
4. Simple, cheap and unhealthy ingredients can be added to improve the taste
5. It is easy to make exact copies of fast food recipes when you don't rely on natural ingredients
6. Addictive qualities make it more popular and, therefore, more profitable
7. Since most people eat fast food, there are more stores that will meet the demand

Learn more about the advantages of junk food - and how we can overcome them.

Cheap ingredients are unhealthy.

What makes junk food so unhealthy?

1. Hormones, selective breeding, fertilizers and antibiotics in agriculture damage our health
2. Too much omega 6 and too little omega 3
3. High levels of fat, sugar and salt
4. Other ingredients like preservatives, artificial flavors and chemicals hurt our health

Our bodies were made to eat food as it is found in nature. Human interventions changed the availability, price and taste of food - without respect to the health effects (which were relatively unknown many years ago).

1. The difference between organic and free range food for your health

The health effects of human intervention on food have reached as far as natural foods like plant and animal produce.

Hormones, selective breeding, antibiotics, cheap foods (which are usually unwanted by-products of other agricultural processes), tight spaces and other medicines have diminished the healthy nutrients that we should find in animal products.

Fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, selective breeding, low soil quality and unnatural lighting have also changed the beneficial nutrient profiles of plant foods.

For these reasons (and more), the healthy nutrients in commercial foods have diminished by almost half.

It is better to buy organic (for plant food) and free-range (for animal products) when you can. If not, a commercial, whole food is still healthier than junk food (which takes processing to a whole new level).

The closer to nature, the better it is.

2. Imbalanced omega fatty acid profiles

Omega 6 mostly comes from plant oils. Omega 3 mostly comes from animal fat. Most junk food is processed with plant oils because it is cheaper than animal fat. This has created in imbalance in our omega fatty acids profile. We have too much omega 6 and we have a severe omega 3 essential fatty acid deficiency.

This deficiency is the reason why fish oil (which is high in omega 3) helps with exercise performance, concentration, joint health, heart health, balanced hormones, blood pressure and mental health disorders. It's not that omega 3 boosts our health. It is more about the fact that we are finally giving our bodies the nutrients that they have been lacking.

Healthy food naturally contains a lot of Omega 3 (like fish, meat, nuts and seeds). We wouldn't have this deficiency in the first place if we ate healthy from the start.

Prevention is better than cure.

3. Too much sugar, salt and fat

Sugar is a precious nutrient. Our cells need sugar for energy. Sugar is not as prevalent in the natural environment as it is in our modern diet.

Since sugar was crucial but rare, our brains have developed a mechanism to ensure that we get enough of it to survive. Dopamine, the happiness or pleasure hormone that triggers learning is released every time that we eat something with sugar in it.

This helped us to remember where we found a good source of sugar so that we can eat as much of it as possible before the food source ran out. The sugar content of food also indicated what plants we could eat and which ones we should avoid.

Food manufacturers have taken advantage of our biological, mental connection to sugar. They load their products with as much sugar as possible so that we subconsciously go back to that specific product.

Loading a product with as much sugar as possible before it loses its taste is called the bliss point. Products are designed with the right sugar, salt and fat profile to make them as addictive as possible. Since all three of these ingredients are cheap, companies will use as much of them as they want.

The over-consumption of sugar (more than we would ever eat in a natural environment) leads to junk food addiction, depression, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, lethargy, imbalanced hormones and other health complications.

Salt plays a very similar role. Too much salt can lead to excessive thirst, dehydration, bloating, headaches, a reduced tolerance for healthy food and other health complications.

There are different kinds of fats. Saturated fats are mostly animal fats. Unsaturated fats are super healthy fats (like the ones you find in avocados, nuts, olives, salmon and flax seeds).

Trans fats are extremely unhealthy. They are mechanically produced fats. Food manufacturers make trans fats by adding hydrogen to plant oil. This makes them unnatural and extremely unhealthy - although dirt cheap.

Trans fats are extremely addictive and can be found in almost all hyper-processed, junk food.

Damage causes addiction.

4. Other unhealthy ingredients in junk food

Artificial sweeteners, preservatives, flavor enhancers, artificial colors, artificial flavors and other chemicals wreak havoc on your health.

They are so dangerous because they aren't found in their processed forms in nature. Your body, therefore, has no mechanisms in place to remove these toxins efficiently. This can lead to a build-up of toxins that are stored in your fat cells, blood circulation, muscles and other organs.

Preservatives kill germs. They kill us too. They just take longer to do so because we are much larger then germs.

The good news is that our bodies can, eventually, eliminate these toxins through the four channels or detoxification (sweating, urination, defecation and exhalation). This can take a relatively long time because these chemicals aren't natural.

If we eat more unnatural chemicals than what our bodies can eliminate, our health gets worse over time.

Nature does it best.

What makes healthy food so good for you?

1. No unhealthy toxins from junk food
2. Packed with important nutrients
3. Keeps you fuller for longer
4. Feeds good gut bacteria

Our bodies were made to eat healthy food.

1. Healthy food doesn't contain the unhealthy chemicals that are in junk food

You don't need to worry about artificial flavors, sweeteners, salt and too much sugar when you eat healthy food. The simple elimination of these dangerous toxins will improve your health dramatically.

2. Healthy food has a lot of important nutrients

Healthy food is healthy because it nourishes your body with the nutrients that it desperately needs. These nutrients include vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, healthy fats and protein.

3. It keeps you fuller for longer

Healthy food (plants and animals) weren't designed to be as tasty as possible. They were designed with their own survival in mind. Junk food is designed to make you feel good with chemicals that make you eat more of a manufacturer's products.

This is one of the reasons why healthy food is not addictive - it was designed for survival, not consumption.

The fiber in plant foods take longer to digest and keep your gut fuller for longer. The protein in animal food also takes longer to digest. This means that you don't need to satisfy a hunger craving every 2 hours. Your blood sugar (and energy levels) won't rise and fall so quickly. You will feel a more stable kind of energy.

4. Healthy food feeds good gut bacteria

You need good gut bacteria to be healthy. The majority of your serotonin (a happiness hormone that regulates mental health) is produced by your gut bacteria. Good gut bacteria keep bad, illness-causing bacteria away. They also produce important chemicals that we can't make on our own.

The preservatives from junk food kill off good gut bacteria in the same way that it stops food from spoiling before it is eaten. Bad gut bacteria thrive on the sugar in junk food. Good gut bacteria live on the fiber from natural plant foods.

Eat right. Live well.

How do I start eating a healthy diet?

A good, healthy diet will give your body all of the nutrients that it needs. It will also cut out all of the unhealthy food items that damage your health at the same time. You feel a notable difference in your health, mood and energy levels within a few days of a healthy diet.

Here are some great diets that you can try:

For beginners who have never followed a diet before

The basic diet is a one-size-fits-all diet that helps you to stay healthy. It is really simple to follow and doesn't require a lot of learning or adjustment. This diet will teach you to enjoy healthy food and forget about junk food.

Ketogenic diet for weight loss

The ketogenic diet reduces carbohydrates so that your body starts to use its own fat for energy. You will lose weight on any good diet if you have too much fat to begin with (because unhealthy food causes unnatural weight gain), but this diet is a good option if your primary goals is weight loss.

For younger females

The 25 year-old female diet is great for women in their 20's. It will establish healthy eating habits that you can follow for the rest of your life.

For younger males

The young male diet is a great diet that is specifically formulated for the modern man's lifestyle.

Diet for Eastern eaters

Western foods are usually foreign to people living in the eastern parts of the world. This Indian diet is great for people who are more familiar with eastern foods.

Find what works for you.

Conclusion

You can make a massive impact on your health when you simply avoid junk food and opt for healthier choices. Learn to enjoy fruit as a snack. Pack your own lunch to work instead of buying from the store. Plan your meals in advance.

Exercise, sleep well, take time to enjoy a hobby and spend time with friends and family. In fact, there are 7 habits that contribute to your health.

You don't have to start out in full swing, either. Small changes really add up. If you can't bring yourself to go for a run, do a single squat every day for a week as soon as you get out of bed. It is better than nothing. Before you know it, you'll be doing 50 every day.

You don't have to make the healthiest decisions all of the time, either. Feel proud of the times that you do make smarter choices. Don't feel bad about the times that you mess up (we all do from time to time - and that's okay).

Keep learning about the differences between healthy practices and unhealthy ones. Stay Strong!

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Benefits of Squats

Squatting is arguably the best muscle building exercise out there. We've decided to compose a list of the benefits of squats that you might (or might not) already know. There are over 100 benefits of exercise in general. You might also be interested in the benefits of push ups or pull ups as well.

Facts about squats

1. Squats work the entire leg muscles

Squats are good for growing the quads, hamstrings, calves and glutes generally. They also work the ankles, abs, oblique muscles and lower back. Yes, they will help to improve calve muscle size.

2. Squats increase human growth hormone

Squatting regularly will increase your body's production of Human Growth Hormone, a hormone that speeds up muscle recovery and aids muscle growth. See here the muscle building hormones that get stimulated through strength training.

3. Squats also increase natural testosterone levels (and production)

The body responds to squatting exercises by producing more testosterone, the hormone which (among other things) determines muscle size. There are other natural ways to boost testosterone too.

4. Squats give you a good-looking, sexy bum

Squats make your bum look more aesthetic and more attractive to the opposite sex. This is true for males AND females. Guys can get a perfect jock-bum, while girls can use squats to add tone and shape.

5. Squats increase your endurance

The more you squat, the easier the rest of the exercises that you do at the gym will be, no matter what you goals are. This is because squats are so intense. Doing these high-intensity movements will increase your intensity tolerance and therefore increase the amount of physical pressure that you can take in one go.

6. Squats increase blood circulation and oxygen usage

The more you squat, the better your body will be at performing other physical tasks. Since squats are so intense, your body learns to get better at using oxygen and other nutrients in your blood to recuperate. This raises your immune system, metabolic rate and natural energy levels.

7. A squat burns fat at a faster rate than running

Squatting continuously for the same time as jogging, for example, will burn fat faster whilst still increasing muscle mass. Squats take a lot of energy to do (but take a lot less time and space). Here are the calories that different sports burn per hour, on average.

8. Performing semi-squats decrease mobility over time

Like with any exercise, use the full range of motion. Squats are no exception. Doing half-rep squats could negatively impact the general mobility of your muscles and joints over time as you train to work within lesser motions.

9. Doing squats properly actually improves your knee health

Doing squats regularly without overdoing it to injury will actually build your knee/ankle joints and their surrounding muscles, ligaments and tendons over time. Squats are used in some rehabilitation courses to help people rebuild knee and ankle strength. It is important to always use full range of motion and correct form. 

10. Squats are good for digestion and help keep you regular

Can't produce squat in the bathroom? Try producing squats at the gym!

11. Squats help to build and maintain muscular balance and posture

The better you can hold your squat, the better your body can hold itself throughout the day. Squatting teaches you to keep your back straight and is great for programming your body to keep the right, healthiest posture without effort.

12. Squats strengthen your core

The better your core strength, the stronger your other lifts will be. A lot of physical power is generated from your core. Note that it is important to still do additional core strengthening work outside of squat exercises.

13. Squats will make you jump higher

The strengthening of the leg muscles used during the squat means that you will have more power accessible for jumping and power exercises. 

14. Squats can help your run

Since squats help your leg muscles so much, they can add power to your sprint and offer joint protection for long-distance runners, too.

15. Get mentally used to intensity

 If you can squat with heavy weights almost to failure for a few reps regularly, you won't have a problem with added intensity in your other exercises. Since squats are one of the most intensive exercises, once you've got this one down it will be a lot easier to deal with other physical challenges during training.

16. You can squat easily

Squats, push-ups, planks and pull-ups make a great almost-full-body-workout when you can't get to the gym and don't have any equipment with you. Luckily, this means that you can get bigger and stronger no matter where you are!

17. Squatting undoes all of the negative muscle-moves that we do daily

Nothing like some good squats to counteract all the bad postures we put ourselves through in daily activities like sitting, working on the computer and driving.

18. Squatting can help eliminate back pain

This is because it undoes negative posture moves like in the point above, and because it helps strengthen the lower back muscles.

Can you think of any other reasons why squats are so great? Do you know of any other interesting facts about squats? Let us know below.

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