Fast food consumption has been growing at an astronomical rate, with the world's smartest brains pulling all the stops to make you eat everything—from chips and pizza to cookies and soda. However, every bite of junk food you take has a detrimental impact on your health. This article lists how fast food impacts every organ of your body.

Digestive And Cardiovascular Systems

Fast food is packed with carbohydrates, sugars, and trans fats but seriously lacks fibre. These highly processed meals can cause rapid blood sugar spikes, prompting the pancreas to release insulin. Over time, this pattern may lead to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

Moreover, trans fat, commonly found in fried pies, pizza dough, and pastries, is particularly harmful. They boost bad LDL (bad cholesterol) while lowering HDL (good cholesterol). This leads to plaque clogging your arteries and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease

Coupled with high sodium levels in fast food, these meals can elevate blood pressure and strain the heart. Alarmingly, most people underestimate the sodium content in fast food by over 1,000 milligrams per meal.

Respiratory And Reproductive Systems

Excessive calorie intake from fast food can lead to obesity, which in turn increases the risk of respiratory problems like asthma and shortness of breath. Extra weight places pressure on the lungs and heart, making everyday activities like climbing stairs more challenging.

Chemicals in processed foods, such as phthalates, may disrupt hormonal functions. This not only impacts sex life but also fertility and fetal development. These additives underscore the broader health risks associated with fast food consumption.

Central Nervous System

Eating junk food also impacts your brain and spine. A recent study has linked high fast food consumption to lower short-term memory scores among college students. While some studies show no effect on cognitive function, the potential risks warrant caution, particularly in young adults.

Integumentary And Skeletal Systems

A diet high in sugars and fats can lead to skin issues like acne, especially when combined with dairy and high-glycemic foods. Conversely, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and fatty acids may help protect against skin conditions. Junk food can also damage your bones. Excess sugar and acids can erode tooth enamel, while obesity may reduce bone density and muscle mass, increasing fracture risk.

Mental Health

Frequent fast food consumption has been linked to mental health issues. Studies show that sugary drinks and high-fat meals can increase the risk of depression and anxiety, particularly in adolescents. A Western diet rich in refined foods has also been associated with higher inflammation levels, contributing to mood disorders.

Is Snacking Your Fault?

Obesity, overeating and other diet-related problems have long been blamed on a lack of willpower, with the assumption that individuals simply make poor choices. However, data shows that the rise in obesity rates, especially since the mid-1970s, in all demographic groups. This simply could not be blamed on personal choices, but a dramatic change in the food environment.

John Ruff, a food industry expert with over 40 years of experience, speaking to BBC underscored how food manufacturers have optimized products to enhance flavour, texture, and appeal, making them legit irresistible. One significant change that food manufacturers have altered is texture.

If you observe carefully, most of the junk food you eat is soft in texture. Even the ones with crunch can easily be swallowed after the initial few chews. This bypasses, the body's natural satiety mechanisms, leading people to eat more without feeling full. This design makes it easier to overconsume, leading to overeating.

Detox this, detox that, we have all heard a lot about it. Not so new, but still trending everywhere is the liver detox. But, does it really work?

As per John Hopkins Medicine, there is no scientific proof of liver detox drinks, which have flooded the market. Tinsay Woreta, MD, and a John Hopkins hepatologist debunks the myth that liver cleanses are important for daily health maintenance and are especially helpful after you have overindulged.

While some common ingredients in liver cleanses have been shown to have positive results — milk thistle has been shown to decrease liver inflammation, and turmeric extract has been shown to protect against liver injury — there have not been adequate clinical trial data in humans to recommend the routine use of these natural compounds for prevention, noted the John Hopkins Medicine website.

To second this, a Florida-based gastroenterologist, Dr Joseph Salhab also shared a post on his Instagram that stressed on the fact that 'you don't need a liver detox or cleanse'. However, his post claimed that you can boost your liber function naturally by eating vegetables.

14 Vegetables For Your Liver

Dr Salhab shared a list of 14 vegetables that would lower the risk of fatty liver disease and boost liver function.

"From a gastroenterologist: These vegetables naturally boost the liver's detox enzymes, strengthening liver function and lowering the risk of fatty liver," he wrote on his Instagram post.

1. Broccoli
2. Broccoli sprouts (highest sulforaphane content of all)
3. Brussels sprouts
4. Kale
5. Cabbage (green, savoy, Napa, etc.)
6. Bok choy
7. Collard greens
8. Mustard greens
9. Turnip greens
10. Swiss chard (contains other detox compounds, though lower in sulforaphane)
11. Arugula
12. Watercress
13. Rapini (broccoli rabe)
14. Cauliflower (not green, but still cruciferous and detox-active)

How Do These Vegetables Work?

“Your liver already detoxifies your body, and good nutrition helps it work at its best. It’s because they’re high in compounds like sulforaphane, which help induce Phase II enzymes (example: glutathione S-transferases, UDP-glucuronosyltransferases),” explained the doctor. As per him, these vegetables naturally boost Phase II detox enzymes that are already present in your liver.

As per the National Cancer Institute, US, Phase II detoxification is the process in which the liver uses one of two major enzyme pathways to change a toxic substance, such as an anticancer drug, into a less toxic substance that is easier for the body to excrete. In phase II detoxification, liver cells add a substance (such as cysteine, glycine, or a sulfur molecule) to a toxic chemical or drug, to make it less harmful.

When we feel thirsty, our first instinct is to reach for a glass of water. It’s often considered the gold standard of hydration—but is it actually the best drink to keep us hydrated? According to a fascinating study by researchers at Scotland’s St. Andrews University, the answer may surprise you.

The 2016 study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that while plain water—both still and sparkling—is effective at hydrating the body quickly, it's not necessarily the most effective at keeping us hydrated over time. Beverages that contain a mix of nutrients—like milk or oral rehydration solutions—may do a better job.

Why Some Drinks Hydrate Better Than Others

Hydration isn’t just about how quickly fluid enters your system. It also depends on how long that fluid stays in your body. Professor Ronald Maughan, who led the study at St. Andrews’ School of Medicine, explained that two key factors influence how hydrating a beverage is: volume and nutrient composition.

First, the volume of a drink plays a crucial role in how fast it empties from the stomach into the bloodstream, where it can start rehydrating body tissues. The more fluid you drink, the quicker it’s absorbed—up to a point.

Second, drinks that contain small amounts of sugar, fat, protein, or electrolytes can actually slow down gastric emptying. That might sound like a bad thing, but in terms of hydration, it’s beneficial. It means fluids stay in your system longer, which helps you retain water and stay hydrated for extended periods.

Milk Tops the List

Surprisingly, skim milk was ranked as the most hydrating beverage in the study. Its mix of lactose (a natural sugar), protein, and fat slows the rate at which fluid leaves the stomach. Additionally, milk contains sodium, an electrolyte that helps the body retain fluid and reduces urine output.

“Milk’s nutrient profile essentially acts like a hydration booster,” said registered dietitian Melissa Majumdar, who was not involved in the study but reviewed its findings. “It offers a balance of electrolytes and macronutrients that support fluid retention.”

Hydration Rankings: What the Study Found

The research team tested 13 common beverages to determine how well they hydrated the body over a four-hour period. Here’s the ranking, from most to least hydrating:

• Skim milk
• Oral rehydration solutions (e.g., Pedialyte, Liquid I.V.)
• Whole milk
• Orange juice
• Cola
• Diet cola
• Cold tea
• Tea
• Sports drink
• Still water
• Sparkling water
• Lager
• Coffee

While oral rehydration solutions are designed for medical use—such as rehydrating patients with diarrhea—they include optimal amounts of sodium, potassium, and sugar to help the body absorb water efficiently.

Not All Sugars Are Created Equal

It might be tempting to think fruit juices and sodas are good hydrating options due to their high liquid content, but the reality is more complex. While these beverages may linger in the stomach slightly longer than water, their high sugar concentrations can pull water into the intestine via osmosis. That can actually reduce your body’s net fluid gain.

And unlike solid foods, sugary beverages add calories without satiety. “Juices and colas might quench your thirst briefly, but they don’t support long-term hydration and contribute excess sugars,” Majumdar warned.

What About Coffee and Alcohol?

Contrary to popular belief, coffee can contribute to your daily hydration—up to a point. A cup of coffee with around 80 milligrams of caffeine hydrates you about as well as water. However, drinking more than 300 milligrams (roughly 2–4 cups) could tip the scale, causing mild fluid loss, especially in those unaccustomed to caffeine.

Alcohol, on the other hand, is not your hydration friend. Strong alcoholic beverages like whiskey act as diuretics, increasing fluid loss. But a lower-alcohol beverage like beer may have a less dehydrating effect, primarily because it contains more water. “Beer would result in less water loss than whiskey,” Maughan explained. “Strong alcoholic drinks will dehydrate, dilute alcoholic drinks will not.”

Do You Need to Rethink Your Beverage Choices?

In everyday life, most people can rely on thirst cues to guide their fluid intake. However, for certain groups—like athletes training in the heat or individuals working long hours without access to fluids—strategic hydration becomes crucial.

While water remains an excellent and essential drink, it’s worth considering what else you’re sipping. Milk, rehydration solutions, and even some teas might offer better hydration under certain circumstances. But the takeaway is clear: hydration is about more than just drinking water—it's about how your body processes what you drink.

The world has long been in awe of Japan's washoku, its traditional diet, for its ability to promote longevity and strong physical well-being. But emerging research shows that the virtues of the old diet may reach beyond the body to provide essential insurance for the mind too. In a big study released in the journal Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, researchers found strong evidence to believe that a traditional Japanese diet may protect against depression, a mental health crisis that plagues millions worldwide.

Mental health has become a worldwide issue in recent years, with depression reaching millions of people across the world. Although diet plays a well-proven role in physical health, its possible role in mental health has only recently gained attention.

What Is Washoku?

Washoku, which is a cultural heritage passed down by UNESCO, is a traditional Japanese meal pattern with high content of seasonal foods and well-balanced nutrition. The diet commonly consists of white rice, miso soup, fish, soy foods, seaweed, mushrooms, steamed vegetables, and green tea. This eating habit is honored not only because of the flavor but also due to its nutritional balance.

Although the health advantages of washoku for heart disease, diabetes, and longevity have been established, its possible influence on mental health has only begun to receive scientific attention in recent times.

Research: The Link Between Washoku Diet and Depression?

Between 2018 and 2021, scientists questioned almost 12,500 workers from five large Japanese businesses. The volunteers, who were mostly men with an average age of 42.5, completed extensive questionnaires about their weekly intake of foods and beverages. The researchers then rated their compliance with washoku on two scales: the classic 0-to-9 scale and a revised 0-to-11 scale that added other foods that have been shown to aid mental health, including fruit, raw vegetables, and dairy.".

Of critical note, the researchers also tested for depressive symptoms, with 30.9% of survey respondents expressing feelings of despondency or demoralization—an extremely high percentage and one that reflects worldwide trends in workplace mental health.

The findings were dramatic. The more participants scored on the washoku diet questionnaires, the less likely they were to have symptoms of depression. When they were split into four groups according to diet compliance, those who consumed most washoku were 17% to 20% less likely to have depressive symptoms than those who consumed the minimum.

To ensure accuracy, the researchers statistically adjusted for a range of non-diet factors—including age, gender, marital status, education, job position, alcohol intake, smoking, exercise, sleep, and obesity—minimizing the risk that something other than diet was driving the results.

Why Washoku Diet Might Protect Your Mental Health?The researchers highlighted several possible mechanisms:

Folate and Neurotransmitters

Seaweed, vegetables, and soy foods in the washoku diet are good sources of folate, a B vitamin used to make neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine that control mood and emotional health.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Fatty fish, a cornerstone of the washoku diet, is filled with omega-3s, which have anti-inflammatory properties and are associated with lower depression risk.

Antioxidants

Vegetables of bright color, green tea, natto, and miso contain antioxidants that decrease oxidative stress in the brain—a component involved with depression.

Umami and the Nervous System

The distinctive umami taste of Japanese cuisine can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps lead to mental calmness and stability.

Washoku vs. Other Diets: How Does It Compare?

Even though fewer studies have examined the impact of the washoku diet on mental health, comparable trends have been seen in analyses of the Mediterranean diet, which also focuses on vegetables, whole grains, and fish. That similarity lends credence to the hypothesis that nutrient-rich, traditional diet styles may have similar protective features against depression.

Diet is a major factor, but mental health is determined by a multitude of other variables, such as stress levels, sleep quality, social support, and genetic makeup. The Japanese study controlled for some of these by adjusting for confounders, but experts stress the need for more holistic approaches to lifestyle intervention.

Washoku is not so much about what is on the plate—it's about how food is prepared, shared, and consumed. Meals tend to be consumed slowly, with regard to presentation and seasonality, encouraging mindfulness and social connection. These cultural elements might also contribute to aiding mental health.

How You Can Add Washoku Diet To Your Routine?

If you’re looking to support your mental health through dietary changes, integrating elements of the washoku diet into your meals could be a smart move. Focus on whole, minimally processed foods such as:

• Steamed rice or other whole grains
• Miso soup and fermented soy products
• Grilled or simmered fish
• Seaweed and mushroom dishes
• Green tea as a daily beverage

And although the entire washoku diet may not be practical or appealing to all, the underlying philosophy—variety, balance, and nutritional value—can be translated into much cultural and regional cuisine.

As depression reaches epidemic levels in many parts of the world, these results could have potentially broad-ranging consequences. Promoting traditional diets such as washoku could be a straightforward, culturally acceptable means of promoting mental health—particularly in the workplace and communities.

"More studies need to be done, but we would like evidence presented among Japanese individuals to be used in public health practices in workplaces and districts relating to depression prevention," the Japan Institute for Health Security stated in a press release.