Junk-food aftermath

It’s well known that consuming greasy bags of food from the drive-thru is a no-no when it comes to keeping your heart and body healthy, but there are some effects of fast food that may be off the average person’s radar. Here are four, according to healthful-action website Care2.com:

• Fast food can cause “hangovers.” Processed foods often contain nitrates or nitrites, monosodium glutamate (MSG) and artificial sweeteners, which increase blood flow and cause head pressure and pain.

• Fast food can make you depressed. In a study done at England’s University College London of people who regularly ate fast foods, 58 percent were more likely to experience depression than those who ate a balanced diet.

• Fast food can lower your sex drive. Fatty acids in processed and fast foods can decrease libido because they cause weight gain, biochemical changes and reduced sperm count and ovulation.

• Fast food can be addicting. High levels of sugar and fat cause blood-sugar levels to peak and crash, causing one to become dependent on the euphoric cycle.