What Type of Food Is Considered Junk Food?

October 10, 2025 •

3 min read

According to a study published in the journal BMJ Open, junk food makes up 15% of all calories consumed in the United States. This highlights a widespread dietary issue, prompting the essential question: what type of food is considered junk food and why is it so prevalent?

Quick Summary

Junk food is generally defined as items high in calories, sugar, fat, and sodium but low in essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It often includes processed snacks, sugary beverages, and many fast-food options, which can lead to negative health outcomes.

Key Points

Nutrient-Poor: Junk food is primarily defined by its lack of essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
High in Harmful Ingredients: It is loaded with excessive amounts of added sugar, salt, and unhealthy saturated and trans fats.
Empty Calories: These foods provide energy (calories) without offering any substantial nutritional benefit.
Includes Processed and Fast Food: Common examples include sugary drinks, processed snacks, and many fast-food meals.
Associated with Health Risks: Regular consumption can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health issues.
Engineered for Taste: Junk foods are intentionally made to be hyper-palatable to trigger reward centers in the brain, which can lead to overeating.

Defining the Characteristics of Junk Food

Junk food is a broad term for items providing "empty calories," high in unhealthy fats and refined sugars with minimal nutritional content. While definitions vary, nutritionists agree on these key markers, often describing these foods as hyper-palatable and potentially leading to overconsumption.

High in Sugar, Salt, and Unhealthy Fats

Junk food is characterized by excessive sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, including saturated and trans fats. Added sugars in drinks, candies, and baked goods offer quick energy without sustained nutrition. Salty snacks are designed for high appeal, encouraging increased consumption, and trans fats, common in fried and packaged foods, are linked to heart disease.

Low in Nutrients

Crucially, junk food lacks essential vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. This contrasts with nutrient-rich whole foods like fruits and vegetables. Replacing healthier options with junk food can result in nutrient deficiencies and health issues.

Examples of Common Junk Foods

Common junk foods include:

Sugary drinks: Sodas and energy drinks.
Processed snacks: Chips, cookies, and packaged baked goods.
Fast food items: French fries, burgers, and fried chicken.
Sweets and desserts: Candies and pastries.
Pre-packaged foods: Instant noodles and some microwaveable meals.

Junk Food vs. Processed Food

Not all processed food is junk food. Processing modifies food from its natural state, ranging from minimal changes (like pasteurization) to ultra-processing. Ultra-processed foods, made with extracted or synthesized substances and often stripped of nutrients, are most akin to junk food.

A Comparison of Food Types


Feature	Minimally Processed Food	Ultra-Processed (Junk) Food
Nutrient Density	High	Low
Ingredients	Few, recognizable	Many complex ingredients
Additives	Minimal to none	High levels of added sugars, fats, salt
Satiety	High	Low
Health Impact	Supports health	Linked to chronic diseases
Examples	Canned vegetables	Packaged cakes, sugary cereals

The Health Implications of Regular Junk Food Consumption

Regular junk food consumption has numerous negative health effects, from short-term issues to serious long-term conditions. Its low fiber content leads to poor satiety, contributing to overeating and weight gain.

Long-Term Health Risks

Obesity: High calories and low nutrients promote weight gain.
Type 2 Diabetes: Refined sugar intake can lead to insulin resistance.
Cardiovascular Disease: Unhealthy fats increase heart disease risk.
Mental Health: Linked to poorer mental health outcomes.
Digestive Issues: Low fiber causes digestive problems.

How to Identify Junk Food on Grocery Shelves

Identifying junk food involves reading food labels. Check the ingredient list for high sugar, fat, or salt content early on. Be cautious of long lists with unfamiliar names. Color-coded labels on some pre-packaged foods can also indicate high levels of fat, salt, and sugar.

The Psychology Behind Junk Food Appeal

Junk food's appeal goes beyond taste, affecting the brain's reward centers with dopamine release due to high fat, sugar, and salt content. This can create cravings. Aggressive marketing, especially towards children, also influences choices.

Conclusion

Junk food is defined by its poor nutritional profile: high in energy from unhealthy sources and low in essential nutrients. Examples include processed snacks, sugary drinks, and fast food. Recognizing these characteristics is crucial for making healthy dietary choices and avoiding the significant health problems associated with consistent junk food consumption. For more information on healthy diets, refer to the World Health Organization World Health Organization, Healthy Diet Information.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary characteristic of junk food is that it is high in calories from sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, but very low in essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

No, not all fast food is automatically considered junk food. While many fast-food items are high in unhealthy ingredients, some options, like a salad, can be part of a balanced diet. The 'junk' classification depends on the item's nutritional content.

Processed food has been altered from its natural state. While all junk food is processed, not all processed food is junk. Minimally processed foods like canned vegetables are not junk, but ultra-processed foods that are nutritionally depleted often are.

Children can eat junk food occasionally, but daily consumption is harmful to their health and development. A balanced diet rich in nutrients is essential for growth and concentration.

You can identify junk food by checking the ingredient list; if sugar, fat, or salt are listed among the first few ingredients, it's likely junk. Also, be cautious of long ingredient lists with unfamiliar names.

Junk food is designed to be highly palatable. The combination of high fat, sugar, and salt can trigger the brain's reward centers, releasing dopamine and creating a pleasure response that leads to cravings and overeating.

Not necessarily. The myth that 'fat makes you fat' has been debunked. Healthy fats from sources like avocados and nuts are essential. Weight gain is caused by a calorie surplus, and it's unhealthy saturated and trans fats found in junk food that should be limited.