If you want to live a long, healthy life, it is necessary to adjust the way you think about food. Some treat food as a reward system or as a way of feeling better while others treat food as medicine. Everything we consume will have a direct impact on short-term and long-term health, this is why it is important to avoid junk food. These foods taste delicious but are doing things to our bodies that we don’t realize are harmful to our health since we don’t feel it immediately.

Read on below if you want to learn what happens when you eat junk food:

Energy spike followed by a crash: Junk foods like cake that are composed of simple sugars can be broken down easily in the body. When we eat large amounts of cake, for example, the body experiences a sudden rush of glucose and releases it into the blood causing the pancreas to release more insulin to convert glucose into glycogen which is then used by the liver and the muscles.  Once the sugar rush has subsided, your blood sugar levels will go through a dramatic drop. This is when the body begins releasing cortisol and adrenaline, which are stress hormones, to activate the stored sugar. When there is a release of stress hormones, the heart rate is increased and the stomach begins to tighten because it expects an attack. This leaves you feeling dizzy and sometimes nauseated when the body realizes that there is no actual danger to be afraid of.

Bloating: Many forms of sodium are added to all kinds of junk food either as a preservative or to add flavor. Other kinds of sodium include sodium saccharin, baking soda, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium benzoate, and sodium nitrite. We shouldn’t be consuming more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day but just one serving of junk food can already contain as much as 2,300 mg of sodium. It can cause several harmful effects on the body, but one of the most noticeable and instant effects is bloating.

Cardiovascular problems: Consuming just one serving of junk food, especially those that are fried, can increase your heart rate and blood pressure. Additionally, the trans-fat and saturated fat content accumulates plaque in your arteries which greatly increases your risk for coronary heart disease, hypertension, and heart failure.

Increased diabetes risk: Eating a lot of junk food will put you at great risk for diabetes because it provides your body with high amounts of glucose, which increases your sensitivity to insulin. If you only eat junk food and no other foods that contain nutrients, this will affect the way your body metabolizes insulin.

Fatigue: Junk food is devoid of essential vitamins, nutrients, and minerals that your body needs to function efficiently and keep your immune system strong. You may feel satisfied and full after eating it, but it does not provide you with real energy which is why you may feel tired after a while. If your diet is made up primarily of junk food, you are at risk for chronic fatigue. The harmful substances found in it can decrease your energy levels in such a way that you may even find it challenging to perform simple daily tasks.

Digestive disorders: Junk foods that are high in fat can put you at risk for developing various digestive conditions such as gastrointestinal reflux disease as well as irritable bowel syndrome. Most junk foods are soaked in oil, and this oil is deposited into the stomach lining which increases acid production.  Furthermore, the spices used in junk food can affect the stomach lining, aggravating digestion and GERD issues. The absence of fiber also affects digestion and can lead to hemorrhoids and constipation.

Impaired brain function: Eating high amounts of junk food puts you at risk for memory impairment. The trans-fat content may replace healthy fats in your brain, which will interfere with signaling mechanisms. Research also suggests that the fat content in junk food can make it more difficult for you to learn new skills.

Kidney disease:  The salt content in junk can make it difficult to resist that bag of chips because processed salt causes your body to secrete enzymes that actually increase cravings. The Sodium and bad fat cause hypertension and interrupt the sodium and potassium balance in your body as well. Your kidney has to work twice as hard to filter the toxins and eliminate them from the body, which is why consuming junk food will directly affect your kidney function.

Tooth decay: Soda is considered a form of junk food, and drinking it regularly will lead to a deterioration in your oral health no matter how often you brush your teeth and floss. This is because of the high acid content of soda, which causes cavities and tooth decay. In fact, even desserts from fast food chains can also contribute to poor oral health.

Anxiety:  Fast foods don’t contain any omega-3 fatty acids, which are needed for optimum brain function. The same harmful effects can also happen when you consume refined carbohydrates because of fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Hypoglycemia can cause anxiety, fatigue, confusion, and trembling.

Increased cancer risk: Junk food especially those that are deep fried can increase your cancer risk by as much as 30%. When oil is heated at large temperatures, it can create cancer-causing compounds in food. Deep frying food significantly alters the food’s chemical composition which means that it can produce chemicals that are not just harmful for your health but can cause cancer.