What is so bad about junk foods?

The life of teenagers nowadays takes place in an unprecedented pace. In addition to pressures from school, to prepare for college or a job, many teens practice some sports or are involved in various other activities. This pace of life involves among others a continuous "rush" and a perpetual lack of time.

Many snack foods such as cheeseburgers and fries have high levels of fat, sugar or salt – ingredients that are limited to a small portion of food. Eating healthy does not mean that you complete your favorite foods, but we must be selective and limit total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol or sodium. Our main source of saturated fat comes from animal products and hydrogenated vegetable oils. Cholesterol comes only from animal fats. Sodium comes mostly from salt added to food during preparation.

Fats are our most concentrated energy source and provide us with about 40% of the total calories in our diet. Scientists know that eating too much fat, especially saturated fat and cholesterol, causes blood cholesterol and increase risk heart diseases. Too much fat can also lead to weight gain and increase risk of cancers.

The nutritionist recommend that not more than 30% of all calories we consume during a day to come from fats. Also no more than 10% of these calories should come from saturated fats. Choose to eat lean meat, fish, chicken meat and low fat dairies. When you eat out, especially in fast food joints, choose to eat baked or boiled foods instead of fired foods.