Beyond Fat, Western Diets Make Us Stupid Too!

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OK, so everyone knows that junk food and fast food makes you fat, that’s a given, but did you know that it also makes us stupid? This isn’t just an opinion; it’s got scientific evidence to back it up. Researchers in Australia found that subjects who ate large amount of fried foods, soft drinks, and other types of junk food did far worse when it came to mental tests.

This study out of the University of Western Australia used more than 600 teenagers, who were 14 years of age when the study started and asked them to fill out a questionnaire about food. Three years later these same students were given cognitive tasks to perform. These test results were then compared to all other teenagers.

It was noted that the teenagers who ate higher amounts of soft drinks, takeout food, processed meats, fast food, and sugar laden foods vastly decreased their psychomotor function, had problems focusing visually, and impaired their reaction time. Junk food loving kids also had more trouble remembering new things and learning overall when compared to those who ate a more natural diet of fruits and veggies.

Junk foods lack essential micronutrients and trace minerals that are typically found in whole foods, which is why they are called “junk” foods. It’s this general deficiency in nutrients that causes those who consume processed foods to struggle with mental tasks.

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