If it Hurts so Bad, Why Does Junk Just Feel Oh So Good?

Avondale Kendja

Colossal pretzels, salted fries, dripping burger patties, pizza slices steaming on a damp paper plate--there’s a whole parade of fatty, unhealthy foods we fondly call “junk” and just love to consume. Apart from community events, many people also get pleasure or comfort from junk food in their solitary moments.

To avoid generating a story of how junk foods just feel good because they satisfy a feeling of fullness, it’s good to point out more than beyond the immediate feeling and beyond the stomach. If people are practically hurting themselves for that full feeling, it seems like there’s also a behavioral issue here rather than a biological need for humans to be satisfied, as if these foods are good drugs. After all, these foods provide little to no real nutritional value besides high concentrations of glucose, sucrose, fructose, and lactose (the most common sugars), and the last one is a sugar some adults can’t digest properly. But why do many continue to seek out such high-fatty, sugary foods in lieu of things like when there’s an understanding that they will only earn them oncoming trips of nausea and needed doctor visits? What makes these kinds of foods so comfortable to people, especially the stereotypical American?

The average craving for some tater tots may not have to do with biological impulses. They can get there when a person uses them to distract themselves from a current trauma or discomfort; eating such things can cause the release of endorphins (a body-generated “happy” hormone). Some experts note that imbalances of other hormones, such as leptin and serotonin, may contribute to the sense of emptiness that prompts some to go for unhealthy snacks. At the same time, one may attach a positive association to a mustard-draped hot dog because of an old memory of happiness at a fair. Add in that it may have been a time when that person had felt the least in control of themselves at the time, and we got a petri dish of self-destructive habits. And if someone’s a picky eater, junk food doesn’t hassle the tongue with complicated flavors; though some picky eaters will claim to be only “selective”, when it comes to junk foods, most go for a wide variety to avoid being orally challenged.

Here’s the thing with the cheap-and-convenient factor of heavy-fat foods. Generally, it’s easier to get junk food not only from fast food chains, but also our local groceries, deli shops, vending machines, and as mentioned before, community events where people have the time they get to enjoy themselves.

Food’s already paired with socialization.When one goes out, they eat and they drink. And the type of outing gets paired with the quality of food--for Americans, a least, casual outings and events need cheap, inexpensive foods that everyone should enjoy. That expectation of the so-called “everyone” then, full circle, can instill an idea of junk foods being “good” for not only momentary, physical gratification, but also for the soul or spirit. When an entire group of people live with the ever-presence of junk food for long enough, and can easily access it, it becomes almost inevitable. Then it can become a staple, and finally, it seems even more necessary for making connections and experiencing happiness.

But all’s not doom and gloom, and it’s not “To heck with social conditioning” either! With careful moderation of food intake, one could also take on healthier eating habits. Grab a banana from the deli--they sell those, too, and usually only under or a little over a dollar. And get into being creative with your meals--think of what you can do with some bread, tomatoes, chickpeas, who knows! Get crazy with the right ingredients and get healthy!