Junk foods are extremely refined but low in nutrients. Regrettably, they don’t add value. It’s because they’re just high in sugar, salt, and saturated fat. Regardless of being satisfying to consume, it could be easy for you to eat way too much when you consume these foods and have sweet beverages that don’ t satisfy.
You would observe that the more you have, the more you crave. Some researches suggested that processed food, particularly sugary foods are as habit-forming as alcohol and drugs. (
1
)
As published in New York Times Magazine (
2
), there’s no refuting that unhealthy food desires are powerful, physical responses. They are meticulously and purposefully created by food makers. However, you could stay away from refined foods by consuming more several healthy, whole foods than you eat processed food.
You may try these ways to cut out junk food and see if one or some of them benefit you.
You may try these ways to cut out junk food and see if one or some of them benefit you.
Plan in Advance
There's no far better method to deal with food cravings than preparing your meals and snacks beforehand. If you have a balanced meal and treats packed and all set for you at lunch break, you’re less likely to order a slice of pizza or fries. It’s also less likely for you to consume the sugary foods that someone brought in to the office.
Consume Only Healthy Fats
You may still believe the myth that stating, “Fat makes you fat.” But your body requires fat. Nevertheless, there are several types of fat.
You must stay clear of trans fat and saturated fats. Instead, opt for heart-healthy fats. These would include avocado and nuts. They can assist you in feeling full.(
3
) As a result, they help in lowering your food cravings. That said, choose to eat a handful of nuts as a mid-day treat. You may also make a homemade salad dressing that includes olive oil and
vinegar. Another way to consume healthy fat is to include fresh fatty fish to your meal per day. It’s an excellent means to integrate healthy, loading fats.
Consume Adequate Protein
Protein will make you feel full.( 4 ) It makes you feel more satiated than other macro-nutrients, such as carbs. To fill your diet with healthy protein sources, opt for fish, nuts, veggies, and beans. When you consume a high amount of protein, you’re less likely to eat unhealthy foods.
Store Healthy Foods Only
Don
’t purchase processed foods. Instead, shop for healthy food options and store them in your fridge or counter-tops. Junks foods are easy to dig into because they’re convenient to prepare. However, if you have apples all sliced and set to go, they’re more appealing to eat.
Learn about Trigger Foods
You could have a craving for delicious chocolate and red velvet or salty treats. Once you identified them, keep them away from your house.
Reduce Junk Food Slowly
Consuming sugar results in eating more sugar since it dulls your palate. As a result, it makes you reach for more sweet foods to get to the same degree of fulfillment. An easy technique is to reduce your poor eating routines in baby steps. ( 5 ) If you add three teaspoons of sugar in your coffee, minimize it to two for a few weeks. Then, reduce it to one after a few weeks.After that, you’ll discover that you just require little amount of sugar to please your desire.
References:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/23/opinion/sugar-season-its-everywhere-and-addictive.html
- https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
- https://www.cardiosmart.org/~/media/Documents/Fact%20Sheets/en/abk6292.ashx
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26947338
- https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/yes-you-can-train-your-brain-to-hate-junk-food-760874
