With the improvement of living standards, people have access to a greater variety of food. Various kinds of snacks are now available on the shelves, which are loved by many people. People have developed a habit of eating snacks during leisure time or when they are a little hungry. However, this is actually an unhealthy eating habit. Today, let's explore the hazards of eating snacks.
Disrupting normal eating habits
Frequent snacking can disrupt normal eating habits and disturb the regular activities of the digestive system. Every time snacks are consumed, the stomach and intestines have to secrete digestive juices. However, the amount secreted each time is not substantial. As a result, when it comes time to eat a proper meal, there is insufficient secretion of digestive juices, hindering proper digestion and affecting normal nutrient absorption. This can lead to malnutrition and gastrointestinal disorders.
Increasing the burden on the stomach and intestines
Frequent snacking, especially consuming raw, cold, and hard foods, can increase the burden on the stomach and intestines. This keeps the digestive system in a constant state of tension without sufficient rest, leading to fatigue and reduced functioning of the digestive organs. This can result in indigestion and stomach problems.
Susceptibility to intestinal diseases
When snacking, people often rush and do not consider location or hygiene conditions. This makes it difficult to ensure the cleanliness of the food and hands, increasing the risk of contracting intestinal infectious diseases and affecting overall health.
Causing obesity
Snacking can easily lead to obesity. Many snacks available today carry the risk of obesity. Fried foods such as French fries, potato chips, and instant noodles have high fat content and can cause significant damage to vitamins and other nutrients in the food. Candies, sweets, and ice cream have high sugar content. Additionally, some puffed foods like biscuits and bread are high-starch foods with high calorie content. Consuming excessive amounts of these foods not only reduces appetite, but also promotes obesity.
Presence of food additives
Another significant concern with various snacks is the presence of food additives. Snacks generally contain additives such as leavening agents and preservatives in fried foods, colorants, sweeteners, flavorings in candies, and coloring agents, suspending agents in beverages. Accumulation of additives in the body can stimulate the secretion of hormones, affecting normal physiological metabolism, leading to endocrine disorders and metabolic disturbances, ultimately affecting overall health.
