Aftermath of junk food binge taking a tool on you? Eat these foods to restore balance in your body.
Junk food binge can take a toll on your body
HIGHLIGHTS
- Junk food contains high amounts of sodium
- Junk food binge can cause inflammation in the body
- Junk food can make you feel bloated
Everyone is fond of indulging in pleasures of junk food binge every once in a while. Eating one whole pizza, pasta or a spicy and juicy roll once in a while is a guilty pleasure we all enjoy. But these guilty pleasures come with their share of feeling cons. They make us feel heavy, bloaty and gassy. Moreover, when the guilt stops becoming pleasurable, you can't think of any right way to make up for the extra calories and carbs you have consumed as part of just meal. High contents of salt, sodium, saturated fats, sugar, artificial flavour and preservatives in junk food are a few of the reasons that make junk food so bad.
So here are a few tips that can help you deal with the aftermath of junk food binge:
1. Have potassium rich foods
Junk foods have extremely high levels of sodium which can increase your blood pressure. So, eating potassium rich foods can help in the coping up with junk food binge. Foods rich in potassium include bananas, oranges, black beans, avocado and spinach.
Lean protein keeps you full for longer and prevents unwanted hunger pangs. Turkey and chicken are good sources of lean protein. Fatty fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids - which help in fighting inflammation caused by preservatives and additives in junk food.
3. Whole grains
The best way to deal with junk food binge is to make sure that you do not feel the inclination to binge on it again. So, eating foods that are satiating and keep you full for longer can be of great help. Fibre-rich foods can reduce your cravings for fatty foods, which are a common follow-up of junk food binge. This is because junk foods have sugar which can be easily digested and make you feel hungry in no time.
Fibrous foods such as whole grains are helpful in expelling waste after a junk food meal. Oatmeal and banana smoothie, quinoa with vegetables and vegetable barley soup can be good options to deal with your junk food binge.
4. Low fat yogurt
Yogurt helps in restoring balance of good bacteria in the body after a junk food binge. It helps in maintaining a healthy gut and boosts immunity. Low fat Greek yogurt with berries, honey and fresh fruit smoothie can be good options.
Ginger can help in cutting down the fat consumed when on a junk food binge, and reduces inflammation. Ginger is also beneficial for the liver because it has properties that can lower hepatic triglyceride levels. Ginger is also good for body's cardiovascular health.
A few options to include ginger in your diet after junk food binge are ginger tea or onion ginger and green chilly porridge to name a few.
Green tea helps in lowering levels of bad cholesterol in the body. Green tea works wonders after a junk food binge.
Water can be the biggest saviour after junk food binge. Sodium can cause water retention and make you feel bloated. Drinking water can help in releasing toxins from the body and easing the pressure on kidney to work effectively. It enables the gastrointestinal tract effectively.
And in this case, warm water with lime will be a better option. It is an effective home remedy for getting a detox from junk food binge.
Water-based foods such as watermelon, musk melon and peaches can also help in dealing with bloating caused by junk food. Their vitamin and fibre content can also be of great help.
Cranberry juice works as a diuretic to easy bloating and gassiness after a junk food binge. Additionally, it helps in flushing out unwanted bacteria. Also, having the unsweetened version will prevent any loading up on sugar.
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