LUCRĂRI ŞTIINŢIFICE, SERIA I, VOL.

XX (3)

JUNK FOOD VERSUS HEALTHY FOOD

CASSIAN ANDRADA GABRIELA1, CASSIAN DENISA MIHAELA1, BOGAN

ALEXANDRA ANAMARIA1, PÎRVULESCU LUMINIȚA CORNELIA1, RABA DIANA
NICOLETA*1
1
Faculty of Management and Rural Tourism, Banat's University of Agricultural Sciences and
Veterinary Medicine "King Michael I of Romania" from Timisoara, Romania
*Corresponding author’s e-mail: dianaraba@yahoo.com

Abstract: This paper is a brief study on issues relating to junk food and healthy food.
Healthy diet consists in consuming nutritionally balanced foods. Unhealthy diet includes
many high processed foods which are rich in calories but low in nutrients. Consuming of
junk food is responsible along with other factors such as pollution, stress for increasing of
disease risk and obesity. Healthy diet contributes to minimizing the risk of illness. Junk
foods contain refined sugar, saturated fats, salt, artificial sweeteners and additives wich
are unhealthy for human body. Healty foods are rich in mineral substances, vitamins,
antioxidants, fibers, proteins with high biological value, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids
which are important for human health. The manily reasons for which junk food are
sometimes preferred is that that they are often cheaper then healty foods and are saled as
ready to eat or as conveniences foods that need a little time for cooking or preparing them.

Key words: junk foods, healty foods, nutrients, calories, disease risk.

INTRODUCTION
The corect nutritional diet named and balanced diet is an absolutely necessary
condition for proper development and growth of human body [12].The necessity and the
benefits of healthy food and meals for human have been concerned the scientists and
sociologists for more than ten years a go. They have defined three different general
concepts of health referring to the way in which the food could be assessed as being safe:
“Health as nutritional value”; “Health as pleasure” and “Health as purity” [6]. A healthy
diet is considered that which is composed of many fruits, vegetables, whole grains and a
moderate amount of unsaturated fats, meat, fish and dairy. Besides health benefits, good
foods helps people to mentain their weight within optimal limits [26]. A balanced diet
together with doing sport could help also the people to keep their weight and cholesterol
level and prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and many other diseases [25]. Healty
foods are rich in macronutrients as proteins with high biological value, essential faty acids
as omega 3 and omega 6, unsaturated fats, minerals (Ca, Mg, Se, Fe, Zn) and vitamins (A,
B, C, D, E) [26]. It is well known that the many valuable nutrients, such as vitamins and
antioxidants from fresh food are destroyed during heating. From this point a view, a healty
diet includes unprocessed meal representing fresh fruits and vegetables and raw
unsaturated fats, represented by vegetable oils. Junk food named and fast food have
recorded an increasing dynamics since 1970s. Fast food is is mostly consumed by
adolescents, who are used to eat junk food on average twice a week [20]. Junk food are
considered foods high in calories provided mainly by sugar and fat and poor in valuable
nutrients as protein, vitamins or minerals. The meals with a high level of protein consisting
in large quantities of meat cooked with too much saturated fat, as hamburger or fried
chiken is also assimilated junk food [23]. The most known junk foods are snack foods,
sweets, gum, fried fast food and sugary carbonated beverages. There are foods such as
pizaa or taco, which are classified as both junk food and healthy food depending on their
composition and applied cooking method [23].The scientific studies shown that fast foods
are responsible for different disorders and diseases like obesity, diabet, carsiovasculary and
coronary diseases [20].
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MATERIALS AND METHODS

In order to realize this work it has been studied 26 scientific paper and a brief and
concise summary was made of them in term of positive and negative aspects of junk and
healty foods.

RESEARCH RESULTS
Some definitions of junk foods and healthy foods are presented in Table 1.
Table 1
The definitions of junk foods and healthy foods
No. Definitions of junk foods Definitions of healthy foods
1. Junk food, knowed also as A healthy diet is considered the one
fast food shows food which is which is represented by many fruits,
quickly processed and served vegetables, whole grains and a
at fast food restaurants. [20] moderate amount of unsaturated fats,
meat, fish and dairy. [26]
2. Junk food is prepared at Healthy foods are nutritional
industrial level using standard balanced having a high level of
raw material and are essential macronutrients and
ultraprocessed. [20] micronutrients [5, 6, 17], sensory
pleasant [9, 21], without artificial
additives [10, 8].
3. Junk foods are defined as
foods which have a higher
energy density and lower
nutritional quality [15, 18]

In Tabel 2 are shown some of the popular exemple of junk foods and healthy foods.

Table 2
Exemple of junk foods and healthy foods
No. Exemple of junk foods Exemple of healthy foods
1. Snack foods, sweets, gum, fried fast Fruits and vegetables consumed raw
food and sugary carbonated beverages or minimally prepared, beans, lean
are the most known junk foods. [23] meat and fish eaten minimally
processed are considered as samples of
healthy eating because of they are
rich in nutrients and they have low
energy density. [11]
2. The meals with a high level of protein
consisting in large quantities of meat
cooked with too much saturated fat, as
hamburger and fried chiken or
similary food. [23].

As it is shown in Table 2, fruits and vegetables, lean meat and fish are considered
healthy foods it they are consumed minimally processed or even raw in case of fruits and
vegetables in order to preserve their nutrients. It is well known that the temperature and the
time exposure to heating lead to the vitamins and antioxidants degradation. Foods which
are sold in fast food are considered junk food.

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The nutriets which can be found in junk foods and healthy foods are presented in
Table 3.
Table 3
Nutriets from junk foods and healthy foods
No. Nutriets from junk foods Nutriets from healthy foods
1. Fat, sugar and salt in high Potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid),
quanties; vitamin A, and vitamin C [26].
Fiber in a small proportion;
High energy value [14].
2. Fast food are considered foods High proportion of macronutrients as
with a higher energy density and proteins with great biological value,
lower nutritional properties than essential faty acids as omega 3 and omega
the same foods that are prepared at 6, unsaturated fats, minerals (Ca, Mg, Se,
home. [15, 18] Fe, Zn) and vitamins (A, B, C, D, E) [26].
3. Low or lack vitamins, minerals,
fibre and amino acids content [26].

The junk food are characterize by a grest energy value, but a poor in valuable
nutrients, while healthy food are rich in macro and micronutrients.
The way in which the diet influences the human body are shown in Table 4
Table 4
The influence of diet on human body
No. The influence of junk foods on The influence of healthy food on human
human body body
1. Consuming junk food has been A diet including vegetables and fruits could
associated with increasing of risk reduce risk for heart disease. [25]
obesity and o insulin resistance. [13,
16,19].
Obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular and
coronary diseases are many times
determined by a fast foods diet. [20].
2. Junk foods contain colorants which Consuming of vegetables and fruits, which
are often inedible, carcinogenic and are rich in potassium could decrease of
bad to the body [17]. blood pressure and may reduce the risk of
developing kidney stones and help to
decrease bone loss [25].

3. Eating fast food has been associated Diets including foods that contain
with poor dietary habits, such as fibercould be responsible for
higher intakes of energy, fat, sodium, decreasing the risk of heart disease,
added sugars and sugar-sweetened obesity and type 2 diabetes [25]
beverages, and lower intakes of fruit,
vegetables, fibre and milk. [5 ,19].
4. This fast food attack the digestive A diet rich in some vegetables and
system and its effects can occur after fruits could defend the human body
several years. [1] against some types of cancers [24]

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The advantages and disavantages of junk foods are describe in Table 5.

Table 5
The advantages and disavantages of junk foods
No. The advantages of junk food The disavantages of junk foods
1. Junk food is often cheaper than other Junk Food can determine the weight
food products that are sold in the increasing that would have the effect
market. [22] on obesity developing
2. Junk food can be consumed in a very High amount of fat from fast food
short time saving time for meal could cause health issue.
preparing.
3. Fast foods are easy to procure and it is High sugar content of junk food as
possible to be eaten anywhere [3]. icecreams, sweets, dairy products
increase the risk of diabet developing.
4. Junk Food can be bought at any time Because junk foods are salty may
of the day. determin may result in the
occurrence of cardiovascular and
kidney disease.
5. Fast Food are able to satisfy easily our There are some fast foods which
appetites. contain additives, preservatives and
bad fat.

The advantages and disavantages of healthy foods are presented in Table 6.

Table 6
The advantages and disavantages of healthy foods
No. The advantages of healthy food The disavantages of healthy foods
1. A diet rich in raw fruits and vegetables can Healthy foods cost often more
decrease the risk for heart and then other foods and and you can
cardiovasculary disease. [25] not find them in all stores. [2]
2. A balanced diet, low in saturated fat and Fruits and vegetables are
high in fibre, associated whith weight seasonal.
mantaining can reduce the risk of developing
type 2 diabetes.
3. A healthy diet consisting in fruits,
vegetables, whole grains and a moderate
amount of unsaturated fats, meat and dairy
can prevent you from gaining weigh.

CONCLUSIONS

Junk food, knowed also as fast food are food which is quickly and ultraprocessed in
an industrial fashion using standard raw material. Junk food are considered unhealthy, they
are rich in calories and low in nutrients. Junk food are cheaper than other food, are easily
obtained and can be consumed everywhere. Junk food could contain substances which are
bad for human body and and may induce some diseases.
Healthy food are considered fruits, vegetables, whole grain, lean meat and fish.
Helathy food are rich in valuable macro and micronutrients as proteins with high biological
value, omega 3 and omega 6 faty acids, vitamins, fiber and antioxidants. Healthy food help
human body to maintain an optimal weight, and reduce the risk of many diseases.

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