From pizza and burgers to chips and soda, for most of us all these are junk as well as fast foods. Both of these are synonymous to most of us.
We put both under one category and define them by their harmful effects. But did you know, fast foods and junk foods are actually not the same? You heard us.
Fast food refers to food that can be prepared and served quickly. According to Cambridge dictionary, it is the category of food that can be prepared and served quickly at some special eateries, and you can also "take away to eat".
Pizza, noodles, sandwich, sushi, burger and fruit juices are some of the examples of fast food. Junk food, on the other hand, are the food items that lack nutritional values. According to WebMD, these foods adds "lots of calories but little nutritional value" to your diet.
Junk foods lack nutrients like fibre, minerals and vitamins. Some of the most common junk foods are chips, cold drinks, chocolates, wafers, pastry and ice cream.
Fast foods are generally prepared on the spot, before consumption, while you can get packaged junk foods that are ready to eat at any given point.
While fast foods are generally available at QSRs and street side stalls, junk foods are pre-packaged and sold at grocery shops and convenience stores.
Fast foods are generally made on the spot for quick consumption; hence they get spoilt if kept for long. However, junk foods (packaged) have preservatives and can be stored for a long time.
While fast foods like noodles, momos, burgers etc., can be both affordable and expensive (depending on the eatery), you can get a packet of chips or chocolate for as minimum as Rs 10.
While junk food is always unhealthy, fast food often comes with some healthier options. For instance, salads and fruit chaats fall under the fast-food category and are considered healthier.