Blog post 8: Junk Food and Taxes

Tax.Why is it so important? Why should adults pay for tax? Do you approve on paying tax when you eat certain food like Junk Foods? Soft drinks? Chips?

I'm still a college student but someday, I will start working and then pay taxes. Adults pay taxes to support our government, to help our government to succeed, make our country succeed. There is a tax called "sin tax" that is implemented to countries. Sin tax is paying for certain things you buy like junk food.

As I was searching about Junk Food, An interesting article caught my eye entitled,"Mexico's Chamber of Deputies OKs junk food tax" written by Tracy Wilkinson in articles.latimes.com. This article talks about the implementation of paying more tax in the country of Mexico.

This article talks about how the High-calorie foods and sodas made people in Mexico become obese. It says that Mexico has one of the world's highest rates of obesity. Many food experts approve to make people pay more tax for high-calorie foods and sugary drinks but Business community doesn't want it to be implemented because their sales would fall and if the tax increases, People won't like it too. One father said it is a cruel way to take away the little pleasure children receives.

For me, There are advantages and disadvantages when this gets implemented in Mexico. The advantages is that it 'may' reduce obesity and it can also help their country but the disadvantages is that people who can't afford to pay more would have a hard time maintaining a family especially when they can't cook or afford to cook at home.

As I was researching further about tax in food, I saw an article entitled,"Tax junk food: Fight obesity one penny at a time" by David Lazarus in articles.latimes.com. This is about how the California lawmaker is targeting the obesity epidemic from tax.

A lawmaker proposed a 'penny-an-ounce tax' on soda and other sweetened drinks. Of course, Food industries doesn't approve of this proposal. The Food folk has said that it is a way for punishing people for unhealthy behavior. One recent study found that adult obesity rates for  blacks and Latinos higher than for whites. Wilson said that the real problem is the consumption of calories.

I think,It is a great law that should be implemented but even though it would be implemented, It really depends to the person on how he/she controls on how much he/she consume unhealthy foods. I think that this law would reduce people who would be obese but it just really depends on the person.

*I do not own the picture/s you see*

Blog post 7: Myth of Junk Food

I have learned a lot about Junk Food, all good and bad. Lets face it, Junk food is very addictive. Back then, I thought that Junk Food is really bad for one's health but as I did a lot of thorough research and found amazing, unbelievable and interesting articles about it. I found that eating Junk Foods isn't really that bad.

Myths. What is a Myth? A Myth is a widely held but false belief or idea. Does Junk Food have a myth? I love Myths, stories of things. We all know a few myths about Junk Food but I'm curious if those are true and I would know learn more about Junk Foods.

As i was searching about Myths of Junk Food- If their is one-, I found one that caught my eye which is entitled, "Is junk food a myth?" by Brandon O'Neill in news.bbc.co.uk. The author talks about that their is no such thing as "Junk" food.

In this article, The author talked about what Ruth Kelly- a secretary of state for education- launched something against junk food. Ruth Kelly said that Junk Food should now be approved in school and her aim is to ensure that children eat healthy dishes in school.  Ms. Kelly also warned school governors who continue to serve junk food once the ban comes into force that they could receive criminal record.

The author has mentioned Vincent Marks, A Emeritus Professor of Clinical Biochemistry at the University of Surrey and co-editor of a book titled Panic Nation. Vincent Marks said that labeling a food "junk" is like rejecting it and there is no such thing as "junk food" but 'junk diet.'

This article is a good example of how to handle the expansion of obesity to students. I approve how Ruth Kelly handle it, by not making schools serve unhealthy food for students. As always, I think we just need to control how much we consume.

As i searched further, I clicked on an article by Bindu Swetha entitled "Seven Fast Food Myths Busted" in www.buzzle.com. Bindu Swetha tries to prove the myths of fast food, also known as junk food, to be wrong or false.

In this article, There are seven myths the author mentioned in the article and proved it; First is KFC changed its name because they don't use chicken. Second is that Salads are healthier than fast food.Third is that Mcdonald's use alternative sources of meat.Fourth is One can get addicted to fast food by long-time consumption.Fifth is Fast food will make you fat.Sixth is Fast food is hygienic. Lastly, Mcdonald's uses embalming fluid in the food.

First of all, Its not all true that most salads aren't healthier just some. Fast food isn't really the reason behind people getting obese, it is because of their lifestyle and how much they consume it. Fast food isn't really hygienic and Mcdonald's does not use any such fluid, They are known as the most wasteful restaurants around.

There are many things we don't know about Junk Food. Myths, we shouldn't take it all seriously.


*I do not own the picture/s you see*

Blog post 6: Things you should know about Junk Food

Junk Foods. Junk Foods everywhere! Who doesn't love chicken? french fries? cakes? chocolates? nuggets? salty chips? soft drinks? We know a lot of people who loves those foods or a lot of junk foods and i'm sure that you love at least one or two or maybe all of it.

I love fast foods, for me, its heaven. It will always be like heaven. I especially love the burgers of Jollibee and when I started studying at APC- Asia Pacific College-, I would always "always" order a regular burger at Jollibee but I started asking myself, Is Junk Food cheaper? We already know that Junk Food can either be good or bad for you and that it depends on how you think of it or consume it.

As i was researching about Junk Foods, I stumbled in an article entitled "Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?" by Mark Bittman in www.nytimes.com. This article talks about the arguments if Junk food is cheaper. People say Junk Food is cheap than making food but is it really true?

As I have read in the article, The author have cleared out that Junk Food isn't cheaper than real food. Infact, It says that eating highly processed food isn't cheaper; when you eat in a fast food you may pay about a whole lot more than food cooked at home. Then, another argument is that Junk food is cheaper when measured by calorie but the author have argued that a meal of real food cooked at home can easily contain more calories. 

"Anything that you do that's not fast food is terrific; cooking once a week is far better than not cooking at all." -Marion Nestle, professor of food studies at NY University and author of "What to Eat." Most people can really eat 'real' food but people think that cooking is defined as work and that fast food is both pleasure and relaxation.

Its how we choose. Choosing to cook than ordering in a fast food is better for our health, our pockets and for our lives and as it said in the article: "What's easier is to cook at every opportunity, to demonstrate to family and neighbors that the real way is the better way." I think its true, Its better to eat at home, cooking food, making efforts for the family than eat outside, not knowing what they're putting in your food.

As I was reading more articles, I saw this interesting one entitled, "Diet drinks DON'T make you hungry: New research quashes myth they cause junk food cravings." by Rachel Reilly in www.dailymail.co.uk. This article caught my attention immediately and while i was reading the article, I can say that i learned a lot about Diet drinks.

In this article, They made a lot of studies about Sugar-free fizzy drinks. One study found that water and diet drinkings drinkers reduced their average daily calorie intake at the start of the study. After six months, the difference was that those who drank water ate more healthy foods while those who drank diet drinks ate fewer desserts, compared to the beginning of study but their are other studies suggesting that drinking diet free drinks are bad for your health. A french study found that woman who drank diet drinks are more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than those who drank water and then another study found that its a woman's risk of suffering a stroke by 80 percent and there's also a study that it could increase a man's risk of developing prostate cancer by 40 percent.

It really depends on how much you consume diet drinks, it would be great if you drink it minimally. I don't drink diet drinks for my mom said it can cause cancer and I wouldn't want to risk my own life by drinking one of those.



*I do not own the picture/s you see*

Blog post 5: The Good Thing of Junk Food

Junk Food is always seen as a bad thing in a lot of countries. It really depends on how you consume it, how much you consume it and how it influences you.

There may be a lot of disadvantages of Junk Foods but their are also advantages. I know that all of the things around us has advantages and disadvantages in our daily lives. Being able to know the advantages may make us see the good things of eating Junk Foods too.

As i thought, 'Are their advantages when we eat Junk Foods? Is it possible?", I was so curious that I've researched a lot if their were advantages and so I stumbled in an article by Gordon Hamilton entitled "The Health Benefits of Junk Food," In www.livinghealthy360.com.

This article talks about Junk Foods become unhealthy when you consume more than what your body really needs. It just really depends on how the person consumes it. Their are healthy choices with junk food which can provide benefits of it without affecting the enjoyment of the product. It is also said that the pleasure obtained from consuming junk food causes the release of enzymes in the brain which leads to an emotional feeling of well-being; however, it should be controlled and balanced against its negative effects. It is beneficial to mental health.

I have realized that Junk Foods is needed in our body. I have also found out that when we try to cut out fats and sugars, cause harm in children and adolescents- which needs at least 30% and as much as 50% of dietary intake of fats, which is used for energy. So, we still do need to eat Junk Foods and that we should still eat Junk Foods but not more than what we really need.

As I explored more articles of the benefits of Junk Food, I saw an article entitled, "The Advantage and Disadvantages of Eating Fast Food" by desykriswintari in www.studymode.com. The title says it all or should i still elaborate, This article talks about the advantages and disadvantages of Eating Junk Food/Fast Food.

Having read the whole article, It explained that Eating has an important role in our daily lives and also is Junk Foods. The advantages of consuming Fast Food/ Junk Foods is that it can save time- you just order or buy in a convenience store and then you can eat it-, you will see lots of fast food anywhere you go, Another advantage is that it tastes very good, which makes the consumers be addicted. In fact, the article has said that Fast foods are added with additives.

If there are advantages, their are also disadvantages. We all know that it causes obesity. Fast foods have many calories and accumulate in the body as fat deposits. Not only is it obesity but other problems suck as high blood pleasure and diseases of the joints.

For me, It is the consumers choice and thinking if they think Junk Foods is an advantage or disadvantage. The only thing i can recommend is to control how much you consume. If you consume more than what you need, you're in a disadvantage. All of us need Junk Foods but we eat it minimally, It would change for the better.





*I do not own the picture/s you see*

Blog post 4: Junk Foods and Advertisements

Do you watch television? Or play online games?

I watch television and play online games since I was very young, I was influenced by my brother and cousins to play online games and back then, I would always spend time with my parents by watching TV with them. It was fun when I was so young, I could do anything- well, not really, I only have little freedom- I only have a freedom to eat what i mostly want but I have more freedom now than when i was young.

Back then, Watching and playing was my normal routines when I was young but as i got older, I had to go to school and study, got bored of watching and playing. Instead, I would hang out with friends or sleep- mostly sleep.

Advertisements everywhere. We always see advertisements; going to school, on TV, online, even in public comfort rooms, you name it. Does Ads affect us? Junk Foods Ads?

As I explored some articles about Advertisements of Junk Foods, I happened to stumble in a piece entitled "Junk Food Makers Target Kids With Free Online Games, Study Says" by Kathleen Doheny in www.medicinenet.com.  The article tells about Advertisements, which caught my attention. I asked myself, "How does advertisements relate to Junk Foods?"

On the article, It is said that online games are promoting food products that are unhealthy-Junk Foods- through games, known as 'advergames'. Weatherspoon's team found that the food they advertise were unhealthy and did not meet government guidelines.

Also, Christakis-a professor and director of the Center for Child Health- have said that the more TV children watch, the less healthy are their diet and that children choose to eat things that are advertised. They have agreed that more regulations is needed or that parents should supervise their children's use of online games.

It was intriguing for me, to think that advertisements can affect on how or what children eats. How it is wrong to expose children to advertisements- it depends on what kind of advertisements. As I was still reflecting to what I've just learned, I saw another article in www.naturalnews.com entitled, "Junk food ads on TV strongly influence children's eating habits," by Sally Oaken.

In this article, It is said that children exposed to ads for unhealthy food products has a tendency to consume unhealthy foods in higher amounts and face a increased risk of obesity and health problems.

This article also showed the surveys with regards to the topic. It showed that Children between ages of six and thirteen would choose high fat, high carbohydrate, high protein and low energy foods. It also has been found that children exposed to unhealthy food ads are more likely to show unhealthy eating preferences, effects are pronounced who typically watched more than 21 hours of TV per week.

So, Just by looking at advertisements, you are influenced on doing something as the article have said. Being able to realize that advertisements can influence what you eat or drink is very skeptical. As others said, "You are what you eat."


*I do not own the picture/s you see*

Blog post 3: Arts of Junk Food

Art, All of us makes art either from creative skills or from one's imaginations. It produces works to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power. When you see a painting or sculpture, Everything you see has a deeper meaning. Why would the artist do this kind of art? Whats behind this painting or sculpture? How did the artist interpreted his or her art?

I don't have any talent on doing arts like drawings, paintings or sculptures but i do know how to use my imaginations. I know what i want and try to do it in my own way of thinking. Art makes the world worth living, It gives life around us and makes us see the other world than we normally see.

As I was reading some articles about art of Junk Foods, I stumbled in an article entitled "Fast Food Art vs. Slow Food Art" by John Seed in www.huffingtonpost.com.  John Seed will be comparing on different kinds of pictures of the old age and now.

This article talked about the art of Marc Trujillo, which you see at the right corner, Is familiar for all of us but then John Seed asked himself-"what other image does this one connect to for me?". And then as you see below, Is a Peter Aertsen's masterpiece 'Butcher's stall with the flight into Egypt."

John Seed has shown Peter Aertsen's painting to his class and all his students were disgusted by the painting that they want their meat to be processed into  shrink-wrapped on a foam try. John Seed thinks that one of our cultural values in food is how we erase the carnality. 

That we would rather want to see the final product of a food than to see how it is made, We don't want to see blood, death, the gruesome remains of animals. We interpret paintings with different kinds of meanings.

As i was searching for more articles about the arts of Junk Food, I saw this interesting article entitled, "A Level Art Project: Obesity & Junk Food 98%" by Amiria Robinson in www.studentartguide.com. The writer talks about the arts of a student named Nikau Hindin who made this breath takingly beautiful paintings for her project and the topic she did was about Junk Food, focusing on the excessive consumption of junk food by young people and the health risks while consuming it.

On the picture of the right, As you can see. Nikau Hindin drew children eating Junk Foods. It was inspired by the artworks of Janet Fish that Nikau set up a picnic providing a group of children from her primary school with junk food and documented these children as they ate.

Many artists have inspired Nikau Hindin in making lots of artworks such as Raymond Ching, Kelcy Taratoa - who was an important artist, He was interviewed by Nikau in person and was able to see many of his acclaimed artworks in flesh- and Bill Barminshi- who was the most influential for Nikau while she was doing her own artworks.

The picture you see on the left is one of the artworks of Nikau Hindin as you can see, the art is so beautiful, the joyful image of a child eating but when you look closely, you will see the names of additives and ingredients through the painting.

For me, As I interpreted the painting, I think that, all of us are so happy and joyful to eat Junk Foods but the artificial ingredients and additives are unhealthy and slowly eating us up, killing us slowly, making us diabetic and lots more that we don't realize that we should stop.

Many people interpret different meanings to a lot of paintings like the one's you saw in my blog, I understood more about this paintings, the meanings inside and what the artists wants to convey to us. Being able to see and know what the real meanings made me inspired.

*I do not own the picture/s you see*

Blog post 2: Junk Foods and its Effects

I see lots of people eating Junk Foods. Lets face it, We always see people eating unhealthy foods but have we realized on stopping them from eating it? Or at the very least, Have you tried stopping yourself from eating it? Have you ever realized why its unhealthy? For once, thought of what can happen if you continue eating those Junk?

I have, a lot of times. Asked myself why we still continue eating Junk Foods when we know its unhealthy? Maybe because it tastes divine, great or maybe its instant, you can eat it without waiting. You just open the bag of chips, or rip the wrapper and eat it. There are many possibilities. For me, Its impossible to stop because well, My Mom bakes a lot of sweet foods, I love sweet foods; chocolates, cookies, cinnamon rolls, cakes and more. So, its impossible to stop but my mom still makes us eat vegetables, fruits and meat.

I was so curious on what would happen if someone continues to eat unhealthy foods that I clicked on an article entitled, "Mental Effects of a Fast Food Diet" by Alissa Fleck in livehealthy.chron.com. This article talks about the bad effects when you eat unhealthy foods. 

In this article, It says that obviously, All of us are aware of the negative effects when we continue eating Junk Foods/ Fast Foods that we know the negative effects like gaining weight but fewer are aware of its effects on our brain. Our Brain needs nutrients too, Junk Foods doesn't give us those kind of nutrients so it leads to debilitating mental effects.

According to the article, Consuming high fat junk food actually have a direct impact on the brain, causing changes for conditions like anxiety and depression. Not only that but we also consume unhealthy ingredients and Fast foods can also lead to snowballing mental impacts, can lead to stress,anxiety and negative thoughts about oneself. 

The article made me learn that consuming lots of junk foods can really do make you depressed, unhealthy, stress and feel anxiety. I have felt those mental effects when i was only eating Junk Foods; I have looked down at myself, compared myself to others (still do but became less), felt anxiety but overcame it.

As i was searching for more of the mental effects of Junk Foods, I stumbled in this interesting article named; "In Young Kids, Junk Food Linked to Mental Illness" by Traci Pedersen in psychcentral.com. This article talks about the mental illness Junk foods do to young children,before birth and during early childhood.

In this article, Children who are exposed to Junk food, before and during early childhood have risks for developing mental health problems- anxiety and depression. The Researchers from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia found that consumption of unhealthy food during pregnancy lead to higher levels of behavior and emotional problems. It has been proved that both an increased intake of unhealthy foods and a decreased intake of nutrient-rich foods in early childhood were independently related to hinger internalizing and externalizing behaviors in young children. 

As i read this article, I have thought that its also true that children who eat Junk Foods in an early age have tantrums and behavior problems. Lets just say, I know some children who eat unhealthy foods and have 'those' behaviors. 

I have learned many things from these two articles and would look forward to learn lots more about Junk Foods. Junk Foods is really a risk for us. In my opinion, After reading those articles, I realized that we should also think of children that we shouldn't expose them to unhealthy food because in the future, You will regret it and that's honestly true.

*I do not own the picture/s you see*

Blog post 1: Junk Foods are like Drugs

Do you eat Junk Foods?

I remember when I was in a very young age - maybe seven- , There won't be a time where I don't have a Junk Food in my hand or mouth. It was very addicting, Eating cakes, chocolates, salted chips, candies and drinking soft drinks. Until one day, My stomach started hurting and I would cry after I eat or drink any Junk Foods. So, My Parents took me to a hospital and the Doctor said I had Peptic Ulcer because of drinking soft drinks and eating salted chips. From then on, I minimize on eating Salted chips and drinking soft drinks but my stomach would hurt when I eat too much. I can't stop myself from eating Junk Foods because its very addicting. 

First of all, What is a Junk Food? It is also known as Fast Food which of course, originated in the US. It is a food that is high in calories in a small volume, fat, sugar in liquid form, salt, palatability but low in nutritional content. "Junk Food" are in the categories of either snack food or fast food. Junk Foods is also low in satiation value which can lead to overeating. 

As I was doing my research about Junk Food,I stumbled in an article entitled, "Junk Food Nearly as Addictive as Heroin" by David Gutierrez in www.naturalnews.com. This article focuses on studies that Researchers from Scripps Research Institute have found while experimenting on rats. They experimented on rats on 3 different diets: Nutritious diet, a healthy diet that can eat a minimal of Junk Foods and a diet of unlimited Junk Foods.

They have observed that the third group, which is a diet of unlimited Junk Food, immediately became obese. For them to test the effects of junk food on the brain, They made an area where mice ran on a wheel and the longer a rat ran on a wheel, more pleasure it receives. They have observed that while rats in the first two groups, which are Nutritious diet and a healthy diet that are restricted in Junk Foods did not change their running behavior but the rats eating junk food started running for longer periods that proved that their brain's pleasure centers had become less sensitive and when they started exposing rats to painful electric shocks whenever they ate junk food, The rats on the restricted food diet immediately stopped eating it but the unlimited junk food rats was undiscouraged and continue pursuing their own goal.

They have proved that Junk Foods are like drugs, someone would do anything to get it, wont stop eating it and it would be hard for someone to stop eating Junk Foods for it is very addicting. I think its true, Junk foods are very addicting and its hard to stop when you keep eating it, as the researchers said, like drugs. Drugs and Junk Foods are bad for your health and I have found that it can lead you to early death for it triggers diabetes.

As I researched further about the addiction to Junk Foods, I found an article by J.D. Heyes entitled "Junk food is engineered to addict you to chemical ingredients" found in www.naturalnews.com which obviously talks about facts that Junk foods really do make you addicted to chemical ingredients.

Like for example, Junk food makers know that the products they make are harmful to our society but they still continue making Junk foods and it is a "sensory-specific satiety" which refers to the declining satisfaction made by the consumption of foods or make different flavors that is very addicting that tells a brain not to stop drinking or eating a certain Junk Food but in this article, they say that the other industries are looking to develop a "designer sodium" which can reduce salt in their products by as much as 40 percent(%).

Being able to know what Junk Foods do to us made me realize how it affects our daily lives just by eating and drinking Junk foods, that you should control how much you eat Junk Foods or if its possible, try to stop eating or drinking it.

*I do not own the picture/s you see*